Scripts for Paramount mounts

Any paramount owners out there that are using Drag script? I am interested in what capabilities Dragscript has with our specific mount. Does it kick off tpoint modelling? set a super model up? Let me know your experiences.

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Hi George,
I have a Paramount MyT and I use Voyager with DragScript every clear night.
DragScript’s primary purpose is to automate operations of Voyager and its companion product, Viking.

There are no built-in actions to do the things you mentioned.

If you can write code, you can call external programs and scripts from DragScript, and you could use your external code to cause actions in other programs such as TheSkyX. I haven’t checked to see if things like kicking off a TPoint model can be automated from outside TheSkyX.

Cheers,
Rowland

Hi George,

I’ve not found it necessary to initiate either a new or recalibration tpoint model (via a script) from within voyager so I’ve never tried. In all other ways my MX integrates via TheSkyX to Voyager seamlessly i.e. it’s a telescope mount doing what it’s instructed.

Having looked through the Scriptable Components I can’t see any reference to T-Point Modelling which makes me think it’s not possible outside or rather the interface either isn’t exposed or more likely is unpublished. It would be useful to know if you found a way.

Robert

Another way to look at it - Voyager integrates with TheSkyX regardless of the mount or camera(s) connected to TheSkyX. From Voyager, I use TheSkyX to:

  1. Command my mounts (I have a CEM60 connected to TheSkyX on one pier and a MyT on another) to slew, park and unpark, start and stop tracking
  2. Find objects RA and DEC via the planetarium
  3. Plate solve and blind solve, and thus do precise slewing (slew, plate solve, correct error)
  4. Connect to my imaging camera using TheSkyX camera option

I use PHD2 for guiding, but I could also use TheSkyX for guiding from Voyager should I so choose.
I use Voyager’s built-in autofocus but I could use TheSkyX @Focus2 or @Focus3 from Voyager should I so choose.

I should add, for those reading this who don’t own TheSkyX, it is not required by Voyager, but is supported. This is one of the things that attracted me to Voyager in the first place - it supports things like TheSkyX and Maxim DL, but also works without them. Most other astro software either requires these $$ programs or doesn’t work with them at all.

Cheers,
Rowland

Ok, I think I have it down now. So the workflow would go something like this.
Set up equipment.
Polar align via polemaster. (I know I could do this via TPoint but I’m set in my ways)
Connect TheSkyX to mount.
Run Tpoint model and verify alignment.
Create super model.
Minimize TheSkyX.
Open Voyager and connect to equipment.
Voyager takes over from this point for the remainder of the evening.

That should work. If you have any trouble connecting to TheSkyX from Voyager, close TheSkyX and let Voyager start it.
Are you running portable? Like Robert, I only run a new TPoint model a couple of times a year, but the MyT is on a concrete pier. I’ve read about wearing out the worm blocks prematurely if you do too many big TPoint runs so I am also mindful of that. They are $750 each to replace :).

Cheers,
Rowland

I am indeed portable. I did not hear about the wearing of the worms if you ran too many tpoints.

I just checked with the engineers at SB and they verified that there is no issue with wearing out the worm gears because of many large TPoint runs so be at ease doing them. I have been doing 100+ point runs so I can do unguided AP work which I really love. :heart_eyes:

Am also interested in this dragscript. Any updates?

Tchallaaoc - what DragScript are you referring to?

The gist of this thread is that there is no DragScript feature for accessing TPoint models and in fact SB has not made this accessible from outside TheSkyX.

Or did you mean something else?

Cheers,
Rowland

Understood. Trying to fit in as much laziness, er I mean efficiency into the automation…

Is your overnight dragscript included in the wiki?

https://voyager.tourstar.net/index.php?title=DragScript_Examples