I’ve tried searching the forums, but maybe I just haven’t used the right terms for finding the solution…if so, I’m sorry. So, my problem is: I use Voyager along with TSX to do automated imaging so I don’t have to worry about Meridian Flip through the night and so I can image different targets throughout the night without having to be at the PC. Everything works great except that I find that the first image after a Meridian Flip contains star trailing…as if the mount hasn’t stopped slewing and started tracking following the Meridian Flip before the camera starts to take another image. I’m not sure if this is a problem with Voyager or with TSX so I am posting in both forums. Is there a setting in Voyager that I can adjust to stop the camera from starting a new imaging session before the mount has stopped slewing after a Meridian Flip? Thanks for any help!
I use Voyager only and don’t have any experience with TSX, but there is a mount settling time in the Voyager mount setup tab (I don’t know how Voyager and TSX interact) but if it still uses that setting when using TSX, you could try increasing the settle time. I used 5 seconds for my old AZEQ6 and carried that over to my iOptron CEM70G. With regular slews for focus runs I doubt the settle time is costing me more than a two or three minutes in the full night.
What is the reason for using TSX to avoid managing the flip? I have found Voyager to be very reliable at managing flips and repointing the mount afterwards.
Thanks Paul.
@dmilner leave Voyager to manage the meridian flip. If you want to manage an external meridian flip for some reasons you must use the ASCOM like mount control and in Voyager ASCOM setting use GEM Meridian Flip Manage with ASCOM Pier Mode NORMAL or INVERTED as for your mount driver type.
About External Pier flip management in Sequence settings ( ABORT Exposure if Meridian Flip occurs outside Voyager and FORCE EXECUTE Meridian Flip Operations):
https://wiki.starkeeper.it/index.php/Sequence_Configuration#Meridian_Flip_Tab
About GEM Meridian Flip Manager:
https://wiki.starkeeper.it/index.php/Mount_Setup#GEM_Meridian_Flip_Manager
External Pier Flip Management not work if you are use TSX like mount control in Voyager because pier side cannot be predicted reliable.
All the best
Lenardo
Thanks, Paul and Lenardo. Just by way of clarification, though, I don’t use any external meridian flip. I let Voyager do the meridian flip and it works fine. I have TSX controlling my Paramount mount while letting Voyager directly control (not via ASCOM) TSX. The only problem is just that the camera starts imaging again before the meridian flip is completed. The idea to increase settling time seems to be a reasonable solution. I’ll try that next time I’m able to image. Thanks!
Dear Dennis,
Voyager cannot start an image if the mount report is slewing or not tracking. This is a watchdog always on that you cannot remove.
I dont think the right solution is to increase the settling time, I suggest to you to check your settings in TSX/mount about meridian flip (limit delay etc) and in Voyager if you have chosen a too short interval for meridian:
https://wiki.starkeeper.it/index.php/Mount_Setup#GEM_Meridian_Flip_Manager
All the best
Leonardo
Are you guiding? With what?
I use Voyager/SkyX but unguided and have had no issues at all so am wondering if it is a guiding settle issue.
Chris,
I am not guiding, but using tpoint along with pro-track to point and track.
Leonardo,
It’s good to know that Voyager can’t start an image if the mount is reporting a slew or not tracking. I couldn’t find any type of limit delay in the TSX/mount section. The followup on the TSX forum suggested an exposure delay which would delay starting exposure on every image; but limiting it to 5 sec surely wouldn’t cause a tremendous loss of exposure time since I usually expose for several minutes at a time. I will also look at the time I’ve inserted on exposing before and after meridian to see if that might possibly be the cause of the problem.
Thanks to both of you for your followup.
Dennis
Dennis
Something odd here then. I have done lots of all night Voyager/SkyX unguided sessions with my MX and not lost a single sub for anything other than cloud and dawn. I have SkyX setup to allow 30 minutes tracking past the meridian and let Voyager manage the flip. It has done so consistently without issue.
Happy to share my settings if it helps but I don’t think I have changed much from default.
Regards
Chris
Thanks, Chris. I’m not going to be able to test out the above changes for a few days it appears, but when I do I’ll let you know if adjusting them helped. If solved my imaging problem, no further action is necessary. If not, I’d appreciate a copy of your settings and compare them with mine. I really haven’t changed many settings from the default either, but who knows, it may only take one thing that I changed and only realized now it’s affect on the meridian flip. Up until recently I’ve been too scared to trust the meridian flip so I’ve always either stopped imaging before the meridian or started imaging after the meridian. So I may have changed some settings that I shouldn’t have. Anyway thanks for the offer…I’ll let you know.
Dennis
In case of guide and dithering … again there are watchdog on guide error and settle timeout. If the problem is by guiding or dithering you will found a message in the monitor/log.
Remember, for the meridian flip, to allow mount passing the meridian and continue tracking for the time you put in voyager meridian setting plus the longer image you will take. Mount need to not be stopped until Voyager send a goto for a meridian flip. Do not use delay after meridian crossing for slew to avoid meridian flip, do not stop mount at meridian cross. This is alll things must be take in account for a reliable meridian flip in Voyager.
I hope this help.
All the best
Leonardo