PME tracks below west horizon(!!)

rogerg (Roger) · #1 09-07-2014, 10:55 AM

Hi all,

Does anyone know a setting that would prevent the Paramount ME from tracking below the west horizon?

Last night I had a script fail which left the mount tracking on the west side of the meridian. It kept tracking until I found it in the morning pointing 45 degrees below the western horizon, camera way up in the sky and cables taught. This has the potential to do serious damage and I'm surprised there wasn't a hard stop to prevent this occurring.

This very occasionally happens to me (~once/year). Bisque have in the past said that this is an automation problem and the 3rd party automation software should prevent it - I disagree and believe it's a telescope driver problem, 3rd party software shouldn't have to prevent damage to a scope. They never answered my question directly.

Thanks,
Roger.

Octane (Humayun) · #2 09-07-2014, 10:58 AM

Yikes, scary. :O

Meanwhile, I had my first successful CCD Commander all-night run last night. I woke up to find my system parked, and, then, started up again for dawn flats. Was great to watch.

H

rogerg (Roger) · #3 09-07-2014, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Octane

Yikes, scary. :O

Meanwhile, I had my first successful CCD Commander all-night run last night. I woke up to find my system parked, and, then, started up again for dawn flats. Was great to watch.

H

Congrats on your first all-night automation

Yes, it is fun to have "just work" on 99% of nights

gregbradley · #4 09-07-2014, 05:34 PM

Sky X has limits you set. Sky 6 has that as well. In Sky X its in the TCS dialogue box. In Sky 6 I am not sure exactly where in the menus but there its there.

Greg.

rogerg (Roger) · #5 09-07-2014, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Sky X has limits you set. Sky 6 has that as well. In Sky X its in the TCS dialogue box. In Sky 6 I am not sure exactly where in the menus but there its there.

Greg.

Greg,

I'm in TSX.

I don't see it

... I see settings for how far past the meridian it will allow slewing but not how far below zero degrees altitude.

rogerg (Roger) · #6 09-07-2014, 10:08 PM

Had another look around and found this in the tools menu, not TCS. It looks applicable but only has an impact on slews to a destination via goto, not drifting or manual slewing. The telescope will happily track below the 5 degree limit set.

frolinmod · #7 09-07-2014, 10:51 PM

Personally I agree with the very good answer you received. Automation software is the real solution. But since you don't like that answer, does the Bisque TCS initialization parameter "Prohibit tracking below the horizon" work for you when set, written back to the mount and the mount rebooted (or powered off and back on)? The description reads, "If set to 1, tracking below the horizon is prohibited." But some of these parameters are once upon a time planned features that were never actually implemented. This could be one of those. But just its very presence, working or not, means they at least once thought it important enough to implement. If it doesn't actually work, request that it be made to work. Please don't be passive aggressive with support. Kindly and respectfully follow up, follow up and follow up because no one else is going to do it for you if you won't do it for yourself.

gregbradley · #8 10-07-2014, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerg

Had another look around and found this in the tools menu, not TCS. It looks applicable but only has an impact on slews to a destination via goto, not drifting or manual slewing. The telescope will happily track below the 5 degree limit set.

In Sky X its also in the TCS under Utilites/Software Slew Limits with a little drawing of the mount. It must be in 2 places in the software.

I'd have to read the manual there if that is true it only works on gotos.
My PME rountinely stops at the meridian and turns tracking off. I am pretty sure it also stops at the west as well. I'll check my settings.

Did you read the manual on this point as I recall its well covered? Perhaps that was only slew limits.

I checked this initialization process but perhaps it only works when the mount is connected. The value was set to a question mark and I could not get into it to change it on my copy of Sky X.

Greg.

rogerg (Roger) · #9 10-07-2014, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frolinmod

Personally I agree with the very good answer you received. Automation software is the real solution.

But even in the simplest case if I used the mount for visual observation, was looking at an object above the west horizon, went inside for a coffee and came back out 2 hours later, the mount would have tracked dangerously below the horizon.

Whatever the use of the mount, it seems to me it shouldn't allow self-harm.

Anyway, we have a difference of opinion, that's fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by frolinmod

But since you don't like that answer, does the Bisque TCS initialization parameter "Prohibit tracking below the horizon"

I don't see this parameter, I wonder where you found it? I am looking in the TCS Parameters tab, expanding the advanced area and all tree nodes including Initialization, but don't see it listed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

In Sky X its also in the TCS under Utilites/Software Slew Limits with a little drawing of the mount. It must be in 2 places in the software.

I'm reasonably sure I'm looking at the same drawing and the limits discussed there relate only to the meridian.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

I'd have to read the manual there if that is true it only works on gotos.
My PME rountinely stops at the meridian and turns tracking off. I am pretty sure it also stops at the west as well. I'll check my settings.

My PME will correctly stop at the meridian.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

Did you read the manual on this point as I recall its well covered? Perhaps that was only slew limits.

I've searched and spent time hunting in the Paramount and TheSkyX manuals. That resulted in finding basically the two locations where limits are set - the TCS for meridian limits and the Tools menu for horizon limits. That tools menu horizon limits is the one which appears to only impact slews not tracking through the horizon.[/quote]

gregbradley · #10 10-07-2014, 11:58 AM

I'll check my PME next time and see how mine is set up. I leave it til the morning and often don't even check it until 10am and it seemed like it goes to a certain point and stops. I'll get back to you on this.

Greg.

frolinmod · #11 10-07-2014, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogerg

I don't see this parameter, I wonder where you found it? I am looking in the TCS Parameters tab, expanding the advanced area and all tree nodes including Initialization, but don't see it listed.

Perhaps you're running old mount firmware or an old version of TheSkyX?

gregbradley · #12 10-07-2014, 07:40 PM

I see it in mine. Version 10.2.0 build 7398. But the value for it is a question mark and it won't edit unless its meant only to be accessed once connected with the mount?

Greg.

rogerg (Roger) · #13 10-07-2014, 10:03 PM

I've updated my TheSkyX and now have the parameter. The parameter value on my mount was set to zero initially and is now set to 1.

I can't test it until the weather improves, due to the configuration of my observatory preventing me slewing to the west horizon with the roof closed.