I downloaded the most recent update a few weeks ago (probably the same) The biggest bonus is the three-star alignment, but sat tracking still fails. Not the glorious ways yours did, but that has happened to me even on star alignment. After that, I got my Autostar replaced, and although I used it mostly like a Dobson (hand-operated) I am reasonably confident there was some hardware error on the first one. On both programs versions I have tested a small ACP program (modified the demo program that comes with Starry Sky/ACP and the comnnection cable. It seems to position correctly, but apart from scope slew, there seems to be a delay of almost two seconds for a position read/write. This modified program logs the time and position each time I press spacebar, followed by an optional comment. Using this while Autostar purportedly follows a satellite, I noticed a 1- 6 degree pointing error, plus stopping tracking high in the sky, without any tripod leg problem. This is for both versions. I haven't felt like reporting this widely yet, because like yours my tests are infrequent. The fact that I have to bring the tripod, mount, Autostar and computer together (in our summer house) just to test the programming is no help either! Presently I intend to use text output from a graphic prediction program, like SkyMap or ObsReduce, selecting good reference stars, and uploading these positions as User Objects to the Autostar, and/or connecting the laptop directly and let the laptop move the scope to the next available (pre-selected) position when I press some key. This could also compensate for Earth's rotation when an object is early/late, which probably no generally available control program does !? /Björn >----Ursprungligt meddelande---- >Från: thomasfly@j2ee-consultants.com >Datum: Dec 15, 2004 9:03:27 PM >Till: SeeSat-L <SeeSat-L@satobs.org> >Ärende: LEO satellite tracking with a Meade telescope > >In prior (not very recent) attempts to track the ISS with my Meade LXD55 scope, it failed miserably, "tracking" into the >ground, rather than the sky. > >I'd downloaded the Java serial I/O library, and had been playing with issuing Autostar commands, using a simple demo >program that comes with that library, when I discovered an update to the firmware (Autostar model #497 version 33Ef, >12/6/04): >http://www.meade.com/support/auto.html > >In testing with TLEs for a couple recent ISS passes, the new version appears basically to work (though I can't easily >determine how accurately); though in both cases, it stopped tracking when it appeared that further tracking would cause >the OTA to smack into the tripod (there doesn't seem to be a way to choose which of the 2 possible sections- separated >by a tripod collision- of a pass to track). > >That problem had occurred to me, in thinking about how to implement my own tracking software. One way to give the >telescope free reign over the sky would be to effectively convert the equatorial mount to an altitude-azimuth mount, by >mounting it to a post, with the RA axis vertical. However, passes near the zenith would require a high rate of RA slew, >during which the satellite might be lost (at least temporarily). > >Alternatively, one could have a pseudo altitude-azimuth arrangement, by making the RA axis horizontal, and (most simply) >parallel or perpendicular to the path of the satellite. > >Just using a post mount, rather than the tripod, would mitigate the tripod collision problem, of course. > >I'd be interested in hearing about any existing solution to this problem, as well as any successes people may have had >using Autostar. > >------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: >http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive: http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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