John,

Recently I have been getting errors when the software CCDAP3 tries to control the MI-250 with Gemini Level 4 v 1.04. I am pasting an example below. Can you get any idea of what might be causing these or where I should start to look?

Chris A.

20:56:04 Setup Information
20:56:05 Equipment Settings
Observer: Christopher J. Abissi
Observatory: Dark Horse Observatory
Telescope: BRC-250
Mount type: Equatorial
Self guider or off-axis guider used for guiding
Imaging camera: ST-10XME
Imager pixel size: 6.80
Telescope focal length: 1268
Imager image scale: 1.104
Imaging camera gain: 1.30999994277954

Guide camera pixel size: 7.40
Guide focal length: 1268
Guider image scale: 1.20
Guide rate: 0.50
Guider1: 1x0.088.4
Guider2: -8.06.2ERot: 00
92.2
Rotator offset: 88.4 E
Mount settling time: 10 sec.
1x1 download time: 24 sec.
2x2 download time: 6 sec.
3x3 download time: 4 sec.
Other delays: 165 sec.

Software Settings
CCDAutoPilot, Version: 3.42.7, Professional Edition
Licensed to: cabissi@comcast.net
System profile: C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\My Documents\CCDWare\CCDAutoPilot3\System Profiles\Best 27July2008 Initialize.app
Operating System: Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2
MaxIm version 4,62,1,0 being used for image acquisition.
Maxim camera: SBIG Universal
TheSky version 6.0.0.58 being used for telescope control.
FocusMax version 3.04.0001 being used for focus control.
Rotator used: Optec Pyxis on COM1
Dome program: ASCOM, Dome driver: M1OASYS.Dome
Can find home: False
Can set shutter: True
Can slave shutter: False
PinPoint version 5.0.13 used for plate solving
Catalog: GSC ACT
Catalog Path: E:\GSC1.1\
Catalog Expansion: .7
Plate solve sub-frame: Full
Plate solve filter: Clear IRB
Plate solve binning: 1x1
Plate solve exposure time: 6
Standard FITS keywords will be inserted into the FITS header.

Tracking and Guiding Settings
Telescope slew to an altitude below 12 will be prevented.
Guided operation being used with a peak enhanced dither of 2.50 pixels.
AGSR enabled for 7 cycles to get within 0.7 pixels.
An audible alarm will sound if the guide star is not recovered.

Focus Settings
FocusMax is using the FLI.Focuser focuser driver
SkyStar being used for focusing.
Focus star will be centered via precision slew
Focus star maximum brightness is Mag. 4
Focus stars will be selected to have an altitude higher than 60 degrees.
Focuser temperature compensation is not enabled.
A post-focus offset of 0 counts will be applied.
Focusing will be performed every 60 minutes.

Filter Parameters
Filter Offset Focus Exposure
Clear IRB 0 1.0
Red 0 2.0
Green 0 2.0
Blue 0 3.0
H-alpha 0 5.0
O III 0 5.0
S II 0 5.0
IR Pass 0 1.0
Clear No IRB 0 1.0

Meridian Flip Settings
Automatic meridian crossing enabled.
The mount will be momentarily slewed well past the meridian to insure a flip.
The mount will not be resynchronized after the meridian crossing.
The guide star will be automatically selected after meridian crossing.
A focus run will not occur after the meridian crossing.
The mount will track for 6 minutes past the meridian before flipping.
WARNING: the mount will be allowed to track up to 6 minutes past the meridian.
The rotator will rotate 180 degrees upon meridian crossing.


Session and Options
1. Startup Tasks
Session will start at 21:35 24 Jul.
Camera cooler will be turned on after a 0 min. delay at a set point of -15 degrees.

Light frames for the specified target(s) will be obtained.
Precision slew to target will be used.
Telescope will be parked while waiting for target start time.

2. After Light Frames
Telescope will be parked after light frames are completed.
Telescope tracking will be turned off after light frames are completed.
Any light frames or dark/bias frame exposures will be aborted at dawn approaches.

3. Shutdown tasks
Telescope will be re-parked after dawn flats are completed.
Tracking will be turned off after dawn flats are completed.
Cooler will be turned off.

20:56:05
20:56:05 Run starting...
20:56:05 Log saved to: C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\My Documents\CCDAutopilot_Images\CCDAutoPilot_Logs\ccdap20080804_205604.log
20:56:05 *** Review setup before starting session ***
20:56:05
20:56:05 Root save path: C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\My Documents\CCDAutopilot_Images\
20:56:05 System profile: C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\My Documents\CCDWare\CCDAutoPilot3\System Profiles\Best 27July2008 Initialize.app
20:56:05 Target List: C:\Documents and Settings\Chris\My Documents\CCDAutopilot_Images\Target Lists\June 2008 Targets.xml
20:56:05 Start sequence number: 4083
20:56:05
20:56:05 Cooler set to -15.0 degrees C
20:56:05 Cooler temperature: -15.2
20:56:05
20:56:05 Light Frames
20:56:05 Telescope connected (0)
20:56:07 P:TO2, : Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
20:56:07 Tracking on failed.
20:56:11 P:TO2, : Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))
20:56:11 Tracking on failed.
20:56:11 Telescope RA: 18 37 15.0, Dec: +38 47 34
20:56:11 Slewing scope...
20:56:19 Slewed to RA: 19 37 35.0, Dec: +38 48 48
20:56:19 Mount settling for 10 sec. after slew.
20:56:29 Parking telescope...
20:57:03 Telescope parked.
20:57:03 Waiting until 21:40 4 Aug to start imaging.

Hello Chris,

The access error you are seeing sounds like your Telescope/Server Settings in TheSky are not properly configured. See the help file or http://www.hiddenloft.com/ccdap3/help/hs80.htm step 4 for specifics. If everything is set up properly, be sure the Gemini driver supports turning tracking off by testing with the Tracking Off/On buttons referenced in the help file or http://www.hiddenloft.com/ccdap3/help/hs220.htm under the testing section.

John,

I had only one night to test, but it looks like fixing a few settings got everything to run without errors. Thanks.

Chris A.