FocusMax fails on ACP Startup - runs fine later.

[Bob Denny]

All Scheduler does it send jobs to ACP, and all ACP does is call FocusMax. So I can't explain this.

[Dick Berg]

Nope. It was prescient.

[Stacey E. Mills]

Bob, that's what I thought now that this has been studied a bit more.
I'll work the problem with Steve Brady.
Thanks!

[Steve Brady]

Stacey--

1) The Log indicates that the none of your hardware was set to autoconnect - perhaps your hardware requires a delay in order for the device to come on-line when ACP initiates an autofocus run. There is setting in Preferences/Focuser and /Camera Windows to set connection delay.
The other option is to set FocusMax to auto-connect when FocusMax loads - click Camera menu then select auto-connect. Do the same for Telescope and focuser.

2) Your Log shows that you are now using fainter stars with AcquireStar.
17:54:11 ** Getting catalog stars between mag 8 & 9.5 **

The autofocus run was successful at 3x3 bin - note the final exposure time of 0.17 sec was used to verify the focus position. I would recommend changing the target star mag to 8.5 or 9 so that you have a little more head room for the final exposure time now that the telescope has come to focus.
17:57:07 ** Taking images at focus position **
17:57:07 ...Binning: 3
17:57:07 ...Exposure: 0.17


3) A few thoughts on telescope pointing with AcquireStar:
Your telescope is connected to ACP Hub and is therefore using the ACP pointing model.
16:44:08 Telescope
16:44:08 ...AutoConnect telescope: False
16:44:08 ...Driver: ACP Telescope Hub (ASCOM)
16:44:08 ...Connected: False

Here is the pre-slew telescope pointing after a successful plate solve:
17:54:11 Current coordinates (Topo):
17:54:12 ...RA 00:58:56.0 Dec +61:18:50.4
17:54:12 ...Alt 59.46 Az 29.93

Here are the stars selected:
17:54:13 ...GSC 4021-0049 Mag: 8.02 RA: 01:05:08.8 Dec: +63:49:13.9 (Topo) Alt: 57.42 Sep: 2.61 deg
17:54:13 ...GSC 3680-1799 Mag: 8.02 RA: 00:57:49.6 Dec: +59:11:01.9 (Topo) Alt: 60.76 Sep: 2.13 deg
17:54:13 ...GSC 3681-0192 Mag: 8.07 RA: 01:16:29.6 Dec: +59:52:57.0 (Topo) Alt: 58.36 Sep: 2.59 deg
17:54:13 Using 8.02 mag star at RA 01:05:08.8 Dec +63:49:13.9 (Topo) Alt: 57.42

Star 1 is only 2.61 degrees away.
Your post slew pointing error is off by 19.9 arc-minutes after plate solve - note that the target star is not even in the image FOV.
17:54:45 ...Star is not within image boundary
17:54:45 ...Max pointing error = 1 (arc-min)
17:54:45 ...Current pointing error = 19.9342 (arc-min)
17:54:45 Refining telescope position (1 of 3)

The re-slew brings the pointing error to 0.13 arc-min and the autofocus run is initiated.

As a test, you could try turning off the pointing model to see if the slew errors improve. If it does, then you could build a new pointing model.
Of course, it would not hurt to verify your polar alignment.

4) You mentioned on the DC3 forum that the filter wheel is not correctly listed in the Log. The filter wheel name is read from MaxIm when the user opens Preferences to setup the hardware for the first time.

With the camera and filter wheel powered but not connected to FocusMax, please open FocusMax Preferences/Setup and press the Connect button. If the filter wheel name has changed then you will find a new file FW1_XXXX.cfg (XXX = filter wheel name from MaxIm) which will contain default settings in C:\Users\XXX\Documents\FocusMax V5\Configurations\PlaneWave - QHY. You may open the old FW1_XXX.cfg file and copy and paste the settings into the new file. Please verify that your filter order has not changed between the old and new filter wheel.

Steve

[Bob Denny]

Thanks SO MUCH Steve. That 19 min pointing error is a flag.

[Steve Brady]

Happy to help!

--Steve