Rob's profile

That is mostly great news!
I may revisit my StellarMate sooner than later! …when I have time and clear skies ;-)

Read More...

Hello Fernando!

Short version:
No, I did not. I think Jasem was indirectly looking into a solution that would allow INDI to send the necessary calibration to the CGEM mount…

Longer version:

I don’t think I ever got past this in a sensible way. I think the trick is the mount needs an initial calibration sequence (quick calibration) that INDI wasn’t sending it.

I tried switching to a windows mini-pc setup, and was able to use CPWI to do the initial calibration before switching to N.I.N.A. for the imaging session. With that, I verified it is _possible_ to do the calibration through SkyPortal, but ultimately N.I.N.A. was too memory hungry for my mini-pc (and there were other quirks with windows 11).

At this point, having spent over a year fighting with different systems, I decided I wanted to enjoy my scope and my hobby instead of spending hours troubleshooting every time I try to setup. So… I bought an ASIAir and it just works… as long as I have the hand controller plugged into the USB.

I’d still like to eliminate the need for the hand controller, and there is something to be said for the flexibility and adaptability of INDI, so I’ll probably revisit it when I have more time. But, right now I’m enjoying getting pretty pictures without a lot of hassle.

Read More...

For what it’s worth, I found that on Windows, using ASCOM, my CGEM-II works best if I connect with the CPWI application and send a “Quick Align” to the mount. Maybe the “Use Last Alignment” would also work if you’re not at the index position?

The key was that the mount seems to need some sort of alignment that Indi wasn’t sending last time I tried it (about 8 months ago).

Read More...

There it is...
Baud Rate was set to 19200 And the PortType was set to

 ...let me know if you need

(probably didn't matter...)
 AUX/PC instead of USB/HC.
 xml:>[2023-03-29T19:02:10.806 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.ekos] - Connecting to "CGEM II Wired" org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Connecting to /dev/serial/by-id/usb-Prolific_Technology_Inc._USB-Serial_Controller_D-if00-port0 @ 9600 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Port FD 3 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Connection successful, attempting handshake... " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] CAUX: connect 3 (serial) " org.kde.kstars.ekos] - Connecting  "CGEM II Wired" org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "Connecting INDI devices..." org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] Setting serial speed to 9600 baud. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <56> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] aux_tty_read: 3 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] Detected Hand Controller (v5.34) serial connection. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Communicating with mount motor controllers... " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <     GET_VER>  APP ->  AZM " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 10 FE 00 00 00 04> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] RES (9 B): <3B 05 10 20 FE 06 32 00 00> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] Got 5 bytes:  ; payload length field: 48 ; MSG: " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] [30 30 00 00 FE 06 32] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] RES <     GET_VER>  AZM ->  APP [06 32 00 00] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <     GET_VER>  APP ->  ALT " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 11 FE 00 00 00 04> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] RES (9 B): <3B 05 11 20 FE 06 32 00 00> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] Got 5 bytes:  ; payload length field: 48 ; MSG: " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] [30 30 00 00 FE 06 32] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] RES <     GET_VER>  ALT ->  APP [06 32 00 00] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] Got response from target ALT or AZM. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Connection ready. Starting Processing. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <MC_GET_AUTOGUIDE_RATE>  APP ->  AZM " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 10 47 00 00 00 01> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] RES (6 B): <3B 02 10 20 47 80> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] Got 2 bytes:  ; payload length field: 2 ; MSG: " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] [3B 02 10 20] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] RES <MC_GET_AUTOGUIDE_RATE>  AZM ->  APP [80] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <MC_GET_AUTOGUIDE_RATE>  APP ->  ALT " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 11 47 00 00 00 01> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] RES (6 B): <3B 02 11 20 47 80> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] Got 2 bytes:  ; payload length field: 2 ; MSG: " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] [3B 02 11 20] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] RES <MC_GET_AUTOGUIDE_RATE>  ALT ->  APP [80] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] CGEM II Wired is online. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Configuration successfully saved for DEVICE_PORT. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Configuration successfully saved for DEVICE_BAUD_RATE. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <     GET_VER>  APP ->  BAT " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 B6 FE 00 00 00 04> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - < CGEM II Wired >: < Firmware Info > org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] InitPark: No Park data in file /home/stellarmate/.indi/ParkData.xml: No park data found for this device " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] Mount is unparked. " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Setting Park Axis1 to 4194304.00 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Setting Park Axis2 to 4194304.00 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Setting Default Park Axis1 to 4194304.00 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Setting Default Park Axis2 to 4194304.00 " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <MC_GET_POSITION>  APP ->  AZM " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 10 01 00 00 00 03> " org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "CGEM II Wired is online." org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "Guider port from CGEM II Wired is ready." org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[ERROR] Resp. char 4 is 00 ascii  " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[ERROR] RES <7C FF 37 89 55 00 00 00> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <MC_GET_POSITION>  APP ->  ALT " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <50 01 11 01 00 00 00 03> " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Encoder [Axis1: 0 --> LST:  6:32:09 HA: -12:00:00 RA: 18:32:09] [Axis2: 0 --> DE:  0:00:00] " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[ALIGNMENT] Mount -> Sky RA: 18:32:09 DE:  0:00:00 AZ:  0:00:16 AL: -50:34:04 HA: -8:57:03 Pier: PIER_EAST " org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[INFO] Loading device configuration... "

more

Read More...

I had the same issues as Tim, trying to connect my CGEM-II via the NexStar hand controller/USB.
StellarMate OS 1.7.5

[2023-03-29T18:26:39.926 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.ekos] - Connecting  "CGEM II Wired"
[2023-03-29T18:26:39.927 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "Connecting INDI devices..."
[2023-03-29T18:26:39.943 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Communicating with mount motor controllers... "
[2023-03-29T18:26:39.943 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CAUX] CMD <     GET_VER>  APP ->  AZM "
[2023-03-29T18:26:39.949 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] CMD <3B 03 20 10 FE CF> "
[2023-03-29T18:26:39.949 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[CSER] aux_tty_read: 3 "

[2023-03-29T18:26:40.932 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[ERROR] Timeout error "
[2023-03-29T18:26:40.933 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[ERROR] Got no response from target ALT or AZM. "
[2023-03-29T18:26:40.935 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired :  "[ERROR] Cannot continue without connection to motor controllers. "
[2023-03-29T18:26:40.935 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II Wired : "[DEBUG] Handshake failed. "

However, I could connect to it via the CGEM-II Wifi...

[2023-03-29T18:19:48.201 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - < CGEM II WiFi >: < Firmware Info >
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.216 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi :  "[INFO] Mount is parked. "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.217 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[DEBUG] InitPark Axis1 0.00 Axis2 0.00 "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.217 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[DEBUG] Setting Default Park Axis1 to 4194304.00 "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.217 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[DEBUG] Setting Default Park Axis2 to 4194304.00 "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.257 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi :  "[INFO] Loading device configuration... "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.259 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi :  "[INFO] Debug is disabled. "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.260 PDT INFO ][           org.kde.kstars.ekos] - "Re-enabling debug logging for CGEM II WiFi..."
<<skipping location-specific information>>
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CAUX] CMD <MC_GET_POSITION>  APP ->  AZM "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CSER] CMD <3B 03 20 10 01 CC> "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CSER] RES <3B 06 10 20 01 00 00 05 C4> "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CAUX] RES <MC_GET_POSITION>  AZM ->  APP [00 00 05] "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CAUX] CMD <MC_GET_POSITION>  APP ->  ALT "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CSER] CMD <3B 03 20 11 01 CB> "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.719 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CSER] RES <3B 06 11 20 01 FF FF FB CF> "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.720 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[CAUX] RES <MC_GET_POSITION>  ALT ->  APP [FF FF FB] "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.720 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[DEBUG] Encoder [Axis1: 5 --> LST:  5:49:34 HA: -12:00:00 RA: 17:49:34] [Axis2: 16777211 --> DE: -0:00:00] "
[2023-03-29T18:19:48.721 PDT DEBG ][           org.kde.kstars.indi] - CGEM II WiFi : "[ALIGNMENT] Mount -> Sky RA: 17:49:34 DE: -0:00:00 AZ:  0:00:16 AL: -50:34:04 HA: -8:16:14 Pier: PIER_EAST "

tl:dr:
- From cold power on from a fresh install of the StellarMate beta stream, it slews to the correct target... sort of...
- If it tries to slew more than about 15-degrees clockwise of center on the RA, it abruptly stops motion on that axis.
- If I run alignment in an external app, then switch back to KStars/Ekos/StellarMate, it no long hits the stop... but it also does not slew to the correct location.

My SD card died, so I had to grab a new one and get it up and running again so I could get logs.
I got tired of setting my stuff up in the in the cold, so I'm testing by roughly polar aligning my mount and checking positions using SkySafari.

In order to get past the short artificial stop rotating east on the RA, I disconnected/stopped indi/ekos, and ran a scope alignment with SkySafari.
In the process, the StellarMate seemed to crash during that time, so I powered it off and on again before I could connected to it and start Ekos/Indi.
For good measure, I mash the 'sync gps' button in the StellarMate app; location in the CGEM-II looks almost right... except is show 240.xx degrees longitude instead of -119.yy (I'm not sure if that's normal).
Upon connecting, KStars shows the scope position somewhere in the south; way below the horizon (at 259P/Garradd).
So, I select Polaris and Sync the scope location.

In the _after_align.log...
I try to go to Merak (sort of near zenith), but it hits a hard stop (if I had my scope attached to the mount, it might have bumped the tripod).
So, then I send it to Pollux, and it kind of gets in the neighborhood.
It tell it to park, and it goes 90-degrees clockwise of the home position for both axes.

So, then I power the mount off and on again, and close/re-open kstars (_no_align.log)
It comes up with the cgem-ii pointing at Polaris this time, and correctly slews to Pollux and Vega... but hits an the artificial stop slewing to Merak (about 15-ish degrees past center on the RA).

Read More...

I've tried playing with this a couple times after updating to the latest... and there are still some issues.

I have a CGEM-II mount with the SkyPortal WiFi.
Raspberry Pi 4 with StellarMate OS and an additional wifi dongle (one connects to home network, one to the Celestron WiFi)
After working around a version issue with libgphoto2, I was able to run update_indi_core and update_indi_drivers.

What I saw was very similar to what Andrew described.

The mount connects and initializes with a seemingly random coordinate; so I sync to Polaris (roughly polar aligned).
The new coordinates look right; If I goto Polaris, it stays put... which is good.
But if I go to any other nearby star, it shoots off somewhere completely different (usually to a position that would damage equipment).

Also, unless I have a hand controller plugged in or go through alignment in SkySafari, there seems to be an artificial stop in one direction of the RA motor.
But, after any form of alignment (through hand controller or app) that artificial stop goes away.
However, I verified this happens when using the manual controls in SkySafari as well, if I have not run an alignment.

I also verified that if I run the alignment in SkySafari, it will then accurately slew the scope to selected targets within SkySafari (so, it can work).

Read More...

Hi Fabricio,

I have hunk I had a similar question in this topic (using the Wi-Fi module instead of a connection to the hand controller, but the same driver):
indilib.org/forum/mounts/11730-cgem-ii-w...-slew-to-target.html

Jasem responded saying support for equatorial mounts was recently added, and is in beta.

I ran into some issues getting it installed on my StellarMate, so you may want to hold off until the next official Indi release… but initial tests look promising.

Read More...

Good news everyone!

I was able to get past my error by removing libgphoto2-dev from the development installs list, and then manually pulling/building the latest libgphoto2 from sourceforge.

…then update_indi_drivers worked.
…then, slewing to a target with my CGEM-II Wi-Fi worked!
(At least, it worked in my living room according to KStars, and it looks like the mount might be pointing the right way).

It still hits the soft stop when rotating eastward… when I don’t have the hand controller plugged in.

Read More...

Thanks again!

It looks like there's still something out of sync with dependencies for libgphoto2...

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libgphoto2-dev : Depends: libgphoto2-6 (= 2.5.28-stable~202201181038) but 2.5.29-stable~202203161821 is to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.

stellarmate@stellarmate:~ $ sudo apt policy libgphoto2-dev
libgphoto2-dev:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2.5.28-stable~202201181038
  Version table:
     2.5.28-stable~202201181038 500
        500 https://ppa.stellarmate.com/repos/apt/stable bullseye/main arm64 Packages
     2.5.27-1 500
        500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye/main arm64 Packages
stellarmate@stellarmate:~ $ sudo apt policy libgphoto2-6
libgphoto2-6:
  Installed: 2.5.29-stable~202203161821
  Candidate: 2.5.29-stable~202203161821
  Version table:
 *** 2.5.29-stable~202203161821 500
        500 https://ppa.stellarmate.com/repos/apt/stable bullseye/main arm64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.5.27-1 500
        500 http://deb.debian.org/debian bullseye/main arm64 Packages

Rob

Basic Information

Gender

Birthdate

About me

Contact Information

City / Town

Country