Having trouble getting lx200 connected

[Cedar Mora]

Hey folks, I'm new to the forum, trying to get an 8" Meade lx200 connected. I've got a usb to serial adapter, as well as a serial to 6 pin adapter. So hardware-wise it's covered. I got the drivers for the usb to serial adapter, and have successfully done a loopback test by shorting pins 2 and 3 while connected through putty to the proper com port, which allowed me to see my typing as output. So, as far as I know the adapter is working. I changed the telescope option to the lx200, and the com port matches that which is in the device manager. However, when I try to connect, I get the message: "Cannot Communicate with Telescope!". Any suggestions?

[John Eccles]

Cedar,

One of the things you have to check is to be sure that the TxD line out of the adapter is, indeed, going to the RxD line of the LX200 and the RxD line out of the adapter is, indeed, going to the TxD line of the LX200.

[Cedar Mora]

I did some troubleshooting with someone who is much better at this stuff than I am (like he does this kind of stuff professionally). He seems to think that there the scope may be broken. I'm going to try some other options. Thanks for the quick reply though.

[Cedar Mora]

Hey John, just wanted to update you. Didn't get it working with the lx200, but tried it on an ap1200 mount with 17" Planewave, 17 mm eyepiece at the cameron park rotary community observatory, and had great success tracking satellites. We saw Tiangong 1, Envisat, along with several others. Thanks for making this software, it really made for a special night.

[Jason Berkers]

how do u get this software running with an NEQ6 pro, virtual serial port, and eq ascom? i am having severe difficulties. actually first off, how do you even install this program? thank you

[John Eccles]

Jason,

First, this program is not ASCOM compatible. Second, I do not have the NEQ6 Pro mount so I cannot tell you how to get that working. The Satellite Tracker software is built for the Meade products and especially the LX-200 series to include the GPS version. Additions were made to the software by the previous owner of the software to support other mounts.

There is a file on the forum in the Archived Messages section that you can download and search for your mount which might give you direction on how to proceed.

To install the software rename the downloaded version named .e__ to .exe and then execute it. It is a self-extracting installation. Then read the readme files for additional information.

[Ernie Parker]

Jason,

If by "eq ascom" you mean EQMOD, then check out EQMODLX; that is the missing link.  It was made specifically for that purpose.