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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

LX200R Syncing offsets and GPS issues

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Our club has a 12" LX200R. I've been having a couple of issues.

1) When I sync there always seems to be a offset of 10minutes of RA. So if I sync to 12h40m12s after syncing it reports it is at 12h50m12s. This is after a manual sync or if a solver syncs it doesn't matter.

2) Sometimes when I connect it seems like the offset is even greater like 90 degrees. Usually I can park and reset a few times to get it to work normally but I still end up having issue #1. I thought it might be a time issues. I've never been able to have it use the GPS successfully from INDI. When just using the handpad it gets gps fine and is able to goto objects fine. From INDI if I turn on GPS and have it use GPS I always get an error about not being able to process the time, like "2035-23-48T01:05:00"

Does anyone have any experiences with this. I originally was trying to capture the log just for #1 but I was in a hurry last night and just kept getting #2. So I only have the log for #2.

I feel like this is an operator error on my part, like I need to do some steps to make it works correctly, but I am not sure what. I am hoping that people can use this remotely so I hope the steps don't involving having to physically use the handpad first before connecting, but even if that is the case, what to do would be good to know at least for when people are on site to use.

Thank you.

File Attachment:

File Name: log_23-46-50.txt
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Last edit: 3 years 5 months ago by Russell Valentine.
3 years 5 months ago #61560
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More of an update. The LX200R is really just the optical tube. The base is just a LX200GPS. Playing with it a few more nights I've found the following:
  • Sync and Slews give the correct coordinates to the mount. The mount is really at those coordinates
  • The position that indi/ekos/kstars thinks the mount get an offset. This varies from 10' to 35' in both RA and DEC. So if I do a sync it syncs the telescope correct (as in the telescope itself on the handpad shows it correct), however the position in indi/ekos/kstars automatically jumps back off.
Not sure why this is, my first thought is some J2000 <-> JNOW conversion when it shouldn't but I currently do not know.

Has anyone else with a LX200GPS experience such an issue?
2 years 9 months ago #72364

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Russell,
I have an LX600, which is basically the same computer, and I occasionally have that very problem. The mount goes where I tell it to go, then the cross cursor jumps, usually to the west a degree or so, but sometimes northeast. If I sync using the align tab, it puts the cross on the target, and a few seconds later it jumps back to where it wants to be. It happens at startup, when it happens, and power cycling the scope, or rebooting the Raspberry Pi I have controlling it does nothing to the problem. The next night I'm out, it works fine. I have no answer as to how to fix it. The good thing is the scope is actually pointing where I want it to point, even though the display is wrong.
Regards,
Dave
2 years 9 months ago #72372

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I should have mentioned - I get an error every time the scope comes on line saying "Unable to set time" and "Unable to set longitude".
2 years 9 months ago #72373

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I really appreciate the reply David.

I will look out for those messages, but I don't know that I saw the same last time I used it.

Sounds like maybe time to sniff serial messages with socat and tee or github.com/geoffmeyers/interceptty
2 years 9 months ago #72374

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