AVX alignment

Warren:
Avx alignment; is there a procedure to save the mount alignment and be aligned and ready to image 24 hrs later? I am 2 star aligning and 3 star calibrating for each session. The resultant G-2 is good but the alignment is lost 24hrs later. Hibernation does not save the alignment for the next night’s session.  It seems that each imaging session requires a new alignment.
thanks Warren

Warren, I use an AVX mount connected to a mini PC & I use astrophotography tool to control the mount. When I do a “park mount” command through APT at the end of my night, the mount saves the previous alignment when I power the mount completely off & then totally unplug it. The next session CPWI always asks if I want to “unpark mount & use previously saved alignment.” So it can be done. I believe the key is to end the session by issuing a “park mount” command to the mount via CPWI or another ASCOM software controlling the mount. 

in my case I never have any intention of saving the alignment from one night to the next, this is just a byproduct of my procedure. I use plate solving to get to my targets, so saving a previous alignment is not necessary or something I want. I always wipe the previous alignment and start over.

@astrodawg, @John Leader wow, hopeful info.  I use APT for camera and mount meridian info, but park and hibernate with the AVX hand paddle. But I still have to realign before each session.  I’ll try parking with APT to see if the APT PARK WILL save my alignment. What about platesolving? Will platesolving eliminate the 2sa & 3sc alignment process with the abx handpaddle?
thanks warren

Warren:
@astrodawg, @John Leader wow, hopeful info.  I use APT for camera and mount meridian info, but park and hibernate with the AVX hand paddle. But I still have to realign before each session.  I’ll try parking with APT to see if the APT PARK WILL save my alignment. What about platesolving? Will platesolving eliminate the 2sa & 3sc alignment process with the abx handpaddle?
thanks warren

Yes, you can basically quit doing the 2, 3 star manual alignment with plate solving. 

here is my procedure: I connect the mount to the Celestron CPWI software first to open up the ASCOM drivers & activate the saved PEC training in the mount. I then start the procedure of doing a star alignment & have it slew to 1 star. I do this for one reason only, just to get the telescope pointed away from Polaris before I start plate solving. You don’t want to do your initial plate solve at Polaris. Too many lines too close & the mount (any mount) might go in a weird direction because it confuses it. 

so, I have CPWI go to my first “alignment star” then once it does the initial slew I tell CPWI that the star is “centered” even if it’s not because it doesn’t matter. I’m about to plate solve. I make zer attempt to center the first “alignment star.” From this point I am totally done with CPWI, though I leave it open in the background to keep the ASCOM drivers running on the mount. Now I go to APT & plate solve the position the telescope is point in, sync then from here I have APT center the mount on a bright star for focusing, do that & then plate solve again to my target. Done. 

no need to ever mess with the 2 or 3 star manual alignment again. The only exception is when I do planetary imaging. You can’t plate solve in that case, so the manual alignment is needed there. But for deep sky work, plate solving is going to center your target the best anyway.

Warren:
@astrodawg @John Leader @D. Jung   Awesome, I will check out APT platesolving.  The 2s & 3s align process  is a colossal pain and takes up so much time.  Last night it was also not accurate.  I got 200 subs of IC434 but the AVX missed it altogether.  So I got nothing and waisted a pristine sky.  I am looking forward to plate solving.  thanks Warren

I recommend using Nina.

Hi Warren 
 I use Nina and all you need to do is  a quick align (found if you scroll down  form the 2 star alignment). Also  I use the mounts real time clock and  then you don't  need to enter the date and time either. I still hibernate the mount as the plate solves  seem to be closer then if you shut off the mount and do a quick align every time.
                          John