I've recently switched from using SkySafari-6 Pro controlling my CPC mount with StarSense through the StarSense HC and SkyBT, to controlling the same mount using SkySafari only (no SS HC) using a SkyPortal WiFi (gen-3).
Everything is working great EXCEPT for cablewrap. The mount is ignoring cablewrap. When you use the SS HC, there's a cablewrap setting in the HC. But how do you control and set cablewrap from SkySafari?
Woody,
When you are connected to Celestron WiFi, next to the SkySafari scope rate slider, you will find a Celestron icon that opens a submenu of Celestron options. If cordwrap is not included in the submenu options then you will have to contact Celestron to determine if your current configuration includes that option in any way. It may be that the hand controller is required.
Thanks!
OK, I heard back from Celestron U.S. Technical Support. And yes, the implementation of Cordwrap is different between using the SS HC or Celestron WiFi using SkySafari or SkyPortal APP.
I spent almost two hours the other night with my Evo and StarSense and SkySafari-6 Pro and think I've finally worked out how to orient the mount so Cordwrap works the way I need it to work -- at least most of the time.
The new SkyPortal APP using Celestron WiFi (which uses the same software as SkySafari-6) usually orients Cordwrap based on where the mount is when you power it up. It orients the Cordwrap center point 180°degrees from where your cable bundle is. In my case the other night, my cable bundle was attached to a tripod leg pointing 180° (South). So with mount power OFF, I rotated the mount until the OTA was pointing 180° away from that point -- or 000° (North). And then I turned mount power ON.
HOWEVER! At least for me, I had to make sure I rotated the mount in a CCW (counter clock-wise) direction to point the OTA at 000°. If I rotated it in a CW direction to reach 000°, disaster. Why? I have no idea. But that's how it worked for me.
And when I did all that, after a normal SS Auto-alignment ("Connect and Align"), the mount didn't wrap the cable bundle. YIPPEE!
Well, except for one time. And that one time really has me confused. That particular time I'd started with the OTA pointed a different direction. And for some reason the first Plate-solve position failed to solve the first two times. And if you're familiar with SS, the way it works is that after stopping and taking a shot of the sky at position #1, the mount moves on to position #2 before position #1 has solved. And if it turns out position #1 doesn't solve, the mount backs up after it's taken a shot at position #2, and goes back to position #1 again -- and tries again.
Well in this case, position #1 failed. The mount continued to Position #2, took a shot, and the mount went back to position #1 (during which position #2 solved) and took another shot -- and then moved onto position #3. On its way to position #3, position #1 failed again. The mount stopped at position #3 and took a shot and moved back to position #1 again. And while heading back to position #1, position #3 solved. So now the only position that hasn't solved is position #1. And after reaching position #1 for the third try and taking a shot -- the mount continued onto position #4 -- but it took the short way around this time, instead of rotating all the way past position #3. And by the time the mount reached position #4, position #1 finally solved. And the alignment was done -- and GOTO's were accurate.
But here's the strange thing. Even though I'd started this alignment in the "wrong" position (not at 000°), Cordwrap worked properly! And all I can figure is that it was because the mount had stopped where it normally stops (in position #4), but this time it reached that position by reversing direction. So that somehow changed how Cordwrap calibrated.
What this tells me is that I need to keep track of the auto-alignment pattern and make sure the mount doesn't reverse direction during the alignment because of a missed plate-solve. If the mount doesn't reverse, then pointing the OTA 180° from where your cable is attached "should" work -- if you rotate the mount in a CCW direction.
YEEGADS! But hey -- if it works, it works. And it worked three times in a row. So I'm a happy camper.
For the record, when I use the SS HC to auto-align, I need to rotate the OTA about 225° (180 + 45) from where the cables are bundled in a CCW direction to orient Cordwrap so it works properly for me.
Woody
Woody,
Thank you for following up here regarding your Celestron Support correspondence and troubleshooting. The info you have provided will be invaluable for all other Celestron WiFi users trying to figure out the cord wrap solution!