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Digital Setting Circles

Overview

You can use your Digital Setting Circles (DSC) with Deep-Sky Planner to assist with Push To observing (Push To on report context menus) and to store object data in the DSC for remote use. These features do not require ASCOM. The Digital Setting Circles dialog box allows you to configure communications settings that are required by these features. DSCs supported include:

Argo Navis

Nexus DSC

Sky Commander

Argo Navis

You can connect to Argo Navis through a serial or wireless connection. Please see the Knowledgebase for connection diagrams.

Connect Using allows you to choose either Serial or TCP connection (typically WiFi) when communicating with Argo Navis. The connection method selected is used for the Push To operation (if enabled), and for Export Plan to Device. If Serial is selected, the COM Port and COM Rate are enabled since they are used for serial communication. If TCP is selected, IP Address/Host Name and TCP Port are enabled since they are used for TCP (wireless) communication.

Serial

COM Port allows you to select the serial port to which your Argo Navis is attached. You can enter a serial port name into this box or select one from the drop down list. If you are using a serial to USB adapter with your Argo Navis communication cable, be sure to select the correct COM port. You can find the COM port assigned to the serial to USB adapter in the Windows Device Manager.

COM Rate allows you to select one of the communication rates supported by Argo Navis. The communication rate for both serial ports on the Argo Navis is set at the factory to 38400 bits per second. The communication rate must match on Argo Navis and Deep-Sky Planner.

TCP (WiFi)

IP Address/Host Name allows you to select the IP address or Host to which Argo Navis is connected. The Argo Navis itself does not contain WiFi capability, but it can be attached to a WiFi to serial adapter (such as SkyFi) which provides a wireless connection to the Argo Navis. Please see the documentation for your WiFi to serial adapter for the correct setting.

TCP Port allows you to select the port number to which the Argo Navis is connected. Please see the documentation for your WiFi to serial adapter for the correct setting.

Enable Push To allows you to enable the Push To operation for objects in a Deep-Sky Planner report. The Push To function transmits an object position to Argo Navis for immediate use. This allows you to use the normal object locating capability of the Argo Navis on any object in a Deep-Sky Planner report. Only one DSC device may be enabled for Push To at a time. The active Push To device is indicated by [] on its tab.

Test communicates with Argo Navis, thus confirming that communication settings are correct. Test attempts to retrieve the User Catalog object count and free memory count from the Argo Navis. The results of this communication are displayed in the status box. Any communication error is displayed in a message box.

Important: The Argo Navis must be in 'LOAD CATALOG' mode in order to communicate with Deep-Sky Planner. You can do this by selecting on the Argo Navis:

1. SETUP (top level menu selection)

2. LOAD CAT (menu selection beneath SETUP). The display should show either LOAD CATALOG READY or LOAD CATALOG USER FINISHED. If you attempt to perform Test when Argo Navis is not in this state, communication fails.

Troubleshooting:

▪Be certain that the COM Port selection is correct. This can be confusing when using a serial to USB adapter. You can consult the Windows Device Manager to determine which COM port is assigned to a serial to USB adapter.

▪Be certain that the COM Rate matches the Baud rate set on the Argo Navis.

▪If the above criteria are met and you still have trouble communicating with the Argo Navis, power cycle the device and place it in 'LOAD CATALOG' mode as described above. This resets a hung command shell running in the Argo Navis.

Nexus DSC

You can connect to a Nexus DSC through a serial or wireless connection. Please see the Knowledgebase for connection diagrams.

Connect Using allows you to choose either Serial or TCP connection (typically WiFi) when communicating with Nexus DSC. The connection method selected is used for the Push To operation (if enabled). If Serial is selected, the COM Port and COM Rate are enabled since they are used for serial communication. If TCP is selected, IP Address/Host Name and TCP Port are enabled since they are used for TCP (wireless) communication.

Serial

COM Port allows you to select the serial port to which your Nexus DSC is attached. You can enter a serial port name into this box or select one from the drop down list. If you are using a serial to USB adapter with your Nexus DSC communication cable, be sure to select the correct COM port. You can find the COM port assigned to the serial to USB adapter in the Windows Device Manager.

COM Rate allows you to select one of the communication rates supported by Nexus DSC. The communication rate (BAUD) for the serial port on the Nexus DSC is set at the factory to 9600 bits per second. The communication rate must match on Nexus DSC and Deep-Sky Planner.

TCP (WiFi)

IP Address/Host Name allows you to select the IP address or Host name of the Nexus DSC. This set to 10.0.0.1 at the factory. Please see the documentation for the Nexus DSC for further information.

TCP Port allows you to select the TCP port number of the Nexus DSC. This is set to 4060 at the factory. Please see the documentation for the Nexus DSC for further information.

Enable Push To allows you to enable the Push To operation for objects in a Deep-Sky Planner report. The Push To function transmits an object position to Nexus DSC for immediate use. This allows you to use the normal object locating capability of the Nexus DSC on any object in a Deep-Sky Planner report. Only one DSC device may be enabled for Push To at a time. The active Push To device is indicated by [] on its tab.

Test communicates with Nexus DSC, thus confirming that communication settings are correct. Test attempts to retrieve the product name, firmware version and current coordinates (RA & Decination) from the Nexus DSC. The results of this communication are displayed in the status box. Any communication error is displayed in a message box.

Sky Commander

You can connect to a Sky Commander through a serial or wireless connection. Please see the Knowledgebase for connection diagrams.

Connect Using allows you to choose either Serial or TCP connection (typically WiFi) when communicating with Sky Commander. The connection method selected is used for the Push To operation (if enabled), and sending plans to the device. If Serial is selected, the COM Port and COM Rate are enabled since they are used for serial communication. If TCP is selected, IP Address/Host Name and TCP Port are enabled since they are used for TCP (wireless) communication.

Serial

COM Port allows you to select the serial port to which your Sky Commander is attached. You can enter a serial port name into this box or select one from the drop down list. If you are using a serial to USB adapter with your Sky Commander communication cable, be sure to select the correct COM port. You can find the COM port assigned to the serial to USB adapter in the Windows Device Manager.

COM Rate allows you to select one of the communication rates supported by Sky Commander. The communication rate for the serial port on the Sky Commander is set at the factory to 9600 bits per second. The communication rate must match on Sky Commander and Deep-Sky Planner.

TCP (WiFi)

IP Address/Host Name allows you to select the IP address or Host to which the Sky Commander is connected. The Sky Commander itself does not contain WiFi capability, but it can be attached to a WiFi to serial adapter (such as SkyFi) which provides a wireless connection to the Sky Commander. Please see the documentation for your WiFi to serial adapter for the correct setting.

TCP Port allows you to select the port number to which the Sky Commander is connected. Please see the documentation for your WiFi to serial adapter for the correct setting.

Enable Push To allows you to enable the Push To operation for objects in a Deep-Sky Planner report. The Push To function transmits an object position to Sky Commander for immediate use. This allows you to use the normal object locating capability of the Sky Commander on any object in a Deep-Sky Planner report. Only one DSC device may be enabled for Push To at a time. The active Push To device is indicated by [] on its tab.

Test communicates with Sky Commander, thus establishing that communication settings are correct. Test attempts to retrieve the Special Objects List from the Sky Commander. The results of this communication are displayed in the status box. Any communication error is displayed in a message box.

Important: Sky Commanders with firmware prior to version 5.03 SP02 must be in setup mode in order to perform the Test function described above or the Export Plan to Device function. The Push To function should work on all firmware versions of Sky Commander. You can place Sky Commander in setup mode by following these steps on the Sky Commander:

1. Power off then power on the device.

2. Following the version information screen, the display should show Set Date. Leave the Sky Commander in this state (setup mode) to perform communications when Sky Commander version is earlier than v 5.03 SP02.

Troubleshooting:

▪Be certain that the COM Port selection is correct. This can be confusing when using a serial to USB adapter. You can consult the Windows Device Manager to determine which COM port is assigned to a serial to USB adapter.

▪Be certain that the COM Rate matches the Baud rate set on the Sky Commander.

▪If the above criteria are met and you still have trouble communicating with the Sky Commander, power cycle the device and place it in setup mode as described above.

Argo Navis is available from Wildcard Innovations.
Nexus DSC is available from Astro Devices.
SkyFi is available from Simulation Curriculum.
Sky Commander is available from Sky Engineering.