Eq6 pro + the sky 6 - scope control issue..

[AlexN]

I've been playing around trying to get scope control working via the laptop, however I'm having a slight problem...

I have a port replicator for my laptop which has a LPT port and a serial port (which the laptop does not have without the replicator)

connect it all up, power on the mount, open the sky...

Telescope setup, using Celestron Nexstar GPS as stated in the EQ6 manual. select the com port, 9600 rate....

Establish connection.

Everything works up till this point... Connection is established, the sky goes into night vision mode.

I try to slew it anywhere, it tells me the slew is outside slew limits, if i tell it to slew there anyway, it gives me an error...

However, If I slew the mount via the hand controller, The sky has no problems showing me where the telescope is pointed... from alpha centauri to m83 to where ever i slew it via the hand controller, it shows the mounts movement between targets, and stops bang on the target I slewed the mount to, however I can not use the sky to slew the scope...

The fact that:
A. It establishes a connection
B. The Sky knows where the scope is pointing
Indicates that the serial port is working, and the computer and mount understand eachother.

The fact that I cant slew has me beat....

Any ideas?

[Dennis]

Are there any slew limits imposed via the check box?

Here is the panel from The Sky and their Help text.

“Impose Slew Limits (Destination Coordinates Only)

If the Impose Slew Limits option is checked, you will be alerted if your slew destination resides within the slew limits (please see the section on declination and altitude telescope slew limits). You will have the option of overriding the imposed slew limits if you desire. Note the Slew Limits are only recognized when slews are initiated from TheSky.”

Cheers

Dennis

[g__day]

I had the same issue - you have to do two things in the Sky6.


The first is enter you latitude, longitude, date, time zone and local time.

The second more subtle thing is set your skew limits - I had to drag the horizon 180 degrees over - those folks in the USA forget down under means our sky is their dirt.

I'll see if I can dig up the e-mail Dan Bisque or David Roth sent me on this very subject - or search their help forums

The Help menu on "slew limits" refers you to "View -> Reference Lines -> Edit Local button"

You'll see there is a Telescope Limits section too. I can't see it but from memory I simply dragged a line from top to bottom to fix where teh Sky is in the Southern hemisphere.



PS

Turning off slew limits warning and automatically going to red screen is also something you may wish to turn off eventually!

PPS

If you ignore the warning and slew anyway - it should move!

[AlexN]

Matthew - When I ignore the warning, it drops me an error... I'll get the actual error code after work tonight.... However if i then use the hand controller, slew to the same object it works fine, and the software shows that my scope is now pointing at the location..

I will try out setting the reference lines/scope limits.. I'll also try disabling "impose slew limits".

Will reply back tonight with results...

[AlexN]

Hahah... Had to laugh....

The only thing wrong was me... I was clicking an object, its information box popped up, i went to telescope tab and was clicking sync. thinking this would 'sync' the telescope with where I had clicked.... Discovered the "slew" button...

It turns out I have no issues.. laptop control works great.

Now im REEEAAALLLY itching for clear skies so I can do all this OUTSIDE! rather than in my living room! :D

Thanks for the pointers fellas.