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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

New Meridian Flip Issue

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In my last two sessions, I've started having a meridian flip issue.  The mount properly counts down to the MF and initiates it correctly (around 22:18 in the attached), but immediately reports that it failed and would wait 4 minutes to try again.  It also stopped guiding, but performed alignment.  However, it resets the mount countdown to around 12 minutes and begins capturing again without guiding (I manually restarted guiding).  Then after 12 minutes it properly performed the MF.My main question is why does MF fail?  Secondarily, when the MF fails why the weird behavior... stop guiding, waiting 12 minutes, etc.Thanks,Ron
Last edit: 2 years 2 months ago by Ron Clanton.
2 years 2 months ago #79198
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Replied by John Pane on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

My guess is that you hadn't yet tracked far enough past the meridian for the mount to switch to the east side when it received a goto command from Ekos.
2 years 2 months ago #79199

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Replied by Ron Clanton on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

Certainly a possibility... I can increase the parameter.  The mount was point at 182 degrees azimuth when it tried.  It's weird, because I'm been using the same settings for the last several months.

Thanks,

Ron
2 years 2 months ago #79203

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Replied by John Pane on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

Is that consistent with the hour angles reported in the log?

[2022-01-07T22:18:15.321 EST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Meridian flip planned with LST= "05h 14m 20s" scope RA= "05h 08m 19s" ha= 0.10045 , meridian diff= 0.1 , hrstoFlip= -0.000449513 , flipDelayHrs= 0 , "Pier Side: West (pointing East)"
[2022-01-07T22:19:13.536 EST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Meridian flip: slewing to RA= "05h 08m 02s" DEC= "-03° 18' 47\"" Hour Angle "00h 00m 29s"
[2022-01-07T22:19:31.942 EST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Meridian flip planned with LST= "05h 15m 37s" scope RA= "05h 08m 02s" ha= 0.126487 , meridian diff= 0.1 , hrstoFlip= -0.0264867 , flipDelayHrs= 0 , "Pier Side: West (pointing East)"
[2022-01-07T22:19:32.929 EST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Meridian flip: slewing to RA= "05h 08m 02s" DEC= "-03° 18' 47\"" Hour Angle "00h 00m 30s"
[2022-01-07T22:35:12.340 EST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Meridian flip planned with LST= "05h 31m 20s" scope RA= "05h 19m 44s" ha= 0.1935 , meridian diff= 0.1 , hrstoFlip= -1.89019e-05 , flipDelayHrs= 0.093481 , "Pier Side: West (pointing East)"
[2022-01-07T22:38:04.617 EST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos.mount] - Meridian flip: slewing to RA= "05h 08m 03s" DEC= "-03° 18' 47\"" Hour Angle "00h 01m 45s"

(Were the mount and Ekos in agreement on the geographic location of the mount?)
2 years 2 months ago #79204

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Replied by Ron Clanton on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

John,

I'm not how I would know what the mount thought... is there a place I can check?

I verified through Stellarium that EKOS was correct with its readings. Are you suggesting that EKOS may not be syncing with the mount? Interesting... Since I don't use the sandbox, is there a way to verify?

BTW... I hadn't thought of this before... I just got my EQ6-R Pro back from servicing at SkyWatcher... they indicated that they upgraded the firmware of the mount. Hmmm... maybe a clue!

Thanks,

Ron
2 years 2 months ago #79205

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Replied by John Pane on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

We're at the limits of my knowledge. I don't know if Ekos and the mount communicate regarding geographic position. I can imagine a scenario where they could properly sync on a target without agreeing on the geographic position of the mount, and thus when the meridian flip is necessary.

Looking at the manual, I see that the EQ6-R does not have a GPS. "At the end of the initialization of the SynScan hand control, after entering the proper local longitude, latitude". If you did not do this at least once after receiving the mount back perhaps it doesn't have the right coordinates?
2 years 2 months ago #79206

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Replied by Ron Clanton on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

John,

I'll dig up the handbox and give it a go. Perhaps the geographic location is stored in non-volatile RAM? I would think that EKOS would communicate the location to the mount... but who knows!

Edit: I found a setting in the INDI Configuration that indicates if EKOS updates date/time/location to the mount.  I'll check the setting to see if it got changed somehow.

Thanks,

Ron
Last edit: 2 years 2 months ago by Ron Clanton.
2 years 2 months ago #79207

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Replied by Ron Clanton on topic New Meridian Flip Issue

I checked the setting in INDI and it was correct. I also plugged in the handbox and the location was correct. So... no clue as to the problem.

Next time out I will set a higher value for the MF delay... unless someone else has any ideas.

Ron
2 years 2 months ago #79219

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