Meridian Flip Fail with Paramount MX+

Sequence Generator Equipment Compatibility
#1

Having a problem executing an auto meridian flip. I am running the latest version of SGP and the latest Daily Build (10.5.0) of The SkyX with my MX+. It seems that SGP sends a slew command at the correct time and is expecting the mount to execute a flip since it as passed the meridian but no flip occurs. I get an error message stating that the flip failed. I guess I have something set up wrong in SGP or in The SkyX or perhaps in the ASCOM telescope driver for the sky x. This is my initial attempt to use SGP. Below is a dropbox link for the log.

Thanks,
Steve

#2

Steve,
That log seems truncated. Can you just upload the .txt file to your dropbox and share that?

Thanks,
Jared

#3

Jared,

My apologies.
Here it is: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8lhb2f4nftg3uy3/sg_logfile_20170128162138.txt?dl=0

The meridian flip is requested at 4:32:48PM

Thanks,
Steve

#4

I’m using a Paramount MX+ with SGP and it works fine. I’m figuring there must be a setting wrong. In TSX ASCOM driver I have everything checked except find home on connect, slew start delay, and trace on. Move up to the latest version of SGP and use target offset for the sync behavior under the telescope tab. I’m also using the latest version of TSX but not sure that matters. In the meridian flip options of SGP I have it flip at 0 minutes past. The only thing enabled is auto center after flip. I have a mount settling time of 5 seconds.

I have gotten the failed to flip problem before, but for me it is rare and unpredictable. I’m figuring it was a driver error or usb problem. I make sure I always do a fresh reboot of the computer every night before I start connecting equipment which seems to prevent a lot of these problems.

Chris

#5

It’s hard to tell without the mount’s ASCOM log. What we know is that we asked for a flip using “slew” (this means we need to ask for a flip implicitly… and hope the mount recognizes it’s on the other side of the meridian and perform the flip):

[1/28/2017 4:32:48 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] ASCOM Telescope: Pier side is West
[1/28/2017 4:32:48 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] ASCOM Telescope: attempting pier flip using slew
[1/28/2017 4:32:48 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] Telescope: Slewing to J2000 RA: 0.666645711224236 (00h39m59.92s) Dec: -5.55183736240608 (-05°33’06.61")
[1/28/2017 4:32:48 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] Telescope: Slew received J2000 coordinates, mount requires JNOW, converting…
[1/28/2017 4:32:48 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] Telescope: Slewing to JNOW RA: 0.680844633688402 Dec: -5.46122663095326
[1/28/2017 4:32:49 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] Scope reports it is done with synchronous slew, verifying…
[1/28/2017 4:32:49 PM] [DEBUG] [Telescope Thread] Telescope: Slewing has completed
[1/28/2017 4:32:50 PM] [DEBUG] [Pier Flip Thread] Meridian Flip: Telescope command to meridian flip has completed
[1/28/2017 4:32:50 PM] [DEBUG] [Pier Flip Thread] Meridian Flip: Telescope failed to perform meridian flip

Notice that the scope driver was not inclined to perform a flip (slew was reported as complete immediately).

#6

Thanks Chris and Ken for your input.
I am happy to report that I think I have it sorted out. After adjusting the “Flip HA” line on The SkyX from 1.55 to 0.0 (by clicking a little square near the line and dragging) the Auto Meridian Flip executes right on time. Fun to watch! As you pointed out, Ken, the command sent is for Slew and now it will work just fine.
Great program! I really enjoyed putting it through its paces this evening.

Kind regards,
Steve

#7

Hello. I’m new to the forum, but having a similar issue. Running latest version of Sky X and SGP with Paramount MyT. SGP tries to initiate a meridian flip to Sky X and it just hangs and says something like “attempting meridian flip”. Steve, are you saying that you just allow SkyX to do the meridian flip? Do you turn off Meridian flip in SGP? I checked the log files and it looks like SGP initiated the meridian flip and it just hung. Hoping for better luck tonight.
thanks!
Carl

#8

If you do the meridian flip outside of SGP then your imaging session is almost 100% guaranteed to fail…unless you’re not guiding, then it may work :slight_smile:

SGP needs to control the flip since it coordinates everything. I’d recommend duplicating the issue or going through the Help area of SGP to create a support question with logs:

Thank you,
Jared