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HELP WITH "GO TO" ISSUES: SkySafari 6 Pro | SkyFi 3 | Takahashi EM-11 Temma 2Z

Hello All!

I'm new to this forum and I need some help with issues that I am having with my setup.  

My current setup is noted above in the title: SkySafari 6 Pro on an iPhone X with the latest software, using SkyFi 3 on a Takahashi EM-11 Temma 2Z Mount .  I am currently having issues with the "go to" function within SkySafari, accuracy within slewing and a runaway mount.  Things to note:  I have the latest iteration of SkySafari, I have an iPhone X on the latest software, I have Skyfi 3 on the latest firmware.  I do not have any issues with the mount - without skyfi 3 attached.  I do not have any issues with connection between skysafari and skyfi3 and the mount.  Connections are solid and NOT intermittent.  

 

THE ISSUES: 

1. GO TO: Firstly, when using the 'go to' function within SkySafari, the scope moves in the opposite direction quite often (50/50).  There are two different types of scenarios that I've continually encountered:  1. When the 'go to' function is used, the scope moves in the opposite direction and sky safari shows that it is slewing to the target;  2.When the 'go to' function is used, the scope moves in the opposite direction and sky safari shows that it is moving away from the target - meaning that it is showing what the scope is pointed towards relatively accurately.  

 

2. ACCURACY: the 'go to' function seems to be consistently off by approximately 1.5 degrees - is there a way to make this process more accurate?

 

3. RUNAWAY: occasionally, the mount seems to runaway.  I've noticed this issue in other forums as well - (i.e. cloud nights)

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25 comments

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    Bill Tschumy

    Wow! You are definitely having problems.

    First off, have you ever controlled the mount from other software and had it work properly?

    With the TEMMA mounts, you need to:

    1. Do an accurate polar alignment.  Since Temma doesn't implement a multiple star alignment, you GoTo accuracy will be directly affected by how accurate your polar alignment is.

    2.  Turn the mount's computer on and then center a star in the scope (I generally use a star in the East).  Then tap the the same in SkySafari and the tap Align in the scope control panel.

    After that you should be good to go with accurate GoTos.

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    jacob.kim

    Hello Bill, 

    I appreciate your quick response!  Thank you!

    I have not attempted to control the mount with other software - I guess that's a good way to narrow down some issues

    Accurate Polar alignment is always attempted - any tips to assure accuracy?

    I've been using polaris for star alignment in SkySafari.  I've also aligned the scope using various other stars in all directions - slewing still seems to be off approximately 1.5 degrees.  

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    Bill Tschumy

    Never use Polaris as a star for alignment.  That will be very inaccurate.  It is best to to something in the east between 60º and -60º in declination (not a hard and fast rule though).  I forget the exact time about but you should try to Align on the star within about 10 minutes after turning the computer on.  If it has been longer than that you might turn the Temma computer off and one again before tapping Align.

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    jacob.kim

    Bill, that was supper helpful, thank you!  Any thoughts on the other issues that I'm experiencing?

  • 0
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    Bill Tschumy

    I don't exactly know.  I have a Temma mount myself (and NJP) and never have any problems.  I've never heard of the other problems such as runaway slews.  Can you point me to others that have had this issue?

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    jacob.kim

    Understood.  What are my next steps with Skyfi3?  Do I send it in for work?

    Here is a link below:  do note Daniel Mounsey's comment  (from Woodland Hills) in the first response. 

    https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/587721-takahashi-em-11-temma-2z-and-skyfi-3-what-cable-is-needed-to-connect-them/

     

  • 0
    Avatar
    Bill Tschumy

    Why would you think the SkyFi 3 is malfunctioning?  That seems unlikely to me.  If you can connect and the current position of the scope is shown on the screen then it is communicating with the mount.

    You should be able to test this indoors during the day.  Use SkySafari to locate a star about 30º above the horizon in the east.  Select the star in SkySafari and point the scope in that same general area (no need to be exact).  Then turn the mount on, connect and then tap align.  The FOV indicator should jump to that star.  Slew the mount around and see if the on-screen circles move correctly.

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    jacob.kim

    True - but as I mentioned in my post earlier - "There are two different types of scenarios that I've continually encountered:  1. When the 'go to' function is used, the scope moves in the opposite direction and sky safari shows that it is slewing to the target;  2.When the 'go to' function is used, the scope moves in the opposite direction and sky safari shows that it is moving away from the target - meaning that it is showing what the scope is pointed towards relatively accurately. "

     

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    jacob.kim

    You cannot definitively say that issue is not with SkyFi3 either -

    Why would the mount move in the opposite direction to the requested target?  Also, in the second scenario mentioned above - where the scope moves in the opposite direction  - SkySafari shows that the scope is slewing away from the target.  

    The issue is obviously not mechanical but rather a software issue.  In either case the mount has no issues without the use of SkyFi 3

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    Bill Tschumy

    The SkyFi is simply a conduit.  It cannot possibly make the mount move in the wrong direction.  Almost surely something is wrong with the setup or alignment.

    How have you controlled the mount without the SkyFi?  Do you have the Temma GoTo hand controller?

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    jacob.kim

    If the setup is the issue - that would be great news - alignment wise: I have aligned to a star in the east quadrant below 60 degrees - nearly Vega.

     

    As mentioned above, I have controlled the mount without SkyFi using the Temma GoTo hand controller without any issues at all.

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    jacob.kim

    * mostly Vega

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    jacob.kim

    Also, in terms of alignment - not sure if this is relevant to this issue:  when using my mount without SkyFi3  - after polar alignment - the mount accurately tracks and object that I've centered on with the scope.  For example, I was able to have Jupiter in my eye piece (with 0.5 degrees field of view) for at least one hour, before moving on to another target.  

  • 0
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    Bill Tschumy

    I really need you to experiment a bit  more with this.  As I mentioned you can do this during the day and not waste observing time.

    You should be able to test this indoors during the day.  Use SkySafari to locate a star about 30º above the horizon in the east.  Select the star in SkySafari and point the scope in that same general area (no need to be exact).  Then turn the mount on, connect and then tap align.  The FOV indicator should jump to that star.  Slew the mount around and see if the on-screen circles move correctly.

    Double check that your location is set correctly and that the iPad's time is correct.  Also the Set Time & Location in the Telescope Setup settings should be on but disabled (since this is required for Temma).

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    jacob.kim

    Thanks Bill, 

     

    I just attempted what you asked:  Using SkySafari, I located a star 30 degrees above the horizon in the east - selected a star  - pointed the scope in the general direction - aligned - pointed to another star - and the telescope slewed to the opposite direction - while Sky Safari showed that it was moving towards the target...

    Location was set - time is set and the time and location settings were on but disabled.

    what are my next steps ?

     

  • 0
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    Bill Tschumy

    Unfortunately, I'm not very familiar with the EM-11 mount, only the NJP.  On the NJP there is are buttons to reverse the N/S or E/W slew buttons.  I don't think this reverses the motion during a GoTo, but it is worth checking.

    One other thought.  Is it possible that you have the SkySafari chart set to "Flip Horizontal".  I'm thinking that the scope is moving correctly but the motion appears backwards on the chart because you have it flipped.  Go into the Settings > Coordinates to see if they are flipped.

    My only other thought is that the Temma firmware commands have been changed.  This seems unlikely and I think we would have heard from other uses if that were the case.

    After aligning in on the star in the East, are all GoTos reversed, or only occasionally.

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    jacob.kim

    Also, I made a few more attempts - Both scenarios that I described before occurred.  When choosing a target - the scope went the opposite direction and while showing on SkySafari that FOV indicator was moving towards the target; as well as the fov following the motion of the scope but moving away from the chosen target.

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    jacob.kim

    would you like me to take a video?

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    Bill Tschumy

    Are you in the southern hemisphere by any chance?  This sort of sounds like a mismatch between what hemisphere the mount thinks it is in.

    How was you SkySafari location set?  Is it using Current Location or did you enter the location manually?  You might check it to make sure the Lat/Lon is indeed correct.

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    jacob.kim

    I just checked the settings in skysafari and the horizon settings are NOT flipped. 

    I recently purchased this mount from Takahashi America (1month) - could the firmware of changed? 

    - working with the mount right now - all GoTos are not revered.  I've been trying figure out if it's random or if there is some pattern to it.

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    jacob.kim

    I'm in the Northern Hemisphere.

     

    The location in Skysafari is set to "current location". I am in currently in the correct Latitude and longitude 

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    Bill Tschumy

    I'm pretty stumped. You could try calling Takahashi America and see if they have heard of such a problem.  Maybe the firmware has changed but that seems like a pretty dumb thing for them to do.

    If you want to make a video, that might help.  Please try to show your Location settings screen as well as the Telescope Setup screen.

    Just to be clear, you are power cycling the mount's computer before trying to connect and align, right?  If you have had the computer on for a while before trying to connect and align, that *might* cause something like this.

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    jacob.kim

    Hmmmmm - will try calling Takahashi America 

    I will make the video later tonight (EST) and send it to you.

    Yes, I am power cycling the mount each time I make an attempt to connect and align.

    At this point, I have ordered a Skywire - thinking of returning Skyfi 

  • 0
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    jacob.kim

    Hello Bill, 

    Sorry, that it's been a while since we last spoke. 

    Below is a link to a video that I took tonight: 

    https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rLjb8mbyik6Q6GsmCNzeKhBb8244iBfR?usp=sharing

     

  • 0
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    Bill Tschumy

    Jacob,

    Thanks for the video.  I'm not convinced I see a problem here.  With a german equatorial mount, it is often the case that the mount has to go in the opposite direction in order to do a meridian flip to get to an object.  You are picking objects near the North Celestial Pole where this behavior is common.

    Do you see this same "going in the wrong direction" behavior when going to objects only in the east (or west) and away from the pole?  Have you ever waited to see if the scope eventually gets to the correct object when it initially starts in the wrong direction?

    As an aside, your scope slewing is very slow and would drive me crazy.  Is your Temma mount one that can take 24 volts and have the slewing sped up?

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