How to modify the AM5 Park Position ?

bernard_l

The question is in the tittle.

ASIMount@ZWO

area51 I have the same question. How do you modify and set the Park position?

We support a fixed Park Position operating with ASCOM. You can download the newest ASCOM driver and try.

area51

I have the same question. How do you modify and set the Park position? Please this is a critical function for people using the AM5 in their observatories. If I can't park the mount, then I can't close the roof, which means I can't use this mount and will have to sell or return it. In Voyager, when I try to set the custom Park position it says that it's not supported by the driver. Come on ZWO get with the program.

mikenoname

Here is how to set the Home position. Is Park different? All I ever use is Home.

https://saltwaterwitch.com/blog/setting-the-home-position-for-the-zwo-am5-mount

area51

mikenoname

YES park is different! Home is used to calibrate the mount position. PARK is typically used to make sure your mount is tucked out of the way so that a roll off roof or dome doesn't collide with the mount when you're done for the day. Park should be set to whatever position the user wants it to be set to. ANY position. It should not decide for you whether it's too low or too high. IT’S THE USER'S DECISION.

bobw55

HOME position is with the scope and mount pointed to polaris or the southern pole star.
PARK is with the mount laying on its side. This could be with the scope on the East or West side of the mount.

w7ay

bobw55 HOME position is with the scope and mount pointed to polaris or the southern pole star.

Home position depends on where the mount thinks a known reference position is. Not everbody references to the pole.

The RST-135, for example has relative encoders that are referenced to an internal index mark. In Equatorial mode, that index mark places an OTA pointed to the Western horizon, not at the pole. Everything is referenced from that (west horizon) point.

Chen

e34stx

hi there, i have updated the latest ascom and zwo mount firmware yet i cant set a custom park position. please can you give points on how to do this please?
thanks

ASIMount@ZWO

e34stx We offer a default park position for now.
When you click "Park", ASI Mount's DEC turns left with a 90° angle.

area51

ASIMount@ZWO

NO you do not offer a park position.

jarkoh

Dear ZWO,

You have the home and park labels in the opposite position. I have a Paramount ME and MX+. In the Home position, the position is fixed... This is what you call "Park"- "ASI Mount's DEC turns left with a 90 degree angle". When I park my Paramounts, the will park in any position that I have set as Park.

Why is this important ZWO?
It is important in a remote observatory. The ZWO AM5 will park the telescope RA counter clockwise left about 90 degrees, and Dec counter clockwise left 90 degrees. This will point the telescope at the Zenith. This will change then obstruct roof closure.

What ZWO needs to do?
Reverse the commands for Park and Home.
"Home should be the "ASI Mount's DEC turns left with a 90° angle" - the calibration position

"Park" should be what the user can define at any position - the user set position

Regards,

Jarrod

ASIMount@ZWO

jarkoh Yes, you are right. We've already recorded this in our requirements. We'll public here as soon as we release in future.

area51

jarkoh

100% agree with this. See my latest post on this from today. Why can't ZWO get this correct? WE MUST HAVE A CUSTOM PARK POSITION! Or else I'm switching to another mount manufacturer and cannot recommend this mount anymore. Let us know if ZWO is to be considered a serious mount or a toy.

jarkoh

What I forgot to add is that when a weather abort signal is received, Programs like Voyager and NINA will "PARK" the telescope. Using mounts like the Paramount will park it in any position set. Using the AM5, the telescope is pointing to the Zenith

Jarrod

ASIMount@ZWO

jarkoh Thank you for your feedback. We've recorded your requirement. Please wait for our release in the future.

ASIMount@ZWO

area51 Did you try this button before?

jeffj247

The Park button you highlighted turns the dec 90 degrees. Not useful. We need the Park to be user defined allowing the scope to be positioned so as to not interfere with a roll off roof closure. This is a very important and necessary function. It must be user definable because each user will need a different park position.

nateman_doo

A user defined park would be wonderful on both the AM5 and AM3 for the ASCOM driver

Rossco72

This functionality for the AM5 needs to be in ASIAIR as well. The ability to set a Park position for the end of a plan etc.

David1515

Hi ZWO.
I recently bought an AM3 and I would like to say that this is a wonderful mount, but the lack of a working park feature keeps me from recommending it. Please fix this problem. Frist you must make sure that when we hit the park button it will send the command to all the software that it is connected to via ascom (N.I.N.A., sharpcap , etc) Right now if I hit park in sharpcap the ascom driver won't see it and sharpcap will lock up. And if I hit park in the ascom driver sharpcap won’t see that it is park and won't accept any command after that. Second, you must add the possibility to set the park position wherever we want. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE that should already be there in the driver, especially for people that have an observatory. Please ZWO, fix these problems, it should be priority number one on your list of things to fix for the AM5 and AM3. For the moment I cannot use my brand-new mount in my observatory. HOME command is not the same as PARK command...