AM5 Intermittent Problems with Position

area51

I have had my AM5 set up in an outdoor permanent observatory. The mount is controlled via Voyager and everything is set to be fully automated. The observatory is a roll off roof type which is programmed to open automatically at astronomical night based on clear weather conditions (Cloudwatcher). The mount is then programmed to go from a park position to a series of pre-selected astronomical targets to shoot for the night. At dawn the mount is set to go back to a park position in order for the roof to close. If the mount does not go to it's parked position, the roof cannot close as it will not clear the mount and telescope. This setup works 75% of time. On some nights, the mount does not go back to its park position accurately and go-to commands take the mount to completely incorrect locations. Typically, power cycling the mount (without touching the rest of the software) and having it go to the "home" position from the ASI Mount Windows application will fix/reset the mount so that subsquent go-to commands are accurate. I want to call this to ASI's attention. Some of us are trying to use the AM5 for serious astrophotography where it is mission critical that this mount knows it's position and does not require hard power cycling to fix. So far the weather here has been clear all night. However, it rain had set in, thousands of dollars of damage would have incurred as the mount would not park itself and the roof would not therefore close. Do I really need to switch away from the AM5 and buy the Mach2 GTO instead? I was just notified that I am on the list to get the AP Mach2. I need a reliable mount. The AM5 is such a good mount in almost every other respect but it is not reliable. Also, it doesn't support a true parked position. Why can we not program a custom true parked position? This is mission critical. Not all of us are buying the AM5 to lug around in our vehicles. Mine has been set up in my ROR observatory now for over a year in a fixed position. I really don't want to have to plunk down 11k for the AP Mach2 if I don't have to. My telescopes are relatively smaller refractors and weight is not an issue for either of these mounts.

area51

I thought maybe a picture is worth 1000 words. Please see my setup. This is what I consider the PARK position for my ROR observatory.

Does this make sense now? This is my parked position. However, if I press park in the ZWO app, it gives you a ridiculous position that is not a parked position. ZWO, do you see how the mount is parked? It's like a parked car in a garage. It's out of the way. That's what you call PARKED. It's not up and in the way of the roof. I had to do this with a custom script in Voyager that tells the mount to go to a certain Alt and Az to simulate this parked position. ZWO, why can't you let us set this as a custom parked position that is coded in the ASCOM driver??

tempus

Good luck trying to get an answer here. They rarely reply and if they do, it is some "this has been passed to the dev team". Heck, they don't even reply to the request of getting the app user interface to behave like a normal Windows pane without popping up all the time.

area51

Well. I was on the AP Mach2GTO list and just received notification that a mount is available for me. I've decided to purchase the Mach2. I'll be selling the AM5. It's in like new condition if anyone is interested.

tempus

area51 Is it for sale now? do you have some guiding logs?