David's Astronomy Pages
|
Notes (S887) |
Notes Main |
Home Page |
Notes (S888) |
Session Aims & Highlights | |
- Observing Result - Night Summary Plot - Session Event Log |
|
Operational Issues | |
- Critical Issues (1),
Major Issues (0),
Minor Issues (0),
Small Defects (0),
Continuous Improvement (2) |
|
No Images >> [ Local Files >> ] | |
Investigation - Unable to Connect to LX200 Scope | |
Main aims
Equipment & Software
Highlights
Notes
Summary Plots & Logs
Night Sky Summary Plot Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Session Event Log | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Session Alerts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Back to Top
Create new AstroMain version that can optionally use the 'MeadeGeneric'
telescope driver instead of the 'MeadeLX200GPS driver' .
Done (AstroMain 3.39)
Create new function to set Telescope's UTC Date/Time and apply function when
first connecting to Telescope.
Needed when using 'Meade Generic telescope driver' which
didn't have auto-set time upon connection feature in v.1.0.296
(This was subsequently added in v1.0.1.312 / 320). Feature attempted but it
requires manual intervention in order new time/date to be fully brought
onboard and start give RA,Dec, Az, Alt values that are correct for the site
and current time.
Feature added to MeadeGeneric driver (AstroMain 3.39.1 /
MeadeGeneric 1.0.1.312)
Back to Top
Issue: After working relatively flawlessly for 4 years using POTH and then DH, I’m suddenly unable to make a successful connection to my 12” LX200 GPS/R scope using the ASCOM Meade LX200GPS/R Driver (otherwise known as MeadeLX200GPS.Telescope). If the connection is made by means of DH, the principal error message is ‘Unable to write Telescope.Connected property’.
Description: Issue was first noted to occur in session S887
(2021-04-16). It began as an error when trying to connect to scope from
AstroMain. After then trying unsuccessfully to connect to scope directly from
the DeviceHub window all observatory software was exited/stopped & then
restarted whereupon the scope was successfully connected and the remainder
of the session was completed ok.
In the attempted session S888A
(2021-04-17) the Scope connection problem again occurred from AstroMain,
but no amount of restarting software, restarting scope, restarting computer was
able to achieve a connection. In order to remove AstroMain from the equation
software was cut back to just using DeviceHub and/or TheSky6 for problem
investigation and was able to collect some diagnostic data but the session
itself had to be abandoned.
Since then a series of further day time
tests are been run, trying to connect to the scope and fix things So fart I have
drawn a blank.
COM Port and settings have been checked and are all ok..
Issue appears to be the same as that reported by Marty Schultz using 16"
LX200GPS scope back in 2009. Replies suggest that driver's timeout is too
short, but what has either changed the timeout or increased the process time.
Cleaning keypad contacts eventually alleviated the issue in that case. In
attempting to fix issue is was noted that after time was set and the local and
sidereal time on the scope read correctly the pointing is hours off in RA.
They hasto run a program to reset the timezone and time afterwhich the pointing
matched up with their current model. Mention is made of new Meade
command ":hIyymmddhhmmss#" for setting time/date correctly.
https://forums.dc3.com/showthread.php?3645-Connection-to-scope-stopped-working-through-ASCOM
Analysis:
11:18:26.612:
Telescope - Others: Get Connected flag - False
11:18:26.612: Telescope -
Others: Set Connected flag -> True (failed)
11:18:34.402: Telescope -
Others: ASCOM.DriverException: Unable to write Telescope.Connected property
---> ASCOM.DriverAccessCOMException: Timed out waiting for received data
---> System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown
by the target of an invocation. --->
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException: Timed out waiting for received
data
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at
System.RuntimeType.InvokeDispMethod(String name, BindingFlags invokeAttr,
Object target, Object[] args, Boolean[] byrefModifiers, Int32 culture,
String[] namedParameters)
at System.RuntimeType.InvokeMember(String name,
BindingFlags bindingFlags, Binder binder, Object target, Object[]
providedArgs, ParameterModifier[] modifiers, CultureInfo culture, String[]
namedParams)
at System.Type.InvokeMember(String name, BindingFlags
invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object target, Object[] args, CultureInfo
culture)
at ASCOM.DriverAccess.MemberFactory.CallMember(Int32 memberCode,
String memberName, Type[] parameterTypes, Object[] parms) in C:\ASCOM
Build\Export\ASCOM.DriverAccess\MemberFactory.cs:line 330
--- End of
inner exception stack trace ---
at
ASCOM.DriverAccess.MemberFactory.CallMember(Int32 memberCode, String
memberName, Type[] parameterTypes, Object[] parms) in C:\ASCOM
Build\Export\ASCOM.DriverAccess\MemberFactory.cs:line 368
at
ASCOM.DriverAccess.AscomDriver.set_Connected(Boolean value) in C:\ASCOM
Build\Export\ASCOM.DriverAccess\AscomDriver.cs:line 170
at
ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeService.set_Connected(Boolean value) in C:\ASCOM
Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\Services
Classes\Implementations\TelescopeService.cs:line 73
--- End of inner
exception stack trace ---
at
ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeService.set_Connected(Boolean value) in C:\ASCOM
Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device Hub\DeviceHub\Services
Classes\Implementations\TelescopeService.cs:line 81
at
ASCOM.DeviceHub.TelescopeManager.set_Connected(Boolean value) in C:\ASCOM
Build\Export\Drivers and Simulators\ASCOM Device
Hub\DeviceHub\DeviceManagers\TelescopeManagerAccess.cs:line 118
Conclusion
Action:
Try out Colin Dawson's MeadeGeneric Driver to see if it can be a replacement for
the MeadeLX200GPS driver (see
MeadeGeneric driver)
Try fresh attempts to connect to scope using the MeadeLX200GPS driver
Explore use of Meade ":hIyymmddhhmmss#" for by-passing Date Prompts and setting
time/date correctly.
Update 2021-04-23
MeadeLX200GPS driver was found to be capable of connection to the
observatory's LX200 GPS/R scope but only if the 'Auto Set Time' option is turned
off.
(MeadeLX200GPS driver continues to be unable to connect to
scope with the Auto Set Time option turned on. This issue developed
during the course of session S887 (2021-04-16) and meant that attempt at an
observing session the following night (S888A, 2021-04-17) had to be abandoned.
This driver dates from 2005-2007 and is no longer supported. This
has prompted an effort to see if the MeadeGeneric driver (written & supported by
Colin Dawson) can already and can be made capable for filling into the role of
the MeadeLX200GPS driver). Whilst 'Auto Set Time' feature has been
added to Meade Generic driver following contact with driver's author there are
two critical issues that make the Meade Generic driver unpratical for use during
a live session.
Update 2021-04-24
MeadeLX200GPS driver was found to be capable of connection to the
observatory's LX200 GPS/R scope but only if the 'Auto Set Time' option is turned
off.
Updates to MeadeGeneric driver eventually allowed 1.0.1.327
Dev Build to be used to run session S890 (2021-04-24) without the problems
that affected the badly affected the two preceeding sessions S888 & S889 that
were using older 1..0.0.296 version.
Back to Top
This Web Page: | Notes - Session 888 Attempt (2021-04-17) |
Last Updated : | 2024-09-30 |
Site Owner : | David Richards |
Home Page : | David's Astronomy Web Site |