AM5 Mount [ERROR] slew failed (-1)

nicomedia

Hello ZWO,

I have ZWO AM5 mount and i try to use it with INDI library. I am using the driver indi_lx200am5.
I could connect to mount without problem, i can communicate over Serial Port with mount. I could move the mount if i choose "TRACK" option in "ON_COORD_SET" and switch on "MOTION_NORTH" on "TELESCOPE_MOTION_NS" property. It keeps moving until i switched it OFF (move according to SLEW_RATE).
However, i could not move the mount to defined "RA" and "DEC". When i change "ON_COORD_SET" option to "SLEW" and set "DA" and "REC" in "EQUATORIAL_EOD_COORD" i got the following error :

<message device="ZWO AM5" timestamp="2022-10-31T14:16:12" message="[ERROR] Error Slewing to JNow RA 0:19:48 - DEC 60:13:12"/>
Recveing message from Server:

########################
2022-10-31T14:16:12: [ERROR] Error Slewing to JNow RA 0:19:48 - DEC 60:13:12
########################

<message device="ZWO AM5" timestamp="2022-10-31T14:16:12" message="[ERROR] Slew failed (-1)."/>
Recveing message from Server:

########################
2022-10-31T14:16:12: [ERROR] Slew failed (-1).
########################
When i change the "ON_COORD_SET" to other options (TRACK, SLEW, SYNC). i always get the same error. To sum up, i could not move AM5 mount with INDI library to defined RA and DEC. What should be the correct operational procedure to do it ?
Best Regards

w7ay

nicomedia <message device="ZWO AM5" timestamp="2022-10-31T14:16:12" message="[ERROR] Error Slewing to JNow RA 0:19:48 - DEC 60:13:12"/>

Since there don't seem to be a response from ZWO, let's see if this helps...

This is what the AM5 protocol document says about the GOTO command:

The mount will not be able to GOTO before time and position get synchronized.

So, be sure to do that (sync the time, UTC offset, and your local longitude) first.

It is also possible that the mount thinks that the target (RA,Declination) is below the horizon. The time stamps of your messages are in Local Time, so it is impossible to tell (without more info) if the target of the GOTO is actually below the horizon. If you can, the next time you see a failure, try to fetch the Local Sidereal Time (LST) from the mount.

Chen

nicomedia

Hello w7ay, thank you for your quick response. I updated time of the mount but i still got the same error "slew failed". More information about the situation i have :
TIME :

<setTextVector device="ZWO AM5" name="TIME_UTC" state="Ok" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-01T13:28:36">
    <oneText name="UTC">
2022-11-01T13:25:54
    </oneText>
    <oneText name="OFFSET">
0.00
    </oneText>
</setTextVector>

GEOGRAPHIC_COORD :

########################
2022-11-01T13:28:36: [INFO] Mount has Latitude 31:15:41.0 (31.2614) Longitude 120:43:11.0 (120.72) (Longitude sign in carthography format)
########################

<setNumberVector device="ZWO AM5" name="GEOGRAPHIC_COORD" state="Idle" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-01T13:28:36">
    <oneNumber name="LAT">
31.261388888888888005
    </oneNumber>
    <oneNumber name="LONG">
120.71972222222223081
    </oneNumber>
    <oneNumber name="ELEV">
0
    </oneNumber>
</setNumberVector>

EQUATORIAL_EOD_COORD :

<setNumberVector device="ZWO AM5" name="EQUATORIAL_EOD_COORD" state="Idle" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-01T13:28:37">
    <oneNumber name="RA">
6.20055555555555582
    </oneNumber>
    <oneNumber name="DEC">
48.573611111111112848
    </oneNumber>
</setNumberVector>

I attached whole debug information of the indi client.
By the way i checked the PHD2 library and i see that there is a property as "TIME_LST" which i dont get it from driver. Moreover, you mentioned about AM5 protocol document. Could you please share the link of the document ?

Thanks in advance.

indi-am5-debug.txt

36kB

w7ay

nicomedia Moreover, you mentioned about AM5 protocol document. Could you please share the link of the document ?

I posted it just a couple of days ago on this forum. Check post #18 or so here

https://bbs.astronomy-imaging-camera.com/d/15141-am5-not-able-to-correct-ra-periodic-error-even-with-aggressive-phd2-settings/18

Chen

w7ay

nicomedia <setTextVector device="ZWO AM5" name="TIME_UTC" state="Ok" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-01T13:28:36">
<oneText name="UTC">
2022-11-01T13:25:54
</oneText>
<oneText name="OFFSET">
0.00
</oneText>

Can you confirm a couple of things?

(1) the UTC time was actually 13:28 when you did this? And

<setNumberVector device="ZWO AM5" name="GEOGRAPHIC_COORD" state="Idle" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-01T13:28:36">
<oneNumber name="LAT">
31.261388888888888005
</oneNumber>
<oneNumber name="LONG">
120.71972222222223081
</oneNumber>

(2) that you actually live in Suzhou, China? That is what the latitude and longitude indicates.

The timestamps appear to be in UTC, not your local time.

In any case, the whole thing is messed up. If you live near ZWO, the UTC offset should not be zero.

Chen

nicomedia

Hello w7ay,

I want to update the latest situation of the error. I try couple of synchronization method over indi client but i could not get rid off the error. Then we connect ZWO AM5 mount to mobile app and make it work. Now, it is working with the indi client as well without problem. It probably gets correct UTC and Local coordinates.

New values after connecting to mobile phone app :
<setTextVector device="ZWO AM5" name="TIME_UTC" state="Ok" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-06T10:52:48"> <oneText name="UTC"> 2022-11-06T10:52:47 </oneText> <oneText name="OFFSET"> 9.00 </oneText> </setTextVector>

`
########################
2022-11-06T10:52:48: [INFO] Mount has Latitude 37:29:59.0 (37.4997) Longitude 126:56:35.0 (126.943) (Longitude sign in carthography format)
########################

<setNumberVector device="ZWO AM5" name="GEOGRAPHIC_COORD" state="Idle" timeout="60" timestamp="2022-11-06T10:52:48">
    <oneNumber name="LAT">
37.499722222222224843
    </oneNumber>
    <oneNumber name="LONG">
126.94305555555555998
    </oneNumber>
    <oneNumber name="ELEV">
0
    </oneNumber>
</setNumberVector>
`

Thank you for your help
Best Regards
Fatih

w7ay

nicomedia It probably gets correct UTC and Local coordinates.

Fatih,

Yes, the location (latitude and longitude) and the UTC offset (+9) now seem to agree with one another.

So, it seems that you must use the mobile app to force a synchronization. Just one extra step each evening.

You should also not have any issue with Daylight Saving Time, since the location where you are no longer observes it. By the way, I use a RainbowAstro mount :-).

안녕
Chen