Trying to connect to meade LX200 GPS. I am able to get Safari to pair with SkyBT using a Samsung S7. Safari reports sky BT is connected but no response from scope after connection command . Scope is powered. Scopes RS232 interface works with win 10 laptop running The Sky v6/v10. Is my Sky BT broken?
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6 comments
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Bill Tschumy Unlikely that the SkyBT is broken.
1. Are you using the same serial cable that you use with The Sky?
2. When you try to connect, are you seeing a change in the flashing lights on the SkyBT. If not, we are not successfully talking to SkyBT.
3. Did you star align the mount before connecting? I think the LX-200 is a mount that need to be star aligned before it will talk to us.
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Tim Campbell Possibly it's a baud-rate mis-match.
It is possible to change the default baud rate of a Meade LX-200 using the Meade "ASU" (AutoStar Utility) software. You may want to connect the scope to your Windows PC and check the baud rate.
I *believe* the SkyBT expects to use 9600 baud. (Bill can likely confirm that). Whatever it is, the scope needs to be configured to use the same speed.
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KEN MILBURN Hi Bill,
1. Yep. Tried two cables that both work with the Win 10 laptop set up running The Sky.
2. I do see a change in the flashing lights when the connection is getting made to the SkyBT. After the telescope connect command is made, Safari thinks about it for a while and throws up an error message that says SkyBT is connected but the scope is not talking.
3. Did not do an alignment. Could try that. The interface with the laptop & The Sky does not need to see an alignment. It connects and the scope responds to manual slew commands anytime after scope boot up. Naturally, GOTO commands would not work well w/o an alignment. Not trying to do that though.
Ken
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KEN MILBURN Tim,
Good suggestion on the Baud rate. I will check that.
Ken
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Bill Tschumy Unless you have changed any of the DIP switches on the SkyBT (under the ON/OFF button), then it is not a baud rate problem. We automatically set the baud rate to what LX-200 expects (9600 baud, no parity, 8 data bits and 1 stop bit).
I've never heard of anyone changing this in the LX-200, if it has been changed the SkySafari will fail.
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KEN MILBURN That sounds right to me Bill. I've not messed with any of the DIP switches. Pretty sure I recall The Sky baud rate set at 9600 too and I know that works. So I'm still scratching my head I guess. Is there a wrap around test of some kind that can check comms without the telescope in the mix?
Ken
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