×

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

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Alt-Az mode for EQmod

  • Posts: 226
  • Thank you received: 88

Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

I have made an azeqaltaz branch on my forked repo of libindi to add support for AZEQ5 and AZEQ6 in the indi_skywatcherAltAzMount driver.
I have only tested with that driver and my AZQE5 (in my home office): mount connects as expected, moves, gotos and tracking are functionnal. Only slew speed seems to be always high speed,
and I am not sure what is the home position (telescope pointing North horizon, on the east side of the pier?). East/West direction may also be inverted in my case, North/South is correct.

@Jasem thanks for making the AZGTi update, it has helped me. I don't understand what you mean with 'added a new entry...': where did you add it ?

@Dirk May you test using my above repo ? You would have to recompile the indi core library. Concerning the rfcomm, it may have changed in /dev. I use picocom to make connection tests, just sending the :e1 command (end with CTRL-M).
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq
3 years 6 months ago #59669

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

I just add an alias[/b] in drivers.xml, but it's using indi_skywatcherAltAzMount. It works fine with my AZ-GTi in Alt-Az mode as far as I can tell. The home position is telescope tube pointing north level at the horizon. When it is started this way, then all GOTOs afterwards are correct and make sense.
3 years 6 months ago #59681

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 91
  • Thank you received: 5

Replied by Dirk Tetzlaff on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

Pls. forgive my dumbee question, but what do I have to do / type in order to install your branch of indi on my system ?
3 years 6 months ago #59685

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 226
  • Thank you received: 88

Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

Not a dumbee question, it's not easy if you never compiled software. You may refer to the libindi/indi github page where the building process is explained. You only have to change the repository with my repo and use my azeqaltaz branch ("Get the code" paragraph):
cd ~/Projects
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/geehalel/indi.git
cd ~/Projects/indi
git checkout azeqaltaz
That will replace your current indi-core installation, but it will be restored at the next software update from ppa.
If you don't succeed I may ask a pull request so that will be available in the next ppa update.

@Jasem: thanks for the info, I did'nt know the drivers.xml file, will have a look. I realize that my sentence concerning home position is quite silly, this was after I read the manual which states:
"The telescope should be mounted in a way so that it is on the right-hand side of the mount when it points forward." Still not sure what that means.
3 years 6 months ago #59686

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 91
  • Thank you received: 5

Replied by Dirk Tetzlaff on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

@geehalel: many thanks ! Did as per the instructuction. Last command ("git checkout azeqaltaz") returned an error:

astroberry@astroberry:~/Projects $ git clone --depth 1 github.com/geehalel/indi.git
Cloning into 'indi'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 706, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (706/706), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (667/667), done.
remote: Total 706 (delta 125), reused 131 (delta 24), pack-reused 0
Receiving objects: 100% (706/706), 2.34 MiB | 3.43 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (125/125), done.
astroberry@astroberry:~/Projects $ cd ~/Projects/indi
astroberry@astroberry:~/Projects/indi $ git checkout azeqaltaz
error: pathspec 'azeqaltaz' did not match any file(s) known to git
3 years 6 months ago #59689

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 226
  • Thank you received: 88

Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

Sorry, the depth -1 only gets the master branch... Try with
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/geehalel/indi.git --branch azeqaltaz
The `git checkout azeqaltaz` is no more needed in that case.
3 years 6 months ago #59694

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 91
  • Thank you received: 5

Replied by Dirk Tetzlaff on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

many thanks again; I think the compilation worked; at least the whole process did finish without any error messages. Could not connect to my AZ-EQ6, though. But I also could not connect to normal EQmod and some other devices. Will do another compilation on a fresh install tomorrow...

log attached
3 years 6 months ago #59699
Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 226
  • Thank you received: 88

Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

Skywatcher Alt-Az Wedge : "[DEBUG] Connecting to /dev/rfcomm0 @ 9600 "
I did not test with the skywatcherAltAzSimple dirver but with skywatcherAltAzMount, I don't know how they differ. Shouldn't the serial speed be 115200 in place of 9600 ?
3 years 6 months ago #59715

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 91
  • Thank you received: 5

Replied by Dirk Tetzlaff on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

Ah, good to know. My understanding was that the AltAzMount driver has not been updated and the AltAzSimple driver is the way to go in Alt-Az mode. Will try the skywatcherAltAzMount instead...
The rfcomm device is a bluetooth dongle, which connects via the HC port in the mount. This has to be set to 9600 baud in order to work. The 115k is for direct connection via the USB port of the newer AZ-EQ mounts. I can use either way to connect.
3 years 6 months ago #59722

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 91
  • Thank you received: 5

Replied by Dirk Tetzlaff on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

@knro: may the problems with the slew speed reported by geehalel be connected with using the skywatcherAltAz driver instead of AltAzSimple driver ?
3 years 6 months ago #59723

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 226
  • Thank you received: 88

Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

Maybe you could try to connect using the USB port for testing as long as we develop the driver. I've looked at the AltAzSimple driver source, it does not have the Alignment stuff, just normal syncs. So it should work as well.
3 years 6 months ago #59728

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

  • Posts: 91
  • Thank you received: 5

Replied by Dirk Tetzlaff on topic Alt-Az mode for EQmod

did another run now with the geehalel indi branch:
prior to the compilation I could connect to my mount via direct USB @115k. After the compilation I could not connect with either skywatcher_altaz, Altaz_simple or EQmod.
For the EQmod I received the following log message:
[2020-09-11T13:45:25.870 CEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.indi] - EQMod Mount : "[ERROR] Error: Communication failed -> tty write failed, check connection: Write Error: Bad file descriptor "
[2020-09-11T13:45:25.872 CEST DEBG ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "EQMod Mount" is disconnected.
[2020-09-11T13:45:25.873 CEST INFO ][ org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "EQMod Mount is disconnected."

For the other two, I attach the log file. It occurs to me, that for the skywatcher_altaz the config.xml in the .indi directory is missing. I could set the connection parameters in the indi control panel, but I am unsure whether they have any effect:
3 years 6 months ago #59733
Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 1.313 seconds