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Hi! I thought I had posted on this problem before here, but cannot find my original post...so here is a new one. Problem: My G-11 seems to refuse to go to some locations, that should be unproblematic. For instance: Tonight I cold started the unit, and did a first alignment on Altair. Then choose to go to Mizar, which does not involve a MF and is far from any limits. I get the message **Interrupted**. The same for many stars. Deneb and Vega worked today, and even Mirfak, but still Mizar and Dubhe just gets Interrupted. I managed to do alignment with 5 or 6 stars, and the model seems to be fairly OK, with a polar alignment error of 7'. So how come it refuses to go to a number of stars (about half of the ones I tried)? And it's got a fresh 3 V battery. Changed today. Any suggestions? Magnus
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Hi Magnus,
The "interrupted" message usually comes from the user pressing a button on the handset when the system is slewing to a target object.? ?Is there any chance you might have something pressing on a button during the system slew to your target star???
If there is no way a button could be pressed, I wonder if it is possible that you have an intermittent glitch from your hand controller?? To fix that, you might try cleaning the hand controller internal board of any corrosion or discoloration, using alcohol on a cotton swab.? The hand controller comes apart with 2 phillips screws on the back cover.??
All the best and good luck on tracing this issue, Michael
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Hi!
I thought I had posted on this problem before here, but cannot find my original post...so here is a new one.
Problem: My G-11 seems to refuse to go to some locations, that should be unproblematic. For instance: Tonight I cold started the unit, and did a first alignment on Altair. Then choose to go to Mizar, which does not involve a MF and is far from any limits. I get the message **Interrupted**. The same for many stars. Deneb and Vega worked today, and even Mirfak, but still Mizar and Dubhe just gets Interrupted. I managed to do alignment with 5 or 6 stars, and the model seems to be fairly OK, with a polar alignment error of 7'. So how come it refuses to go to a number of stars (about half of the ones I tried)?
And it's got a fresh 3 V battery. Changed today.
Any suggestions?
Magnus
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Hi!
Thanks for the suggestion! No, I am absolutely sure I did not press any buttons. And strangely enough, the error seems not random - in that I could not slew to Mizar, but to Mirfak. I mean, repeatedly trying Mizar, then Deneb (which was OK), then Mizar (Interrupted), then Mirfak (OK), then Mizar (Interrupted) and so on.
But I'll follow you advice and see what happens :) Will take a few days for update though.
Magnus
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Magnus
What is your location and what time were trying to go to these stars???
Bryan ---In Losmandy_users@..., <jfev5mnsvqiyzpq756wvokt55jve7sbg2esr5mip@...> wrote : Hi! I thought I had posted on this problem before here, but cannot find my original post...so here is a new one. Problem: My G-11 seems to refuse to go to some locations, that should be unproblematic. For instance: Tonight I cold started the unit, and did a first alignment on Altair. Then choose to go to Mizar, which does not involve a MF and is far from any limits. I get the message **Interrupted**. The same for many stars. Deneb and Vega worked today, and even Mirfak, but still Mizar and Dubhe just gets Interrupted. I managed to do alignment with 5 or 6 stars, and the model seems to be fairly OK, with a polar alignment error of 7'. So how come it refuses to go to a number of stars (about half of the ones I tried)? And it's got a fresh 3 V battery. Changed today. Any suggestions? Magnus
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Magnus,
You could have had your "Limit" set incorrectly for East or West and that might also generate an "Interrupted" error. You can use your Gemini.net to set the limits to something sensible like 90? degrees.??
Best, Michael
On Mon, Oct 16, 2017 at 12:51 PM, bryancashion@... [Losmandy_users] <Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
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Magnus
What is your location and what time were trying to go to these stars???
Bryan ---In Losmandy_users@..., < jfev5mnsvqiyzpq756wvokt55jve7s bg2esr5mip@...> wrote :
Hi! I thought I had posted on this problem before here, but cannot find my original post...so here is a new one. Problem: My G-11 seems to refuse to go to some locations, that should be unproblematic. For instance: Tonight I cold started the unit, and did a first alignment on Altair. Then choose to go to Mizar, which does not involve a MF and is far from any limits. I get the message **Interrupted**. The same for many stars. Deneb and Vega worked today, and even Mirfak, but still Mizar and Dubhe just gets Interrupted. I managed to do alignment with 5 or 6 stars, and the model seems to be fairly OK, with a polar alignment error of 7'. So how come it refuses to go to a number of stars (about half of the ones I tried)? And it's got a fresh 3 V battery. Changed today. Any suggestions? Magnus
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Make sure your safety limits are set for your particular equipment and that you are not relying on the defaults. This will make a world of difference.
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Show quoted text
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Hi!
I thought I had posted on this problem before here, but cannot find my original post...so here is a new one.
Problem: My G-11 seems to refuse to go to some locations, that should be unproblematic. For instance: Tonight I cold started the unit, and did a first alignment on Altair. Then choose to go to Mizar, which does not involve a MF and is far from any limits. I get the message **Interrupted**. The same for many stars. Deneb and Vega worked today, and even Mirfak, but still Mizar and Dubhe just gets Interrupted. I managed to do alignment with 5 or 6 stars, and the model seems to be fairly OK, with a polar alignment error of 7'. So how come it refuses to go to a number of stars (about half of the ones I tried)?
And it's got a fresh 3 V battery. Changed today.
Any suggestions?
Magnus
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This could also be the start of a serial communication issue or battery failure. I had this issue and it disappeared once I replaced the battery with a fresh cell. The Gemini 1 seems to start to have issues when the battery falls 10% of a fresh cell or once you get below about 2.9vdc or so. I just pitch them when they get below 3vdc to avoid any issues in the dark at 20F. I've also had issues with odd goto failures and even stranger, very rapid battery drain until I consistently used an ATEN USB to RS232 converter. My GM8 has the lighted rocker switch Gemini 1 controller that I use a lot in my driveway and the last time I put a battery in it was almost 8 months ago. Prior to tossing an old the FTDI based USB to RS232 converter I had for many years the batteries in the Gemin 1 would die within weeks of installation which presented many off issues like yours.? ? Chip?
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Hi!
I'm in Sweden, at 21, 22 in the evening. The stars I am trying to reach is about 45 degrees above the horizon. Mizar and Dubhe West-North-West, roughly. Earlier, the same thing happened with Altair and Deneb, a few weeks ago, when they were high, South and sligtly to the east.
As for safety limits, the location of the stars are way off the limits. And I can easily slew the mount to them. It is the GoTo that does something strange.
As for battery - new as of 1 hour before trying this yesterday.
Magnus
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Magnus,
I have had similar issues when either the location or time are entered incorrectly.
Regards
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Hi!
I'm in Sweden, at 21, 22 in the evening. The stars I am trying to reach is about 45 degrees above the horizon. Mizar and Dubhe West-North-West, roughly. Earlier, the same thing happened with Altair and Deneb, a few weeks ago, when they were high, South and sligtly to the east.
As for safety limits, the location of the stars are way off the limits. And I can easily slew the mount to them. It is the GoTo that does something strange.?
As for battery - new as of 1 hour before trying this yesterday.?
Magnus
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Magnus,
Sounds like there is a data corruption issue.?
Chip
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Hi all!
Thanks for all suggestions on this issue! I've now tried a lot, but unfortunately, the problem is still there.
I measure the voltage from the battery: 3.09 V.
I checked and checked and triple checked lat and long - correct. So is UTC time.
I set the safety limits, first to default, then to how I'd like them. Checked and checked.
And it is still there. Very systematically (which leads me to think not HC issue). Yesterday night, I did a cold start, Go To Bright star to Albireo and sync (first point in model). Then I tried Go To Bright Star Dubhe - and get Interrrupted. I tries Deneb - works OK! Sync - second point in model. Tried Dubhe - Interrupted. Tried Mirfak (which means a meridian flip) - Interrupted. Tried Vega - OK! Sync - third point.
Then I used the HC to manually slew to Mizar in Ursa Major, did a sync there, and then tried Go To Bright Star Dubhe again. Interrupted.
Then (only then) did I attach the RS232 cable and the computer. That is, shut the mount down and did a warm restart. I tried slewing with the computer (not ASCOM, but Ekos/Indi). And i works with the same stars, but refuses to slew to anything in Andromeda or Perseus. When using the computer to slew to Perseus, the HC reports Interrupted, and the computer says "Slew complete" (well...).
I was going to image M33. So I used the HC to manually slew to somewhere around M33 (I could not use HC nor computer to GoTo M33). Then I used the computer to plate solve and "sync". I am not sure how that sync interacts with the point model in Losmandy though. Now I used the computer to slew to M33 - and it worked!! And I could plate solve and have it adjust postion to center om M33.
So: first nothing in Andromeda is allowed for a GoTo. But after having the computer (Ekos/indi) plate solve very close to my intended target, it worked.
It feels to me like there is something wrong with the point model. But if I cold start, do I not build it from scratch? Could there be someting corrupting the point model, that I am not aware of?
Or is my G1 more severely ill.....?
Big problem with this, is that I cannot trust the scope to work automatically. That is, I'd like to use a scheduler and have it start in the middle of the night and image until dawn, for instance with M33. As it is now, I need to manually manipualte it to be able to reach the intended target. So it is a practical problem.
Magnus
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Magnus
I'm looking back thru threads trying to get a handle on this.? Previous you had motor issues but these have been resolved.? So atm I just want to confirm you have put in DTG as per Gemini fashion:
Gemini UTC display (yymm.dd: hh.mm.ss):
see link right at the bottom of Rene's site .
Also check you are or are not using daylight savings time and have gained or lost an hr.
Brendan
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Hi!
Yes, one motor was exchanged for a new, the other repaired, later also exchanged for a new.
And yes, it is that Doc Goerlich page I use to have the UTC, and I enter it exactly as displayed (at least that's what it looks like).
Best,
Magnus
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Magnus Thanks Magnus, so it'll return to CWD on command ok and not interrupt from one of these goto slew fails?? I'm guessing yes this is ok.?? If ok kinda tells me the servo system is ok. Which is wired.? I'm going to have to stop drinking booze to get a clear head to think about all this....Haaaaa!? Sorry bad joke!  If it was a com's error with spurious HC commands happening then this would occur when trying to slew to park! You still on EPROM 1.04 and haven't changed it?? If you have changed EPROM...its a possible EPROM data fail?? Don't know really clutching at straws.?? I kinda get the feeling this could be the issue but still wouldn't rule out HC/main PCB spurious commands occurring somewhere not necessarily in the HC.? But this appears to occur when commanding via RS232 as well, so, then we now go back to servo loop or EPROM! Real odd issue....that I am not sure of.? Does this occur if if you disconnect the motors from the axes and do some fake setup cold boots and slews to known stars available at that time?? Yes I know you have no idea if the system actually completed the correct goto but I'm looking for "interrupted" occurrences. regards and get back Brendan
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Magnus Thanks Magnus, so it'll return to CWD on command ok and not interrupt from one of these goto slew fails?? I'm guessing yes this is ok.?? If ok kinda tells me the servo system is ok. Which is wired.? I'm going to have to stop drinking booze to get a clear head to think about all this....Haaaaa!? Sorry bad joke! If it was a com's error with spurious HC commands happening then this would occur when trying to slew to park! You still on EPROM 1.04 and haven't changed it?? If you have changed EPROM...its a possible EPROM data fail?? Don't know really clutching at straws.?? I kinda get the feeling this could be the issue but still wouldn't rule out HC/main PCB spurious commands occurring somewhere not necessarily in the HC.? But this appears to occur when commanding via RS232 as well, so, then we now go back to servo loop or EPROM! Real odd issue....that I am not sure of.? Does this occur if if you disconnect the motors from the axes and do some fake setup cold boots and slews to known stars available at that time?? Yes I know you have no idea if the system actually completed the correct goto but I'm looking for "interrupted" occurrences. regards and get back Brendan
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Magnus,
I think there is some confusion in your statements.
Synching does not add to the model, only aligning does that.
Synching just says to the software that I am here.
Regards
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Show quoted text
Hi all!
Thanks for all suggestions on this issue! I've now tried a lot, but unfortunately, the problem is still there.?
I measure the voltage from the battery: 3.09 V.?
I checked and checked and triple checked lat and long - correct. So is UTC time.?
I set the safety limits, first to default, then to how I'd like them. Checked and checked.?
And it is still there. Very systematically (which leads me to think not HC issue). Yesterday night, I did a cold start, Go To Bright star to Albireo and sync (first point in model). Then I tried Go To Bright Star Dubhe - and get Interrrupted. I tries Deneb - works OK! Sync - second point in model. Tried Dubhe - Interrupted. Tried Mirfak (which means a meridian flip) - Interrupted. Tried Vega - OK! Sync - third point.?
Then I used the HC to manually slew to Mizar in Ursa Major, did a sync there, and then tried Go To Bright Star Dubhe again. Interrupted.?
Then (only then) did I attach the RS232 cable and the computer. That is, shut the mount down and did a warm restart. I tried slewing with the computer (not ASCOM, but Ekos/Indi). And i works with the same stars, but refuses to slew to anything in Andromeda or Perseus. When using the computer to slew to Perseus, the HC reports Interrupted, and the computer says "Slew complete" (well...).?
I was going to image M33. So I used the HC to manually slew to somewhere around M33 (I could not use HC nor computer to GoTo M33). Then I used the computer to plate solve and "sync". I am not sure how that sync interacts with the point model in Losmandy though. Now I used the computer to slew to M33 - and it worked!! And I could plate solve and have it adjust postion to center om M33.?
So: first nothing in Andromeda is allowed for a GoTo. But after having the computer (Ekos/indi) plate solve very close to my intended target, it worked.?
It feels to me like there is something wrong with th e point model. But if I cold start, do I not build it from scratch? Could there be someting corrupting the point model, that I am not aware of?
Or is my G1 more severely ill.....?
Big problem with this, is that I cannot trust the scope to work automatically. That is, I'd like to use a scheduler and have it start in the middle of the night and image until dawn, for instance with M33. As it is now, I need to manually manipualte it to be able to reach the intended target. So it is a practical problem.?
Magnus
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Hi Magnus,
Just looking at a sky chart for a Sweden location...?
It seems strange that your "forbidden" locations are very far North of Polaris (which for you is very high in the sky).
All your stars that are South of Polaris seem that you can GoTo them OK, but those North of Polaris at that time of night at your location seem "forbidden."
It almost seems like the Gemini thinks your Latitude is too far near the equator...and perhaps Gemini thinks they are below your horizon.? My guess is that this could be the source of the trouble.
So try and look at your Location information and especially the Latitude and see if that has got the right information.
The Gemini.net "Setup - Configure Telescope" will show the Longitude and Latitude entries.? You can also send that data to the Gemini from that applet.??
You can also choose "Gemini expects J2000" instead of the default "Jnow".? There seems to be about a 15 minute difference between the two in RA, though this cannot be your trouble.
Paul is correct in that a "Synch" only resets the Tick counter, and it does not actually change the Pointing model. When you did a Cold boot, your model values were all reset to zero, and that still should be OK.? You must press more buttons on the hand controller to register an "Align" that actually results in new model parameter calculations.? (And... for Gemini to get its calculations correct, you want to do 3 Align on one side of the Meridian first, then do 3 on the other side of the Meridian.? )
All the best, and hope your mystery clears up...
Michael
On Fri, Oct 27, 2017 at 12:20 AM, brenatlilydale@... [Losmandy_users] <Losmandy_users@...> wrote:
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Magnus
Thanks Magnus, so it'll return to CWD on command ok and not interrupt from one of these goto slew fails?? I'm guessing yes this is ok.?? If ok kinda tells me the servo system is ok.
Which is wired.? I'm going to have to stop drinking booze to get a clear head to think about all this....Haaaaa!? Sorry bad joke!
If it was a com's error with spurious HC commands happening then this would occur when trying to slew to park!
You still on EPROM 1.04 and haven't changed it?? If you have changed EPROM...its a possible EPROM data fail?? Don't know really clutching at straws.?? I kinda get the feeling this could be the issue but still wouldn't rule out HC/main PCB spurious commands occurring somewhere not necessarily in the HC.? But this appears to occur when commanding via RS232 as well, so, then we now go back to servo loop or EPROM!
Real odd issue....that I am not sure of.?
Does this occur if if you disconnect the motors from the axes and do some fake setup cold boots and slews to known stars available at that time?? Yes I know you have no idea if the system actually completed the correct goto but I'm looking for "interrupted" occurrences.
regards and get back
Brendan
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Hi!
Yes, return to CWD works well (at least no problem with it so far). And yes, 1.04 level 5 (I'm at work now so cannot triple check but that's what is use to say). I upgraded to level 5 some 2 years ago. Bought a new EEPROM from some reliable place that I cannot recall right now - that is, not home made.
But I cannot slew without motors attached, can I? It typically says "Motor stalls" when I've tried to do that.
Best,
Magnus
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Hi!
Yes, of course, you are right. When using HC and doing Go To Bright star, it is align, then additional align. The computer does sync. Sorry for this.
Magnus
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Hi!
Well. In the evening, at 21.00 to 23.00 circa, when I've been doing this, Ursa Major is North of Polaris, but Andromeda is not - it's to my East. Both those areas were "no-goto".
I'll check the latitude again. Although I do not use ASCOM. But the same information is in my Ekos/Indi-software.
As for cold start: good, that was my understanding - it starts from scratch, resetting the model. Now: doing 1 star (for instance Albireo), alingning with that, then Goto another that is acceptable (for instance Deneb) places the scope very close to the second star. That would to me indicate that the model at that point in time is fairly accurate (after 1 point). Adding the second, then going to a third (for instance Vega) works nicely - again getting very close to the star and then aligning. THis would indicate to me that the model for the South and South-West is OK. I mean, on the correct altitude. So how then, can it "think" that Dubhe and Mizar are below the horizon? It "knows" the altitude of Deneb, Albireo, and Vega.....? Just trying to understand the model.
"It almost seems like the Gemini thinks your Latitude is too far near the
equator...and perhaps Gemini thinks they are below your horizon.? My
guess is that this could be the source of the trouble"
This makes very much sense. But: how can it belive both Ursa Major and Andromeda is below the horizon (not very close in the sky....)? I guess I would need to see if there is anything North of Ursa Major that I can slew to, to see if it is a coherent sector of the sky, or if it is 2 sectors (as have been my understanding up until now). This will be tested tonight.
My guess is that there is some setting that is off and maybe my thinking is terribly wrong somewhere, and when I find it, it will be obvious.
Best,
Magnus
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Michael Herman