[APBeta] APv2b34 scope control problem

[Paul Rodman]

Doh! In AP V1.6 I issue the :hP# command and disconnect. Obviously  
things got screwed up in translation (AP V2 telescope code is a  
complete rewrite).

I will correct the problem.

Dick, once again you save the day!

Thanks

Paul R.

On Apr 17, 2009, at 09:37 AM, richard seymour wrote:

> :hF# ???
>
> That's not a "slew to home" (similar to Park),
> it's an "Align on Home", which is very very very different.
> (i'm working from the Protocol description as i write this,
> i don't have the time this morning to walk the firmware or
> do one on my own)
>
> If it's (as the protocol manual says) an "Align on Home", it will  
> slew to
> the "home" position (roughly Az=20), then do a number of level-sensing
> tips and tilts at 90 degree intervals, and finally end up (if memory  
> serves)
> near Az=200 [two hundred], and theoretically "aligned" **assuming**  
> that
> the user did a "Setup/Telescope/Calibrate Home" somewhen in the  
> distant
> past, physically mounted as they are now. (the :hC# command).
> It was a "feature" to allow you to remotely (re)align the scope "if  
> power
> was lost during the session" (so said Meade in a private eMail).
> I tried it once in Polar, and it was "fascinating" to watch the  
> gyrations.
> Not for the faint at heart.
> You can reach it on the keypad by trying an  Setup/Align/Align on  
> Home[enter]
>
> But it is NOT simply a "slew to 'home'" command.
>
> (where's "home", anyway? ... ahh.. you listed the default Polar Park  
> position).
> Note: if you use :hP#, the scope will expect to be turned off at the  
> end
> of it, and will also stop responding to "where are you?" inquiries.
>
> Note that a user can specify a custom PARK position, which becomes  
> where
> the scope expects to be on the -next- power-up, whether you PARKed  
> or not.
>
> If i wanted to slew my scope to DEC=0, Az=180 (base relative), *and*
> stop the motors, i'd issue an Alt/Az (:MA#) after sending Terrestrial
> coordinates of Az=180, Alt=(90-latitude)
>
> have fun
> --dick
>
>
> Paul Rodman wrote:
>> On Apr 17, 2009, at 07:57 AM, Bruce Pipes wrote:
>>> I used APv2b34 in a imaging session last night and it passed every  
>>> test but the final exam. At the end of the session I clicked "Slew  
>>> to Home" on the Telescope Control Palette expecting the scope to  
>>> slew to Dec = 0° with the scope pointing south. Instead it slewed  
>>> to Dec = +20° and it kept slewing in RA until I had to hit the  
>>> power off switch on the scope.
>>>
>>> I have filed a bug report.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Bruce Pipes
>>> LX200ACF and MacOS 10.5.6
>> Looking at the code, what happens is that a :hF# command is issued  
>> by the app. According to the Meade documentation (which is often  
>> reality-challenged), this should do the job. However, I note that  
>> the button has "(and disconnect)" underneath it. This I do not  
>> currently do (and probably should). This means that the app will  
>> continue to send requests for RA/Dec to the scope. I'm not sure if  
>> this would cause the problem (i.e. "Oh, the user want's me to slew  
>> to home. OK, here we go. Oh, wait, now he wants the current RA.  
>> I'll just conveniently forget about waiting for the home position  
>> to be reached, etc. and process the new command instead).
>> I've cc-ed this to Dick Seymour, the font of wisdom on these  
>> matters. If any body in this universe can shed light on the matter,  
>> it's Dick.
>> Paul R.