Las Campanas Observatory Online Telescope
Troubleshooting Guide

LCRO is a complex an powerful tool, but like all complex systems, problems arise. This page attempts to address open problems and provide workarounds  to allow you to continue to gather data and images in spite of these difficulties.  Look at the list of links below. If one of these sounds like your problem, click on the link to tab quickly to the recommended remedial action.

If you encounter a problem that is not covered in the list below, please contact the system's administrator via email and he will endeavor to get back to you as quickly as possible.

Problem Description Links






Workarounds


Focusing Fails In ACP

Check your log file to see if FocusMax is running. Normally, booting the system starts the weather server, roof server and then starts ACP.  ACP , in turn, starts the APCC telescope driver and Maxim DL. Four minutes later FocusMax is started.  Starting Focus Max after MaximDL and APCC prevents an intermittent initialization fault in FocusMax.  

If FocusMax is not running, initialization  has failed. Remotely log into the Science PC and manually start FocusMax.  

If your log file shows that FocusMax cannot connect to the focuser click on Focuser Not Found for instructions.

Double check the weather montior and be sure that you have not tried to image through a passing cloud.


Focuser Not Found
Sometimes FocusMax failes to connect to the FLI focuser when it is initialized. The cause is likely that the USB id is not correctly stored in FocusMax.

To clear this fault, remotely log onto the Science PC.  Locate the Focus Max Main Window. It should looks similar to the example below



Click on the bottom "System" tab .

   

Click on the "Maxim DL" selector, then click on the "Connect" Button.

If it does not connect successfully, click on the ">" next to "Connect" and then click on "Setup".

The dialog above right will appear. Click on "ReScan" and then "OK".

Finally, click on "Connect" again and communications should be established.

Lastly, Click on the "Telescope" button on the top of the dialog and be sure the Focuser can also talk to the scope.


#Readoutmode Directive For Darks Ignored

It is a known and reported problem the the #readoutmode command in ACP Schedule files is ignored by #dark directives. All #dark directives default to 8 MHz readout mode. The only work arround is to remotely log onto the Science PC and use MaximDL directly to collect the necessary calibration frames.


ACP Starts With Telescope Tracking Enabled

A reported problem with ACP, when you initially start the ACP program, the scope is unparked and sidereal tracking is enabled. If left for a long period of time the mount will track until it hits a hard limit, or worse, the pier.

If you have just rebooted the system, or manually started the ACP program. The best thing to do is immediately park the scope. This will leave ACP in a safe configuration.

From then on, ACP stops the scope's tracking after every operation.


Recovering Scope Alignment

If ACP has been restarted several times without the scope being parked, the scope power has been interrupted, the scope synced on the wrong object, or other systems glitches have occured, the scope can lose its alignment.  

To recover alignment, remotel y long onto the system and start the APCC Encoder Utility.  You may see the following dialog:



Click on "OK" to dismiss the dialog. If it does not appear, it is not a problem.

Next the mail utility dialog will appear:



Click on the "Ignore" button.



Now, click on the "I Got Lost!" button. The mount will slew to the encoder home position.  

Once the slew is completed, you may close this dialog, logout and proceed to work with the scope.



MaximDL Cannot Connect To Cameras

If MaximDL is having trouble connecting to the cameras, first check that the  Power Controller has the camera power turned on.

If the power is on and MaximDL cannot connect, remotely log onto the system and close ACP, FocusMax and MaximDL.

Next  cycle the power on the cameras.  Then open MaximDL manually and attempt to connect to the cameras.

If MaximDL connects, restart ACP. Wait a minute until it finishes initializing and then restart FocusMax. You can the log out and commence work with ACP.

If MaximDL does not connect, use the Power control to:
1- Turn off camera power
2- Turn off Science PC Power
3- Turn on camera power
4- Turn on Sciecne PC Power

Allow a few minutes for the system to reboot and initialize. You should now have restored operation.
 
  

ACP Stops Responding

If ACP stops responding, check to see if you still have connectivity to the Science PC by connecting to the LCRO Home Page. If you can connect to the home page the Science PC is running and the network connection is good. Try closing and reopening the ACP page using the LCRO Home Page link.

If you still cannot raise ACP, it has probably crashed.  Remotely log onto the Science PC and close and restart ACP.

If you cannot connect to the LCRO Home Page, check to see if you can talk to the Power Controller.

If you can connect to the power controller, but not the Home Page, the network is up and running, but the Science PC has locked or crashed. In this case reboot the Science PC. Use the Power control to:
1- Turn off camera power
2- Turn off Science PC Power
3- Turn on camera power
4- Turn on Sciecne PC Power

If you cannot connect to the Power Controller, there is likely a network problem.  You can check your local connectivity and http://www.lco.cl to see where the fault is occurring.