Ad Astra Observatory

Jimbo,

Yes, there is an ASCOM driver for my interface. I’ve never actually

written code to access it, so I don’t know the other side of the
interface very well, but I think the ASCOM web site has some sample
code. Basically, I think you call an API function whenever you want
the celestial position at which the telescope is pointing. So it’s up
to your software to decide the polling interval and to do the polling.
You’ll also need to call API functions to access the alignment
process, etc. The ASCOM documentation is reasonably good, and like I

said, I think there’s some sample code, so that’s probably your best
source of information.

Dave

On 9/18/07, Jimbo S. Harris <jimbo@jimbo.net> wrote:
> Hi Dave,

>
> The TTL232 is on the way. Should be here in a couple of days, and then,
> plus or minus some soldering, I should have something to test.
>
> I’ll let you know how it turns out.
>
> By the way, I’m writing my own front-end software on the PC side — as I’m

> going to be using the DSCs to help me find targets for astrophotography, I
> decided that I needed something that was a meld of your “big red numbers”
> app and a nifty tool I saw online called “Whats Up” (as opposed to the more
> “star chart” oriented packages). I rewrote from scratch, and have the

> target filtering part done, and I’m about to move on to coding the
> encoder-reading part of the program.
>
> Did I understand correctly that your DSC circuit has an ASCOM driver?
>
> Do you have any hints for a seasoned-developer-but-novice-ASCOM-developer
> to hook up to this driver? ie, what ASCOM APIs should I keep an eye out

> for, in order to grab the pulses coming off of the encoders, etc.?
>
> Thanks for your quick and helpful response. You have no idea how quiet it
> can be at this end of the “phone line” sometimes. (:
>
> Regards,

> Jimbo
>
> At 10:46 AM 9/18/2007 -0600, you wrote:
>
> >Jimbo,
> >
> >It looks like that would work. You’d simply bypass the MAX232 chip and

> >provide straight connections to the PIC chip. The circuit will draw
> >50-75 mA once the encoders are connected, so if the cable can source
> >that current at 5V, you should be able to eliminate the battery and
> >voltage regulator.
> >
> >For what it’s worth, the DB-9 connectors are readily available from

> >www.jameco.com.
> >
> >Let me know if you try this, and how it turns out.
> >
> >Dave
> >
> >On 9/18/07, Jimbo S. Harris <jimbo@jimbo.net> wrote:

> > > Hi Dave,
> > >
> > > First, let me thank you for making your project available to the world; I
> > > appreciate it.

> > > I’ve picked up a copy of the PCB from FarCircuits, and I ran across the
> > TTL232R.
> > >
> > > I’m wondering, do you think that I can just leave out

> > > the 7805 and MAX232, and hook up the 6 outputs of the TTL232 (Tx/Rx,
> > > RTS#/CTS#, +5V/Gnd) in their place?
> > >
> > > Clear skies,

> > > Jimbo S. Harris
> > > Newark, CA
>
>