Since I aquired an Losmandy G11 mount without any goto provision I decided to create my own solution. I was a bit reluctant to use a Gemini, mainly because of the cost, but also due to the reliability since the servo motors are somewhat prone to failure. I also like to have complete control over the software/firmware so that no "show stopper" issues will ever be a problem for me. Looking around the 'net I saw other goto systems that seemed capable, but either they had needlessly complex hardware or were commercial systems that cost about twice what they should.
OnStep is a computerized goto system, usually for stepper motor equipped mounts though any step/dir interface motor driver (including servo) should work. It was designed, from the beginning, as a more or less general purpose system and provisions were made in the firmware to allow for use on a variety of mounts including Equatorial and Alt/Az (GEM, Fork, Dobsonian, etc.) It uses an LX200 like computer command set with a few extensions to suit hand controller-less operation.
There's a telescope hand controller App for Android (free in the Google Play Store,) an option to control through a website (Smart Web Server,) and a dedicated physical hand controller (Smart Hand Controller.) Or, on a PC there's ASCOM and INDI drivers for control. These options allow you to setup and control OnStep using a wide range of software including my Sky Planetarium, Cartes du Ciel, Stellarium, SkySafari, KStars, PHD2, etc. You can see most of the control possibilities in the diagram below:
Also, please visit my StellarJourney.com site for updates, links to OnStep resources, my other astronomy software, or to see some Images taken with the assistance of my OnStep operated mounts.
If you find OnStep useful and would like to show your appreciation and support please consider making a small monetary donation. This keeps me motivated and helps cover expenses associated with my projects.
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On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 02:46 AM, Burton wrote:
I was wondering if SkySafari is able to use the backlash settings and the 4-star alignment that I did in the OnStep app?Sky Safari, and the Android OnStep app, don't use the backlash setting nor the n-star alignment internally. They are stored within OnStep, and OnStep uses them for its own purpose. In other words, those values are totally transparent for OnStep clients. Also, how do I tell if backlash is functioning or how to adjust it?In daylight, point the scope to something far away. Use the E button to center the object, then reverse the direction using the W button. See how responsive they are? Does the view 'jump', or 'lag'? If it does then you have too much compensation, or too little. Then set the values to zero. If you have backlash, you will certainly see lag when you reverse the direction.
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Re: How to align Alt Az mounts, an Issue on the Wiki regarding aligning Alt-Az mounts
Howard Dutton
Yes corrects for the alt/az mount not being level but for go-to only, not tracking. Next version OnStepX was designed so that the pointing model applies to tracking as well as go-to. That is still a ways off though.
On Mon, May 31, 2021, 3:50 PM Oscar Lithgow <oalithgow@...> wrote: Following this topic about Alt-Az alignment. I got a few quiestion regarding on how onstep makes the caclulations for alidnment on this mode,
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Re: OnStep replacement board for
#eq6
George Cushing
Great old motors. Vixen's stand by. But on the Great Polaris with an intermediary 1:! ratio and the 120:1 gearbox the pulses were visible. Think this mount has a 180:1 crown to worm ratio. So conversions use a tooth belt and pullies to get a lower ratio. The goto version of this mount used these Han Son NEMA 14 steppers available here.
Some links you may want to visit: belt drive mod
CN discussion of EQ6 options.
OnStep group EQ-6 and black HEQ-5.
On the whole you may want to look at the MiniPCB2. A lot easier to construct and it should fit in the mount. The Han Son motors are rated for 10Ncm (14.16oz.in) holding torque, but there are NEMA 17 motors with the same torque and 400 set resolution that are only 21mm deep. These will give you better resolution.
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Re: How to align Alt Az mounts, an Issue on the Wiki regarding aligning Alt-Az mounts
Oscar Lithgow
Following this topic about Alt-Az alignment. I got a few quiestion regarding on how onstep makes the caclulations for alidnment on this mode,
-How critical is the LEVELING of the mount for alt-az mode? -Does Onstep corrects any errors in the leveling of the mount by doing the 3+ star alignment? I havent been able to test the diference for (pointing and tracking accuarcy) betwen a well leveled mount and a poorly or unleveled mount, after doing an alignment of 3 or more stars. Has anyone tested this?
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Re: MaxSTM v3 through-hole construction tips
George Cushing
BTW, any one have a spare MaxSTM PCB available? Let me know, thanks.
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Re: MaxSTM v3 through-hole construction tips
George Cushing
Similar problem on the MaxESP3. I just add the pins and glue a de-pinned length of female header to the pins.
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Re: DS3231 ...... WeMos R32 with CNC V3 Shield
#maxesp3
Dave Schwartz
For the BME280, try the parameter WEATHER BME280_0x76. The value WEATHER BME280 uses the default address of 0x77 only... some of them have address 0x76.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 2021-05-31 2:08 p.m., Lojosmi wrote:
I also installed BME280 and I saw that it is the adafruit one.
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Re: DS3231 ...... WeMos R32 with CNC V3 Shield
#maxesp3
I also installed BME280 and I saw that it is the adafruit one.
Well, it was easy, hehehe.
already stores the time in DS3231
The BME280 gives me an error that I do not initialize well on the web page, I will have to check the welds or verify that it really works since I have bought it for many years.
a hug khalid.
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Re: DS3231 ...... WeMos R32 with CNC V3 Shield
#maxesp3
Thanks Khalid.
I go for it.
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Re: DS3231 ...... WeMos R32 with CNC V3 Shield
#maxesp3
On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 12:58 PM, Lojosmi wrote:
You need to install the Makuna RTC library from the Arduino IDE. From the Manage Libraries dialog, search for "rtc makuna" and you will find it.
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DS3231 ...... WeMos R32 with CNC V3 Shield
#maxesp3
Hello everybody.
I wanted to integrate the DS3231 clock module and I thought it would be simple, but I think not. jjjj
I am using esp 32 and everything works perfectly but when trying to compile it gives me an error. Is there a different way to compile it or I have to put a library in the project since it is what it seems to me.
Thank you so much   
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Re: WEMOS Module
Dave Schwartz
Its good to know that your home router's access point is using the 192.168.50 subnet. That makes the 192.168.50.55 that the SWS got from it on the guest network make total sense.
I'm pretty sure guest networks use addressing from the same subnet as the main access point (at least on my router there's no place to define a different subnet for guest networks). It just treats them differently - not allowing them to route to other stations on the subnet but only out to the internet. That's a security thing so that you can give a guest internet access and, even though they may not try to access your other home devices maliciously, their possibly infected device can try but won't succeed in compromising your home network.
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Re: Skywatcher EQ3-2 BluePill STM32 Goto moves way to much
#EQ3
On Sun, May 30, 2021 at 03:56 PM, Frank wrote:
I labeled the cables wrong.It's probably happened to all of us at one time or another--can make for a wild ride!
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Mike Ahner
hi Burton, I wrote some thoughts on this in your post about backlash adjustment.
Re: OnStep with Sky Safari (groups.io) -Mike
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Mike Ahner
On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 01:46 AM, Burton wrote:
The problem, which I don't know if it is fixable or how it works, but when I goto an object, it shows up somewhere in the 8x finderscope, but I always have to recenter it and then sync the scope.I didn't realize your telescope is the Zhumell Dob conversion. It looks good, good work. However, I wonder if you backlash issue is mainly with the Altitude axis? That's a very long belt reaching down to the base of the telescope and I would think you would always have backlash due to stretching, even with tensioner pulley. Is it possible to mount the stepper motor higher up, perhaps where the tensioner pulley resides? Then you'd have a very short belt and I think your backlash would be drastically reduced. You might have to mount the stepper outside the base because of tube clearance issues, but that be made to look nice. Another way I've seen the Altitude axis handled is to glue a belt around that axis, "inside-out", that is glue the flat back to the axis with the teeth outside. Then the stepper motor pulley is mounted very near the axis so that when the tube is placed in the cradle, the teeth of the reversed belt mesh with the teeth in the pulley. I don't know how the performance compares, but the advantage is ease of assembly/disassembly. Let us know how it goes, I'm curious about your findings. P.S. You can tell if backlash is working by how long it takes for the object to move in the eyepiece after pressing a direction button. What OnStep is doing is running the motor at highspeed for the value set in the backlash adjustment, the dropping back to guide rate. So if the star doesn't respond instantly, not enough time for backlash, if the star jumps, then you have too much time for backlash. -Mike
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Mike Ahner
On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 01:56 AM, Burton wrote:
Also, I would like to know if OnStep saves backlash settings after being powered off?Yes, it does.
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Mike Ahner
On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 01:46 AM, Burton wrote:
Also, how do I tell if backlash is functioning or how to adjust it?Hi Burton, Here is the Wiki for Backlash adjustment. It's possible to do the same thing in daylight by using a faraway object, e.g. transmitter tower or water tower, etc. -Mike
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Burton
Also, I would like to know if OnStep saves backlash settings after being powered off?
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Burton
Hi, so I have had a few nights under my belt with my finished goto dobsonian, which uses belt drives and planetary gearboxes. I have been using a 4-star alignment with a 200x magnification, and have done my best to follow the directions for tuning backlash. The problem, which I don't know if it is fixable or how it works, but when I goto an object, it shows up somewhere in the 8x finderscope, but I always have to recenter it and then sync the scope. This is when using the OnStep app or SkySafari.
I was wondering if SkySafari is able to use the backlash settings and the 4-star alignment that I did in the OnStep app? Also, how do I tell if backlash is functioning or how to adjust it? The best way I've found to get accurate results is to use SkySafari to goto a bright nearby star to my target and sync there and then goto the target. This seems to work in order to get the object in the view of the eyepiece even at 200x
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Re: FYSETC S6 V2 Correct Assembly?
Szasa66
Hi! Jumpers correct for LV8729 non SPI, but this settings for 128 microsteps. I hav seam setup, but I need set jumpers this way:  I use 32 microstep, one jumper need to remove. (MS2)
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