Hi Wes, 

I believe its the correct database for the ExploreStars app. I downloaded both the app and the archive from the explorescientificusa website and was careful to select both for windows 10. The app just says please wait instead of giving a database error so i don't think its the wrong database. 

Definitely connected to the correct Wifi network 'PMC-Eight-79"
The config manager shows "Current Wifi Network "PMC-Eight-79" in green but the 'current mount connection method' shows 'unknown in red' - screen shot atttached
. 

Once I click 'Do it' beside 'find current connection' the application freezes and I force it shut.. I tried leaving it for 30 min in case I was being impatient, but when i returned it was still frozen. 

I have also installed the software on my desktop PC to see if it was related to my tablet, but i end up with the exact same issues from my desktop PC as with my tablet. 
--
Mount: EXOS2-GT
Tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro
Camera: Canon sl2 dslr

--
Wes, Southport NC
PMC-8, ES ED 127, 10" LX200GPS, Astro-Tech 8" Newt, ETX-90
Polemaster, Orion ST-80 and SAG
Electrical Engineer, Retired

--
Wes, Southport NC
PMC-8, ES ED 127, 10" LX200GPS, Astro-Tech 8" Newt, ETX-90
Polemaster, Orion ST-80 and SAG
Electrical Engineer, Retired

Hi Guys,
when i make the 2 star allingment, i start it.
Mostly i also cant see the stars at one side.
So after the mount has moved i just go to catalog and us the option allingment tour.
There i can pick the star who i need for my allingment.
After i confirm that star i just pick an other in the catalog until the allingment is finish.
Greetings Wolfgang.

--
Wes, Southport NC
PMC-8, ES ED 127, 10" LX200GPS, Astro-Tech 8" Newt, ETX-90
Polemaster, Orion ST-80 and SAG
Electrical Engineer, Retired

--
Living in  Pattaya Thailand
Scope: Celestron 6SE,WO Z61,WO RedCat51, SVBONY SV48
CCD: SONY Alfa7Sii,SONY QX1, PENTAX KP,ASI 178MC,ASI 120MC-S
          SAMSUNG SCB2000N
MOUNT: Celestron AVX,Celestorn SE+Wedge,iEXOS-100,SW Star Adventure
FILTER: HA,Oiii,OPTLONG L-PRO,OPTLONG L-eNhance, Etc
SubLens: 2" Flattener, 2" 2XBarlow, 2" F/0.5 Reducer, SCT F/0.63 Reducer
ETC: GPS,StarSence,iPolar

--
Mount: EXOS2-GT
Tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro
Camera: Canon sl2 dslr

A good place to begin would be to download the PMC-8 configuration manager utility and install it on your surface pro; then run it, following the prompts, with the mount powered up and banging away on wifi.  That will let you connect to the mount with a different piece of software so you can confirm it is doable.  It may be Windows is fighting you.

http://02d3287.netsolhost.com/pmc-eight/PMC8ConfigurationManager103.zip

Good luck
--
Robert Scott Parks - Northwest Arkansas, USA

Mount: Explore Scientific EXOS II GT WITH PMC-8
Polar Finder: EXOS II integrated with illuminated reticle
Telescope: Explore Scientific 127mm f/7.5 FCD1 Air-Spaced Triplet ED APO Refractor
Finder: Telrad
Hardware: Samsung Galaxy Tab A 7", Dell Venue 10 Pro 32bit OS, Samsung Galaxy S20+
Steering Software: ExploreStars App, ASCOM/POTH + StellariumScope/Stellarium + Wifi Scope + SkySafari Pro

Matthew and Taro

I agree, having the option to directly input which stars you'd like to align with would make it easier in some cases!

As far as I know, the only way around this right now is to simply keep hitting "next" during your 2 or 3 star alignment, until an adequate star is selected. In the "Settings", ensure "Auto Align" is turned off. That way the mount will not automatically try and slew to the stars each time you hit "Next". Once you find a star that works, hit "Go To" and the mount will slew to the approximate location. Proceed with your alignment normally from there.

--
Living in  Pattaya Thailand
Scope: Celestron 6SE,WO Z61,WO RedCat51, SVBONY SV48
CCD: SONY Alfa7Sii,SONY QX1, PENTAX KP,ASI 178MC,ASI 120MC-S
          SAMSUNG SCB2000N
MOUNT: Celestron AVX,Celestorn SE+Wedge,iEXOS-100,SW Star Adventure
FILTER: HA,Oiii,OPTLONG L-PRO,OPTLONG L-eNhance, Etc
SubLens: 2" Flattener, 2" 2XBarlow, 2" F/0.5 Reducer, SCT F/0.63 Reducer
ETC: GPS,StarSence,iPolar

Hi all, 

I was hoping to get some assistance with some trouble I am having setting up my Exos2-gt mount. 

I am currently trying to use it via WiFi, connected to a Microsoft Surface tablet. On that tablet I have installed the ExploreStars app as a starting ground to get the scope up and running. Ultimately I would like to be able to get it working with ASCOM to use with applications like APT PHD and Stellariium and the sorts, but I am having some trouble even getting past the basics with the mount. 

Currently, when trying to use ExploreStars, I am simply receiving a message saying "please wait" - Which from what I have read, indicates that the application and its database is installed correctly, it just needs to connect to the mount. I have gone into the preferences and have GPS on, and chose exos2 as the mount. I have ensured that I have my tablet connected to the WiFi SSID for the PMC-8 unit before launching the app.   

On the PMC unit, my light configuration shows power to the WiFi module (2), WiFi connection light (4) is flashing green at a slow but steady rate, WiFi association flashes red fast then turns off completely once I connect to the mount over WiFi, And of course Main Processor Power (6) remains lit in red. At no point does WiFi Data Transmission (1) become lit - even when trying to connect from the ExploreStars app.

I then tried to see if I would have any luck with ASCOM, so I installed the ASCOM platform (including c++ packages), Installed the ASCOM drivers, but the moment I try to connect ASCOM to the mount when 'choose a telesope', ASCOM freezes up and I have to force it closed - but very briefly my Wifi Data Transmission light (1) flashes yellow, then turns off when the application freezes.

I then thought maybe it was due to some other software on my tablet, so I completely reinstalled Windows 10, completed all updates, reinstalled the ExploreStars app and database,  but still came to the same result - just saying 'please wait'.

I haven't been able to try with serial, because no computer I have purchased over the past near decade has had a RS-232 serial port on it in, so I am currently waiting for a USB to RS232 adapter from amazon - but my understanding is that this mount is designed to be used wirelessly especially with the ExploreStars app. 

I hope I included enough info, but am happy to provide more if someone can help me determine what i'm missing here. 

Thanks very much!

Travis


--
Mount: EXOS2-GT
Tablet: Microsoft Surface Pro
Camera: Canon sl2 dslr

Jerry, 

That did it! I had the mount track 9 min past the meridian and the flip went perfectly. Thanks again for your help.
--
Lloyd Simons
Mattawan, MI
Telescopes: Astrotech AT72ED II, Orion 8" Dobsonian, Tectron 15" Dobsonian, Celestron Super Polaris C8
Imaging Camera: Canon T3i
Guide Camera: QHY5L-IIM on a 60mm F4 Guidescope
Mounts: iExos-100 PMC-8, Vixen Super Polaris
Mount Control: KODLIX gn41 mini PC, Explorestars on a Lenovo Tab 2 A10-70F Android 6.0
Software: N.I.N.A. for imaging, PHD2 for guiding, Sharpcap for PA, Cartes du Ciel, PixInsight

Tried Thor's Helmet a few nights ago, but very low in the sky (around 30 deg). Not much luck, but posting what I got after much histogram massaging in Polarr :).
Also Shot M51 last night, which came out much better (around 50 deg):

Image set up: ASI294MCPro, Celestron C8 with 0.63 reducer
Guide set up: ASI385, AT80 with 0.8 reducer.
Captured with LiveStack in SharpCap and some post processing with Polarr
Thor's Helmet: 7 frames, 2100 secs
M51: 4 frames, 1200 secs


--

Bill
Location: Dallas, GA
Scopes: Celestron C8, AstroTech 80mm APO

Mounts: EXOS II PMC-Eight, LXD75

Cameras: ZWO ASI294MCPro, ASI385

Hello. Using Explore Stars, during a two or three star alignment, is there a way to choose the star(s) you’d like to align with? I don’t have a lot of sky to work with, and every time Explore Stars initially chooses alignment targets behind a tree. Thank you.

FYI - 

Here is a link to a Facebook video of Scott Roberts interviewing me about a presentation I did at the NEAIC 2019 Imaging Conference in Suffern, NY. I am talking about the work I was doing that is the subject of the June 2020 Astronomy Magazine Article.

https://www.facebook.com/ExploreScientificUSA/videos/295107104747903/

--
Jerry Hubbell
Vice President of Engineering
Explore Scientific, LLC.
jrh at explorescientific.com
www.explorescientificusa.com
1010 S. 48th Street
Springdale, AR 72762
1-866-252-3811

Author: Scientific Astrophotography: How Amateurs Can Generate and Use Professional Imaging Data
             Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers: Using High-Powered Telescopes From Home


Mark Slade Remote Observatory (MSRO) IAU MPC W54 Equipment
Wilderness, VA
Mounts: ES PMC-Eight G11 + Telescope Drive Master (TDM)
Scopes: ES 165 FPL-53 ED APO CF, ES 102 FCD100 ED APO CF
Cameras:  QHY174M-GPS + FW, QHY163C
Misc: 3-inch 0.7x Focal Reducer Field Flattener, Filters: Luminance,
Red, V-band Photometric, Diffuser, 200 lpmm Spectral Grating
Software: MaxIm DL 6, Cartes du Ciel, Astrometrica, AstroImageJ, AutoStakkert!

On Sun, May 3, 2020 at 01:16 PM, Myron Wheeler wrote:

Hi Jerry. I would like a copy of the PDF article. Thank you. M

Hi Myron,

Thanks!

If you don't mind, please send your request to my email jrh at explorescientific.com

Thanks!!
 
--
Jerry Hubbell
Vice President of Engineering
Explore Scientific, LLC.
jrh at explorescientific.com
www.explorescientificusa.com
1010 S. 48th Street
Springdale, AR 72762
1-866-252-3811

Author: Scientific Astrophotography: How Amateurs Can Generate and Use Professional Imaging Data
             Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers: Using High-Powered Telescopes From Home


Mark Slade Remote Observatory (MSRO) IAU MPC W54 Equipment
Wilderness, VA
Mounts: ES PMC-Eight G11 + Telescope Drive Master (TDM)
Scopes: ES 165 FPL-53 ED APO CF, ES 102 FCD100 ED APO CF
Cameras:  QHY174M-GPS + FW, QHY163C
Misc: 3-inch 0.7x Focal Reducer Field Flattener, Filters: Luminance,
Red, V-band Photometric, Diffuser, 200 lpmm Spectral Grating
Software: MaxIm DL 6, Cartes du Ciel, Astrometrica, AstroImageJ, AutoStakkert!

Hi Jerry. I would like a copy of the PDF article. Thank you. Myron Wheeler

On 5/3/20, Jerry Hubbell - Explore Scientific VP Engineering
<jrh@explorescientific.com> wrote:

I am pleased to announce that the article I wrote a year ago for Astronomy
Magazine about observing exoplanets has finally been published in the June
2020 issue now available. Please email me if you would like a pdf copy of
the article. Thanks Wes for sending out the image to me the other day, I
don't have a subscription as I prefer to buy magazines at the book store to
support our local business.

--
*Jerry Hubbell*
*Vice President of Engineering*
*Explore Scientific, LLC.*
jrh at explorescientific.com
www.explorescientificusa.com ( http://www.explorescientificusa.com )
1010 S. 48th Street
Springdale, AR 72762
1-866-252-3811

*Author: Scientific Astrophotography: How Amateurs Can Generate and Use
Professional Imaging Data (
https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Astrophotography-Professional-Practical-Astronomy/dp/1461451728/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540490739&sr=8-1&keywords=gerald+hubbell
)*
*Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers: Using High-Powered Telescopes
From Home (
https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Observatories-Amateur-Astronomers-High-Powered/dp/3319219057/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540490788&sr=8-2&keywords=gerald+hubbell
)*

Mark Slade Remote Observatory (MSRO) IAU MPC W54 Equipment
Wilderness, VA
Mounts : ES PMC-Eight G11 + Telescope Drive Master (TDM)
Scopes : ES 165 FPL-53 ED APO CF, ES 102 FCD100 ED APO CF
Cameras :  QHY174M-GPS + FW, QHY163C
Misc : 3-inch 0.7x Focal Reducer Field Flattener, Filters: Luminance,
Red, V-band Photometric, Diffuser, 200 lpmm Spectral Grating
Software : MaxIm DL 6, Cartes du Ciel, Astrometrica, AstroImageJ,
AutoStakkert!

I am pleased to announce that the article I wrote a year ago for Astronomy Magazine about observing exoplanets has finally been published in the June 2020 issue now available. Please email me if you would like a pdf copy of the article. Thanks Wes for sending out the image to me the other day, I don't have a subscription as I prefer to buy magazines at the book store to support our local business.


--
Jerry Hubbell
Vice President of Engineering
Explore Scientific, LLC.
jrh at explorescientific.com
www.explorescientificusa.com
1010 S. 48th Street
Springdale, AR 72762
1-866-252-3811

Author: Scientific Astrophotography: How Amateurs Can Generate and Use Professional Imaging Data
             Remote Observatories for Amateur Astronomers: Using High-Powered Telescopes From Home


Mark Slade Remote Observatory (MSRO) IAU MPC W54 Equipment
Wilderness, VA
Mounts: ES PMC-Eight G11 + Telescope Drive Master (TDM)
Scopes: ES 165 FPL-53 ED APO CF, ES 102 FCD100 ED APO CF
Cameras:  QHY174M-GPS + FW, QHY163C
Misc: 3-inch 0.7x Focal Reducer Field Flattener, Filters: Luminance,
Red, V-band Photometric, Diffuser, 200 lpmm Spectral Grating
Software: MaxIm DL 6, Cartes du Ciel, Astrometrica, AstroImageJ, AutoStakkert!

This is first light on my Red Cat. The iEXOS-100 performed like a champ.

Polar aligned with a compass and no star alignment.  Platesolve...slew to target. Done.
 



--
Mounts: Explore Scientific IEXOS-100 w Celestron CG5 tripod, iOptron CEM 40
Scopes: Explore Scientific FCD-100 ED-102CF, Various Canon lenses, ZWO mini-guidescope, StarField 60mm guide-scope and now the RedCat
Camera: ASI120MM Mini (mono), Altair GPCAM 130
Control PC: Intel NUC
Loc: 44 -79

Hello Kent,

If you or someone from from your customer service team could give me a call tomorrow to help with my mount issues, I would really appreciate it. Would like to get my mount working this weekend for some observing.

Thanks

Dale