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Re: Firmware Upgrade Error in RFU: "Could not open serial port."
Thank you for the reply Gary. I tried all of the above early in my troubleshooting; Verifying com port number (Servocat-sky and SCU wouldnt work if I had the port nunber wrong), checking the driver version, etc. I also just followed the instructions the first time through, only expanding the troubleshooting steps as I went and it didn't work. I'm hoping it's something simple, I'm usually pretty savvy on things like this, but so far no luck.
Thanks, Jordan |
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Firmware Upgrade Error in RFU: "Could not open serial port."
Greetings! My first post here. I have an older v5.9(ish) Gen3 Servocat from 2013 that I'm trying to upgrade the firmware to the newest (7.0). Its on an Obsession UC22. I'm following the instructions word for word in the manual; power off, flip switch to Upgrade, move jumper to both pins, open RFU, choose correct com port, serial to USB connector, set affinity to 1 processor, turn on power to servocat, load firmware, and I get this error. I've tried with and without Argo Navis turned on. With and without all the other cables connected. 2 different USB cables. 2 different laptops. Multiple different com ports (all under 8), different baud rates on the port and in RFU, compatibility mode for RFU (both laptops are Windows 11). I get a green "connected" in the ServoCAT-Sky software. In regular mode on PCB and Argo Navis turned on SCU in the command prompt is able to connect (but because it's an older version, there's no data). I've run out of ideas on things to try, I don't have an old windows 7 laptop sitting around to try that, but I haven't heard of this issue before. Anyone out there have any experience with this? Help!
-Jordan |
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Re: ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos
Dear Gary,
first of all, I would like to answer to the group to tell that your assistance has been great over the years. The majority of the things you told me, have been tried already. I think it depends on my scope. Anyway, the first clear night, I will try to make some recent measurements in order to let you know if we can make some more attempts and I will write to you directly. Thank you very much again. Filippo |
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Re: ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos
开云体育Hello everybody in the group, thank you for mentioning my works. Even if over the last years, I received amazing and exceptional assistance, I still have some limitations. First of all, I just describe what I do, maybe it is useful for someone. I just point the telescope to a certain object, I move around to find it, nothing necessary at the moment to plate sole, I switch the derotator on, and I start to save single fits of maximum 2 sec exposure. I really need to have a perfectly rounded and nice stars. For these purposes, I cannot expose more than 2 sec, there is no way. I have two problems in increasing the the exposures, the first is that I have some rapid movements mainly related to the wind, even if there is very slow wind, and a continuous slow movement of the object towards a certain direction, so every five minutes I have to re-center manually. When I observe at the ocular, this translation is much slower, but during imaging is quite fast. My telescope is 600 mm a primary mirror with 2265 focal length that become longer with the 1,15x Paracorr Coma Corrector. I think that there are some mechanical problems in my system because I tried all the ways available to try to improve the tracking and gear ratios, but without being able to reach 5, or much better 10 seconds exposures. Probably auto guiding would be great but my system has a big amount of backlash. For example, at low speed, when I change the direction, I need at least 10 seconds to see any changing of the direction. One of the reasons, other than backlash in the gears itself, is that probably I added a very big load in the system, because at the moment the optical train is made by Big Paracorr 3”, the derotator, filter holder, and ASI 6200 MM, which is quite heavy and also a very big focuser end in the other side about the 16 kg of counterweights. My system was built to be very light and easily transportable by one person to observe, and then nothing more. The last problem is that with the Nexus DSC and StellarCat it was never possible for me, using any driver available, even recent versions, to remotely control the telescope. To be honest at the moment at my knowledge it is necessary to have the Argo Navis to do that, I don’t know anybody using the Ascom platform to control the Nexus DSC. What I would consider a perfect results, was to longer the exposures to 10 seconds, and having perfectly round stars, and also to keep the object at the center of the field all night long without re-centering, every 5 or 10 minutes. About the derotator, considering that my exposures are short, I don’t know if it is possible to longer the exposures as regular deepsky astrophotography, but I need it in order to avoid to loose the field of my camera for the field rotation. Without the derotator the crop would mean losing more than 30% of the field so for me it is strictly necessary. This is the description of what I do. Said that, I am happy about the results because I think that the last cameras have so low noise and high sensitivity that the most important thing is the total integration time. For example, if for a certain object, I need six hours of total exposures, it is less important than before, for previous camera models, if those 6 hours are done of 60 sec exposures or 2 sec exposures. probably the scenario is different for narrow bend imaging, when for my system 10 seconds would be perfect. Thank you everybody and happy that other people image with our Alt Az systems. Here the link of my Astrobin page.
Clear skies, and all the best.?
Filippo |
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Re: ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos
开云体育No I live in rural Virginia with bortal between 3 and 4 so have nice dark skies. However todays modern Astrophotography filters largely make the light pollution a non-issue. The Optolong L-enhance and L-Pro are particularly effective for folks imaging even in big cities like LA. That is also where plate solving is critical for telescope alignment when you can’t see stars visually. On Sep 22, 2023, at 7:53 AM, K9RX - Gary <amateurK9RX@...> wrote:
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Re: ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos
开云体育The one issue with my rotator also is thickness. I will need to shorten my truss poles some more. The primaluce stuff is very nice but a little to pricey for me. Philip Scopeliti who I believe may also be a member of this group takes the most amazing Astro photos which his dob (I think his is 22”). Here is his Astrobin page: |
Jordan Ragsdale
Filippo Scopelliti
Mike
On Sep 21, 2023, at 10:41 PM, Richard <rmille64@...> wrote:
?Thanks Mike,
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I have been thinking about adding a de-rotator.? Since I purchased the Focuser from Primalucelab I will likely go with their de-rotator if/when I pull the trigger—it weighs about a pound and is a little thick.?
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M33 is one of my favorites.? My DS287C camera/UC18 requires about 9 frames to make this mosaic.? I typically use 10 second exposures and 10 stacks for each frame and do enjoy seeing the target before I start stacking.
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<image002.jpg>?
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I have ordered a DS10CTEC camera and hope to get it soon.? Can Sharpcap communicate with the ServoCAT/ASCOM to slew your DOB after it plate solves??
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The MallincamSKY software has really grown on me (I have been learning live HDR techniques) so I have not tried Sharpcap, but plate solving would be a compelling feature.
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Richard
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Mike
Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2023 8:38 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ServoCAT] ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos?
Richard,
There are quite a few of us servocat owners who image with our dobs. I have an 18” Dob that is also completely remote including electronic focuser (and recently a Pegasus falcon de-rotator I am trying to get working to avoid the frame rotation inherent with Alt-Az). I use a cooled ZWO ASI294 MC Pro with Sharpcap and cartes du ciel. I platesolve from within Sharpcap and targets are always dead center. Sharpcap can also annotate objects automatically after plate solving which is cool when you see very faint 19mag or 20mag galaxies and wonder what they are (usually LEDA catalogued galaxies). Here is one stack of M33(was actually a live stack of 23x 8 second images meaning you can watch the images build over time). This was not post processed at all and only darks subtracted during the stack.
<image001.jpg>
On Sep 21, 2023, at 4:45 PM, Richard <rmille64@...> wrote:
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Gary,
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Each image (there were bunches of images to make this mosaic) were 10 second exposures each with 10 stacks. ?The MallincamSKY software averaged to reduce noise during the stacking process.
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I stitched the images together with MS ICE.
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I really like my ServoCAT and the ASCOM driver for Stellarium to allow me to observe from my recliner wirelessly and WIDI to my big screen TV (wireless in from the telescope and wireless out to my TV).
I slew, change focus, change filters all remotely.
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I use the ASCOM virtual hand pad for fine tune centering of the object and the CATPAW when I need to do a spiral search (my recliner is about 30’ from the telescope and the CATPAW seems to reach OK).
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Maybe one day I will do plate solving instead of the 2-star alignment that requires my presence at the telescope.
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Richard
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of K9RX - Gary
Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2023 3:04 PM
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ServoCAT] ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos?
I have to say that is pretty darn nice! What are the details - stack depth and times??
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g.
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------ Original Message ------
From "Richard" <rmille64@...>
Date 9/20/2023 9:24:34 PM
Subject [ServoCAT] ServoCAT on my DOB enables Astro Photos
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Just curious how many ServoCAT users are creating Astro Photos.
Here is my UC18 Obsession telescope and my DS287m camera making a mosaic of the Witch's Broom via the optolong LeNhance filter.<image001.png>
Richard
Jack Huerkamp