I’ve been using SkyFi3 and SkySafari with my Celestron scopes (CPC1100 & 8SE) for years and love it. I recently upgraded my Celestron 8SE to a new NexStar+ hand control (HC) with the latest firmware (FW) for Alt-Az scopes. For whatever reason, I can no longer get the 8SE to connect to the SkyFi3 network through the serial cable connection from SkyFi3 to the bottom to the hand control. It sees the network, but won’t connect. I’m using the same setup as I do with the CPC1100 which has the same NexStar+ HC, but with a FW version from several years ago. I’m pretty sure now that the latest HC FW doesn’t play nicely with SkyFi.
As a result I decided to connect SkySafari to the scope using the Celestron SkyPortal WiFi device and that works just fine. The issue for me arises now with the CPC1100 which is in my backyard observatory and which I hibernate when I shut down for the night. With SkyFi3, I could align the scope, then connect SkySafari to observe and control the scope with either the HC or SkySafari. I’d then use the HC to hibernate the scope. However, under the SkyPortal protocols, I can’t do that. You must either use the HC OR SkySafari, but not both. So how to hibernate without the HC?
It took me a little while to figure it out, but once I realized that connecting through SkyPortal had added some controls in SkySafari the answer was simple. When connecting via SkyPortal WiFi and selecting “Connect and Align” there is a new Celestron icon once you are connected to the scope. It’s on the left side of the “Rate” line of controls (1-4). If you tap that, you get access to many scope control functions that you would normally need the HC to adjust. You can change backlash settings as well as indicating if you want SkySafari to set the time, date, and location when you connect, AND you can turn on the Hibernation function. Then when you disconnect to shut down, a pop up asks if you want to Hibernate the scope. Click to do that and the scope does a quick minor skew then disconnects. When you next go to use the scope and click on connect (not connect and align), the app asks if you want to wake the scope. So if ever I need to update the HC on the CPC1100 to a newer FW version, I’ll just start using my SkyPortal with that scope too.
Another nice feature of using the SkyPortal approach is that all the alignment data is actually stored in the app, not the HC which is why you can’t use both as that would cause software conflicts. The benefit of this is that if someone accidentally pulls the power cord from your scope, or your batteries die, so long as you don’t close down your SkySafari app, the scope will be instantly re-aligned when you connect it back using SkySafari.
Many may have known all this, but I hope this information is helpful to those who didn’t
Clear Skies!
Steve
