ASI Air Plus with Astro-physics 1100 goto mount (no AE)

mhb1089

I really hope I didn't make a huge mistake converting my laptop system to the new ASI Air plus, I finally have everything set up in a permanent observatory: skyshed pod with pier with my AP 1100 goto and ZWO ASI2600MC Pro color camera and OAG. Long story short, now I finally have all the stuff hooked up/mounted and all the settings on the ASI Air are correct. Keep in mind I have not yet even gotten to a clear night to FOCUS and get it up and running but all the parts are there and ready to go.This is what I"m trying to wrap my head around - so I power up the AP 1100 with the keypad with my location. THEN I believe I power up the ASI Air with my dedicated IPad. At this point, how does the ASI air know "where" it is? Or to ask another way, does the ASI Air get the location from the mount or does the mount get it from the ASI Air? From what I understand, this may be a moot point because once you Polar align or go to vega or any bright star, the ASI air "plate solves" and then would know where it is, but my worry is that first slew - but maybe I'm worrying about nothing. I know once I get it to a star, I can focus and then I'll be up and running finally as the ASI Air otherwise, is pretty easy to use once I figure it out. Before I plate solve, would the ASI air know I'm in "park 3" towards polaris? I've heard Astro-physics mounts can have issues with the ASI Air. to be clear, I am now NOT using a laptop - just the handcontroller to initialize the mount in park 3 with my location set and then the IPad on the ASI Air Plus. Can someone verify that the ASI Air plus works with AP mounts? And is my workflow above correct? I initialize with the hand controller and THEN turn on the ASI Air Plus and Ipad... how do I then slew to my first star to focus? How does the ASI Air know I'm in park 3? Thank you!

artem

mhb1089

Hello there, I have the AP MACH1GTO with the GTOCP4 Control Box and with ASIAIR + and the latest firmware I can perfrom all actions, inclduing parking 3, guiding, calibartion for guidung works also and GOTO cvommands also.. and it works for me..

By the way, I also have the GTO Keypad, but I never use it, i only control the GTOCP4 via the ASCOM " when I use my PC " or with ASIAIR+..

Cheers and have a great day and all the best and hope you will find the answers you search for for your Astro-physics 1100 goto mount (no AE)
Martin

mhb1089

artem Thanks Artem - can you explain this to me like I"m an idiot. Right now I ONLY have the ASI Air Plus/the app and the hand controller. I don't plan to "use" the hand controller, but since I don't have a laptop with APCC anymore, I still have it plugged in and set up with my home set up (GPS, time/date). So when I turn on my mount, it turns on and initializes the mount. My main question was, at THAT POINT, I turn on the ASI AIR on my IPad with the app - does it immediately " know" I"m in park 3 and can I then just use the ASI Air app to "slew" to vega for example so I can focus? My main concern is how the app KNOWS where the scope is pointing. Also, if I use the app to send the scope "home" does that mean (for the 1100, not a Mach) simply the position where I started when I turned on the mount (in my case park 3) -thank you so much!

mhb1089

artem Also, I assume you mean the latest firmware for the ASI Air plus? I didn't see for example "park 3" but you can send it "home" -I also have GTOCP4 with the AP 1100 (no AE). Thanks!

artem

mhb1089

Hello! I never attach my GTO Keypad, hence, I would suggest you also should remove yours as I also do ( when working with ASIAIR+) since I did never pay any attention or even care, how or if it will work, when the GTO Keypad is attached,
since I have the GTO Keypad, but to be honest, I did never ever use it..

All I do is...

I only connect the ASIAIR+ via the USB2 port from ASIAIR+ to the GTOCP4 USB PORT and then trun on the GTOCP4
and ASIAIR+ also, slecet the correct mount type and BAUDE-RATE in ASIAIR and then send a GOTO COMMAND or ,ove the mount via ASIAIR MOUNT COMMANDS, from the ASIAIR+ to the GTOCP4 to move the mount to any direction, then I plate solve via the ASIAIR and that sends SYNC COMMANDS ( SYNC TO MOUNT) to the GTOCP4, and then GOTO''s are 99.9% correctly performed..

I am not sure if same would work with your mount also, does your mount has any ENCODERS ?? my mount MACH1GTO does not have any ENCODERS !!

And to your question, if the PARKING 3 Position remains, and in my case YES, when I connect the GTOCP4 to the ASIAIR
and then the next day or week later, I want to work via ASCOM ( PC ) then, the PARKING 3 position is still recognized from the ASCOM DRIVER!!

Regards

Martin

mhb1089

artem Thank you that is super helpful -I just wonder if I really need to unplug the handcontroller - it basically initializes the mount and it has the same GPS settings as the ASI air for my permanent location. I only use it to turn the scope on but then I don't use it to slew as I would hope the ASI air would do that.

I don't have the absolute encoders so that should not be an issue.

So to clarify, when you start up the ASI Air, are the red and blue boxes aligned? or does that happen after your first slew? And for that, do you use the "big dipper" on the ASI Air and pick a target and then hit "go to" - and THEN is there a separate command for "sync to mount" (if so where?) or does it do it automatically. Can't thank you enough! Michele

artem

mhb1089

Hello!

I do not understand what you mean when you mention or ask "So to clarify, when you start up the ASI Air, are the red and blue boxes aligned?" what do you mean with RED & BLUE BOXES ARE ALIGNED ?

Here again how i processed, after connecting the ASIAIR and GTOCP4 via USB and both are truned on and ready,
I just slew the mount via ASIAIR+ anywhere away from the north celestial pole, tI then ake an image in preview mode then "solve" the image, Once it is solved, I then i move to the TELESCOPE SETTING under ASIAIR and there you will find the option to SYNC TO MIUNT and I hen hit the "sync to mount" button and that is it..

Regards

Martin

PS! as already told, I did never control the GTOCP4 via ASIAIR+ and had the KEYPAD attached, Another question, did you ever control your mount with ASIAIR+ ? or if you have an ASIAIR "already" you can just turn it on and then chose the MOUNT as DEMO INTERFACE and then test a while " without involving your AP mount, just to see where the SYNC TO MOUNT command or option is..

mhb1089

artem THank you so much - I meant the two color rectangles on the ASI Air display -one which shows a red rectangle and one shows a blue one (one is where the mount is pointing). But in any case, I think you have explained it well - we still have clouds so on the first clear night I will play around and do the plate solve and hopefully then it will all go smoothly - will follow up with any snafus - much appreciated! Michele

jimr

Hi Martin,
I am able to use my AP1100 mount with my ASIAIR plus, connecting as you described. Almost everything works well except guiding because I am unable to accomplish a guide calibration. When I attempt to calibrate the process starts properly moving west in steps but then when it changes to move east the mount moves about 2 degrees quickly, and I receive a message that guide stars are lost and it does not complete the calibration.
Any suggestions from anyone?
Jim

jimr

A follow up to my earlier post. The AP1100 mount will guide well with PHD2 and Sequence Generator Pro.
The ASIAIR Plus will guide with an EQ6 mount.
Jim

artem

[unknown]

Good morning Jim, the calibration is something we did not exchabge about, I had the same issues as you also describe
like the mount moves about 2 degrees quickly ( with the statnadrd values )., hence I did experiment a while and my setings under Guiding settings in ASIAIR for my AP MACH1GTO with GTOCP4 Mount..
Calibration step = 600
Max DEC Duration = 450
Max RA Duration = 450

Just yesterday I did manage to pass the calibarion process with my mount..

Regards and good luck
Martin

jimr

Thank you for the response Martin. I'll try those settings with my AP1100 with CP4.

Jim