EQMOD ASCOM DRIVER
The EQMOD ASCOM Driver uses the EQCONTRL.DLL to communicate to the stepper motor controller board.
With the EQMOD ASCOM driver, the user will be able to control the MODDED EQ mount using any ASCOM compliant planetarium software at 0.144 arcsecond resolution. The driver supports almost all the ASCOM method and properties which include;
- GOTO/SLEW at 0.144 resolution (depending on the accuracy of the planetarium database)
- SYNC (via ASCOM / Planetarium Software)
- PARK TO HOME/PARK TO CURRENT/UNPARK
- 1 STAR ALIGNMENT (2-STAR, N - STAR to follow)
- PULSEGUIDE (at variable speed rates and with 'duration' parameter support and duration overide)
Other Functions include;
- SIDEREAL, LUNAR, SOLAR TRACKING
- AUTOGUIDER PORT SPEED RATE SETTING (RA and DEC speeds can be set independently)
- VARIABLE SLEW SPEEDS which can be set from x1 to x800 of the sidereal rate
- NORTH and SOUTH Hemisphere support
- EQMOD SLEWPAD - Interface that allows a three button mouse as a SLEW HAND PADDLE.
Functions that will be supported (currently under development);
- GPS SUPPORT (using NMEA streams)
- PEC TRAINING (via hand control or PULSEGUIDE sequence) AND PLAYBACK (encoder position accurate)
- BACKLASH COMPENSATION (current not active since most of the EQ designs does not require backlash )
- USER PROGRAMMABLE TRACKING RATES (both on DEC and RA)
SCREENSHOTS
Driver Main Control Window:
Driver Setup Window (extended size)
EQMOD SLEWPAD WINDOW - Using any 3-button mouse, position the cursor on the slew region below and control your mount using the mouse buttons and wheel paddle.
* You only need the buttons of the mouse to slew the mount. This means you dont need to put the mouse on the table. Just treat the mouse as a handheld slew paddle. The mouse cursor has to be on top of the SlewPad Region for the driver to be able to capture the mouse events. Better if you can attach a second mouse and put a masking tape on the mouse optical window sensor (or remove the mouse tracking ball). This will prevent the handheld mouse from moving the cursor away from the slewpad. The second mouse will act as the handheld slew paddle for the mount. Cursor movement can still be done using the PC's primary mouse.
Left Button - Slew North / East
Right Button - Slew West/South
Middle Button - Switch Axis (N-S/ W-E)
Mouse Wheel - Adjust RA or DEC Slewrate (x1 to x800)
*Warning * The mouse buttons directly starts / stops the ra/dec motors. It will be possible for example (specially for wireless mouse) to miss a motor stop command (right after a start command) if the mouse gets disconnected or it looses radio connection from the wireless receiver. This will continuously rotate the mount until the "emergency stop" button is clicked on the driver window or power is removed from the mount. The driver does not have slew protections yet.
1-STAR ALIGNMENT TOOL
GPS SUPPORT (Currently under development)
ASCOM Setup Window:
ASCOM Telescope Chooser:
EQMOD ASCOM DRIVER loaded at STARRY NIGHT PRO
The driver communicates directly to the mount and reads the ra/dec encoder values. It then converts these values to RA/DEC/ALT/AZ values and is fed to the planetarium software. The planetarium software can issue slew/goto commands to the eqmod driver which in turn commands the mount to implement the slew.
EQMOD DRIVER Loaded at Cartes Du Ciel Version 3.0
after a goto slew command ...
INSTALLATION
* Make sure you have the latest ASCOM installation which can be found at http://ascom-standards.org/ The EQMOD driver will not work if ASCOM is not properly installed.
To install the ascom eqmod driver, just extract the zip files to a temporary directory and click 'register.bat'.
Register.bat will simply copy the eqmod.exe and eqcontrl.dll files to the ascom installation directory. It will also attempt to register the files for ascom recognition.
To re-install, just click on 'reregister.bat'
To uninstall, just click 'unregister.bat'
USAGE
Simply connect your EQ Modded mount to you PC's serial port (using either the modded paddle in extended mode or the eqdirect option).
Execute the planetarium software, then from the ASCOM Chooser, select the EQMOD driver. Click on 'Properties' button first to define serial COM PORT and Baudrate (default to 9600). Click the 'OK' button on the setup window then click the 'OK' button on the telescope chooser.
At this point the planetarium software will attempt to open the driver and at the same time driver will connect to the modded mount.
If there is a successful communication sequence to the mount, the driver will be loaded and displayed on screen. At this point you will be able to control the mount using the planetarium software.
*WARNING* the driver codes does not have horizon slew protections yet. Avoid choosing sky objects that are below the horizon or mount will attempt to position the scope at such unwanted configuration. You can modify the code if you want the protection in place.
FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS
The EQMOD ASCOM driver is supplied with the source code files. You can modify/add/delete functions to the code depending on your need. The driver also comes with a "EQContrl.DLL Mount Emulator" which will allow you to debug the EQMOD driver even without the physical mount.
To use the emulator:
Just load the 'EQMOD_SIM_ASCOM.vbp' project file and re-compile and create EQMOD.EXE. then re-install the driver by clicking on reregister.bat
Eqcontrl.dll Emulator Screen shot:
The program needs a mschart ocx control which may not be installed on your system. Emulator program will not work if this file is not installed. Please download the file (mschrt20.ocx) from the internet.
To test the driver with the actual mount;
Recompile EQMOD.EXE using the EQMOD_ASCOM.vbp project file then follow the installation steps described above.
EQMOD ASCOM BLOCK DIAGRAM
To aid the developers, below is a simple block diagram of the driver process/data flow;
USERS/DEVELOPERS DISCUSSION BOARD
A yahoo group mailing list board was established to discuss specific details on the driver. You may join the group at;
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/eqmod/
DOWNLOAD the DRIVER
This site has a very limited bandwidth allocation thus the drivers can be downloaded at the EQ6 Yahoo Groups Files Section under "EQMOD" folder. The driver files are also available at the EQMOD Yahoo Groups files section. Or simply send an email to the address below;
QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES
Email your questions at circuitmod@yahoo.com
DISCLAIMER:
You can use the information on this site COMPLETELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. The modification steps and other information on this site is provided to you "AS IS" and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express, statutory, implied or otherwise, including without limitation any warranty of merchantability or fitness for any particular or intended purpose. In no event the author will be liable for any direct, indirect, punitive, special, incidental or consequential damages or loss of any kind whether or not the author has been advised of the possibility of such loss.
WARNING:
Circuit modifications implemented on your setup could invalidate any warranty that you may have. Use this information at your own risk. The modifications involve direct access to the stepper motor controls of your mount. Any "mis-control" or "mis-command" / "invalid parameter" or "garbage" data sent to the mount could accidentally activate the stepper motors and allow it to rotate "freely" damaging any equipment connected to your mount. It is also possible that any garbage or invalid data sent to the mount could cause its firmware to generate mis-steps pulse sequences to the motors causing it to overheat. Make sure that you perform the modifications and testing while there is no physical "load" or dangling wires on your mount. Be sure to disconnect the power once this event happens or if you notice any unusual sound coming from the motor assembly.
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