tcworld/astroeq

DIY Electronics System for connecting a non-Goto telescope to EQMOD

astroeq's Issues

GUI-related bug in the utility

Hello,
I'm new to AstroEQ, so I haven't built / bought it yet. However, I tried to install the "AstroEQ Firmware Update Utility V3.7.3" on my Kubuntu 17.04 computer using the latest deb installer available. It seem to work fine, although I can't, obviously, select a device. I want to report the following bug: whenever I try to maximize the window it starts to blink, as the screenshot shows.

Something similar happens if I try to resize the window horizontally. I know that the utility has been written in Processing 3, so it may be a Processing or ControlP5 lib bug (but I'm not a Processing developer, so I'm not able to debug it).
java -version:

java version "1.8.0_151"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_151-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.151-b12, mixed mode)

Output of the Processing IDE:

No library found for processing.awt.PSurfaceAWT
Starting AstroEQ Config Utility, V3.8.0
Time is 21:36:13
OS: Linux. JRE Version: 1.8.0_144. JRE Arch: amd64
Creating Window. Setting DPI Scaling to 1
Setting Window Size to: 510 x 520
Setting Frame Rate
Creating Executioner thread
Connecting to Clipboard
Current Dir: /usr/share/doc/astroequploader/
Loading ControlP5
ControlP5 2.2.6 infos, comments, questions at http://www.sojamo.de/libraries/controlP5
Building GUI
x=0, y=104, width=510, height=352
buildBeginScreen --- ID is: begin
buildVersionCheckScreen --- ID is: versionCheck
buildFirmwareFetchScreen --- ID is: firmwareFetch
buildEEPROMWriterScreen --- ID is: EEPROMWriter
buildCheckEEPROMScreen --- ID is: checkEEPROM
buildRecoverEEPROMScreen --- ID is: recoverEEPROM
buildEnterConfigScreen --- ID is: enterConfig
buildProgramConfigScreen --- ID is: programConfig
buildDownloadFirmwareScreen --- ID is: downloadFirmware
buildTestFirmwareScreen --- ID is: testFirmware
buildFinishedScreen --- ID is: finished
Board Version: AstroEQV4-DIYBoard(includingKits)
Matched to firmware file: AstroEQV4-DIYBoard(includingKits).hex
Initialising Serial Ports
/dev/ttyS0 /dev/ttyS1 /dev/ttyS2 /dev/ttyS3 /dev/ttyS4 /dev/ttyS5 /dev/ttyS6 /dev/ttyS7 /dev/ttyS8 /dev/ttyS9 /dev/ttyS10 /dev/ttyS11 /dev/ttyS12 /dev/ttyS13 /dev/ttyS14 /dev/ttyS15 /dev/ttyS16 /dev/ttyS17 /dev/ttyS18 /dev/ttyS19 /dev/ttyS20 /dev/ttyS21 /dev/ttyS22 /dev/ttyS23 /dev/ttyS24 /dev/ttyS25 /dev/ttyS26 /dev/ttyS27 /dev/ttyS28 /dev/ttyS29 /dev/ttyS30 /dev/ttyS31
Matched to firmware file: AstroEQV4-DIYBoard(includingKits).hex
JFW:524 JFWO:8
JFW:578 JFWO:8
JFW:667 JFWO:8
JFW:696 JFWO:8
JFW:696 JFWO:8
IB:520 JFH:730 JFHO:33
JFW:1374 JFWO:8
JFW:1374 JFWO:8

I hope this helps.
Thanks,
SquareBoot

P.S.: why don't you move the utility to Java, better if using a GUI builder like IntelliJ's one? As far as I know, it hasn't got similar bugs.

Changing COM baud rate

Awesome astrowork!

Actually I have three questions:

1. Is it possible to increase COM baud rate up to 57600, meaning, would that possibly affect avrdude?
2. Is it possible to configure different microstepping configuration for per axis? I.e RA 1/32 and DEC 1/16
3. Is there a way to switch from North to South sidereal tracking direction without reflashing configuration (in driver? Or maybe hardware 2-way switch...)

Setup

Hi. Im having an issue when keying in the values for the mount configuration in the Astro EQ configuration setup. After keying in the following values........Motor step angle of 1.8 degrees, motor gear ratio of 32 and worm gear ratio of 144....I get the following message "Write Failed!! Connection unavailable". I have tried tweaking the other options but no joy.

Pete

AstroEQ doesn't work with EQMOD 2.xx

EQMOD send to device on initialisation commands ":O10" fillowed by ":O11". Because you use "O" as progmode select command, AstroEQ is switched to programmin mode and stop responding to normal commands. EQMOD then hangs-up.
Solution is to move "progmode" command to other letter as "O".

Motor Speed set up

Hi Tom,
I've gotten back from the States and had a little more time to play with the AstroEQ I'm still running into a few snags. I reduced the Voltage on the motors as you suggested and that seems to help a bit with the heat issue. I'm still unsure about the motor settings. The Mfg. website says the motors are 7.5° step, my Trannies are the old Vixen 300:1 (mounted on the new motors) and my Mount is 144:1 worm gear. When I set these paramaters up in the Config. Utility I get some funky noises and the motors lock up and buzz at x12 Slew (RA) and about x25 Slew(DEC). and the tracking rate is about 2x as fast as it should be. If I change the Trannie ratio to 150 I get a Slew of x20(RA) and x48(DEC) and the correct (10 min.) Sidereal Tracking rate. I can also set my motor step to 15° the correct 300:1 Tranny ratio I get a Slew of x23(RA) and x48(DEC) and the correct sidereal rate. The Motors are noticeably louder with the 15° step but seem to run a bit cooler.
Which set up is better? The 15° seems the best option when it comes to motor heat, but I'm unsure if it will damage my motors because they should be 7.5° step. The 7.5° step is better because of the smaller steps and less noise but the heat is the issue...A real quandry...You said the motors can run as high as 80°C with out harm so the 7:5° step is probably the best because of the smoother tracking. Any advice would be appriecated.
The next problem I'm having is connecting through EQMOD, I can run the motors all day through the AstroEQ Config Utility and EQMOD but when I try to connect through EQMOD/ PHD or Stellarium it won't find a port (even the one I used with the Config Utility). I've tried forcing a Port through and over riding a Port with the ASCOM Profile Explorer but it just won't come up in the EQMOD Set Up box. This has me really stumped...

Firmware Uploading Problem

Hi Tom, Merry Christmas, a couple o three questions.

Have hit a prob uploading the reader firmware. Have selected the com port (in accordance with device manager info) & left Board Version as default but only get a few seconds into the upload when I get an "Upload Failed!! Check log for details" error (see below).

I've tried the install on two different laptops with exactly the same result (both older laptops running Win XP SP3 etc).

Do I need the 12v dc supply connected during this setup & is it centre positive.

For an EQ3-2 mount the motor step angle is 1.8 & worm gear ratio 130:1. Is the motor gear ratio 715:1 as per the EQMod pre-requisites page.

Finally, how do I determine the motor driver version.

Many thanks

Alan

[email protected]

"Real" Stepper motors

Hi Tom,
The unit is working great, haven't been able to do any live tracking as of yet but in the Living Room it tracks and Slews all over the place. I have a question about changing my motors from the EQ ones to a real Bi Polar Stepper. Can I use the normal 200 step motors or do I need the 400 step motors? I assume the AstroEQ will handle steppers because of the 1/16 microstep button in the Config Utility. What do I need to do to make these motors work?

Many thanks,
Rick

Kits

If anyone is interested in a kit, or the Motor driver ICs broken out to a Dip package, please say so here.

(Note: this is to gauge how much interest there is. I may be able to supply them if there are more than 10 people interested.)

Tracking not working

Hi

I made a small prototipe of AstroEQ on a bredboard, for now with only one motor because the other is dead. I've not used the PIC for USB-Serial conversion because I had a USB-Serial adapter made by Arduino. Connections are fine, and EQMOD and CdC recognize the controller, but tracking doesn't work and the stepper motor becomes very hot. But the command of "move the telescope" works. I've the standard EQ5 Mount with tracking motors (no goto).

I hope you can help me.

Marco

Tracking Backwards.....

Hi Tom,
Well I took my gear into the field tonight for a first run of all the new "stuff"...Got everything set up and thought I'd try the Tracking....Well...it worked...just in reverse....My scope now tracks from West to East. I think the problem is that my Original Japanese Motors turned in a Clockwise direction and the new ones Counter-Clockwise....My question is...Is it possible to reprogram the controller so that the Sidereal Tracking is reversed?

AstroEQUploader can't upload firmware under Linux x64

Ubuntu 17.04 / 64 bits
Avrdude is returning an error when attempting to upload firmware
/usr/share/doc/astroequploader/avrdude -C/usr/share/doc/astroequploader/avrdude.conf -v -v -v -patmega2560 -cwiring -b115200 -D -P/dev/ttyACM0 -Uflash:w:/usr/share/doc/astroequploader/hex/AstroEQArduinoMega2560.hex:i java.io.IOException: Cannot run program "/usr/share/doc/astroequploader/avrdude": error=2, Aucun fichier ou dossier de ce type

I've replaced AvrDude executable with a symbolic link to the one provided in Ubuntu package, and replaced avrdud.conf by the one given with arduino IDE :
gilles@portabana:/usr/share/doc/astroequploader$ ll total 1432 drwxrwxrwx 4 root root 4096 août 30 23:13 ./ drwxr-xr-x 2330 root root 77824 août 29 23:26 ../ lrwxrwxrwx 1 gilles gilles 16 août 30 22:59 avrdude -> /usr/bin/avrdude* -rw-r--r-- 1 gilles gilles 481473 janv. 17 2017 avrdude.conf -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 554770 mars 30 2013 avrdude.confold -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 307760 oct. 13 2013 avrdudeold*
It's working well that way

Microstepping while guiding/moving (Arduino)

Hi,

I am noticing uneven movements when auto guiding (PHD2) or moving the mount using the arrow keys from the EQMOD panel (speed 1x). I am using an Arduino Mega2560 and microstepping 1/8 or 1/16. It seems like AstroEQ does not use the correct microstepping when guiding or moving (the motors rotate at a much higher speed than they are supposed to and noticeably rougher).
My setup: AstroEQ on Arduino Mega2560 (latest Config utility v 7.3), Pololu DRV8255, 200 steps/rev. 1:10 steppers, 1:144 worm (Vixen GP).

Thanks,

Nico

Cannot register to AstroEQ forum

Hi

First, I would like to thank you for all the work

I am sorry that I use this github issue channel to contact you, but unfortunately, my AstroEQ forum registration is still pending for approval after a few days.
When I go the website : https://www.astroeq.co.uk/forum/ it looks like I cannot login.
I am thinking about ordering a AstroEQ, but I wanted to now if it would be easy to modify the card so that I can use my current connectors (old AT keyboard connector) by soldering the wires directly on the board.

Thank you in advance, and thank you again for your work on AstroEQ

Motor Values/Timers

First of all, don't use slew speeds less than the sidereal rate. It may cause the mount to move at an unpredictable rate, depending on how certain calculations in the code work out. This is to do with a limited resolution on the Arduino timers.

At the moment, the motor functions are very sensitive to different values of bVal, and could very easily track at weird speeds because of calculations resulting in numbers larger than the timers can handle.

I am currently updating them to prevent this problem. The update should be ready in the next couple of days.

Usb connection

Hi Tom!
I've finally programmed the atmega and the Pic.
But the USB connection doesn't work at all with my pc.
I tried 2 different cables and the power sources...but nothing...
The USB led is always off but the status and pwr led are on.
I made 2 PCB and both have the same problem...
Do you have any suggestions?

Config utility doesn't start with Java >=10

The config utility doesn't start with Java 14 (or any other JDK/JRE >=10). In Windows 10 it states that Java 1.8.0 isn't installed, while on Ubuntu 20.04 it says that "the installed Java version isn't valid". Java is of course in the PATH env var on both my Ubuntu and Windows installations.
Probably it doesn't expect the Java version to be X.y.z (with X the major version number) but rather 1.X.y (indeed, Java 8 used to report himself as 1.8.0)

C:\>java.exe -version

java version "14.0.1" 2020-04-14
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 14.0.1+7)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 14.0.1+7, mixed mode, sharing)

Setup

hi again Tom.

All was working last night OK. I come to use AstroEQ tonight and it wont connect to scope. Weird! The power light is lit and the link light is flashing but the "To PC" status light is unlit. Any Ideas? I havent changed anything that I know of. I have tried another mini usb. I have also tried reinstalling astroEQ but no joy.

Pete

Vixen MT1 motors

Hi,

would AstroEQ work with Vixen MT1 motors on a Vixen GP mount? The motors are 6-wires unipolar steppers, so I guess it is possible to use them as bipolar, and they have a 1:120 geared reduction (the mount's worm gear ratio is 1:144). Can AstroEQ do half- or quarter-stepping? Using 16x micro stepping might not work with these motors, as the torque they can generate isn't very high (around 30-40 mN*m) and might stall the stepper.

Thanks,

Nico

Question about Pulse Guiding

Hi Tom,
Yep...It's me again. I have a question about Pulse Guiding with the AstroEQ. Is it possible to use the EQMod Pulse guiding with the AstroEQ? I'm not real clear on how all this "new fangled" stuff works together. I have an Orion Starshoot Autoguider, it plugs directly into a USB Port. Do the correction signals flow from the Camera through the USB Port to PHD and then to the EQMod where the Pulse Guiding signal is processed and then sent to AstroEQ and ultimately to the motors? I have added an ST-4 Port to the AstroEQ Box and can run it directly from the Camera but the Pulse Guiding seems the better way.

Many thanks,
Rick

Microstepping using spiral search

Hi!

I installed AstroEQ on an Arduino Mega2560 and I am using it to control two steppers with 200 steps/rev, 16x micro stepping, 1:10 reduction, 1:144 worm reduction. Due to Pin18 being dead on my board I changed PinMappings.h (and wired the DEC stepper driver accordingly) as following:

#define modePins0_0_Define 15
#define modePins1_0_Define 16
#define modePins2_0_Define 17
#define modePins0_1_Define 21//20
#define modePins1_1_Define 20//19
#define modePins2_1_Define 19//18

I then uploaded the modified Arduino sketch and using the config utility I set a maximum slew speed of 144x sidereal rate: according to what I have read, the system should always use 16x micro stepping (speed is always <200x sidereal). However, I noticed that when using the "spiral search" feature of EQMOD, the motors seem to run at 2x micro stepping, and also after a slew there is a small "correction" done at 2x. Is this a normal behavior?

Thanks,

Nico

AstroEQ

HI Tom
I would like to buy the driver board to convert a EQ4 to fully goto, I have two working 132/1-7'5deg stepper motors which I can engineer to drive the mount using toothed gears of same ratio, I have done some experimenting using an Arduino Mega and EQ software which is very a interesting project, can you help.
James.wood

Strange design of the Arduino version

I recognized that the power source is directly connected with the Arduino VIN. And that caused my LP2985 on Arduino board burnd.

Wrong DEC GoTo Speed

Hey,

if i try to set the GoTo Rate to 800 the Programm calculates 754 with my Settings wich is fine. But if i store them on the Controller DEC Goto Speed ist much faster than RA and after reloading the Settings from EEPROM it reads 1200 for the DEC goto. There must be some sort of Bug with the storage of the Goto Rate.

Edit: Until i could narrow it down to "axis" parameter not getting retrieved correctly by the "synta_getaxis()" method, but i am not sure if its a problem on te Config Tool side or the reciving side.

Edit2: After checking it with a SerialMonitor the Problem seams to be on the ConfigUtility Side, there is no :Z2 comand present at all

Connection Problems.

I was initally having problems connecting to EQMod as the Ports weren't avaliable on my laptop that it used. My Laptop (Toshiba Qosmio X505) has about 10 Ports reserved for Bluethooh. These Ports are fixed and cannot be changed or forced in anyway. Luckily COM 2 and COM3 weren't even installed so I was able to change the port # to COM3 and now it all connects. This really isn't a problem anymore but if it happens to someone else the fix is easy (once you figure it out). Just open the Device Mgr. find the Serial Adapter Port and change it to a Lower COM Port # that's listed in the EQmod Setup window. You have to use the EQMod Toolbox to set the ports correctly.