Astromi.ch MGPBox User manual

MGPBox Manual

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Version 1.1
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 4
Overview........................................................................................................................................ 5
System Requirements ................................................................................................................... 6
General Requirements............................................................................................................... 6
Windows Operating Systems ................................................................................................. 6
Other Operating Systems....................................................................................................... 6
ASCOM Connections................................................................................................................. 6
MGPBox usage ............................................................................................................................. 7
Windows Application ..................................................................................................................... 7
Firmware Versions ........................................................................................................................ 8
Standard Firmware .................................................................................................................... 8
10Micron specific Firmware ....................................................................................................... 8
Installation and Configuration ................................................................................................ 8
Differences in Windows Application ....................................................................................... 9
More Details ......................................................................................................................... 10
Hardware information .................................................................................................................. 12
Pressure Sensor ...................................................................................................................... 12
Temperature Sensor................................................................................................................ 12
Humidity Sensor....................................................................................................................... 12
Microprocessor ........................................................................................................................ 13
GPS Module............................................................................................................................. 13
RJ10 Interface.......................................................................................................................... 14
Application Interface.................................................................................................................... 15
Serial Port settings................................................................................................................... 15
Serial Port settings RJ10 ......................................................................................................... 15
Protocol.................................................................................................................................... 16
Setting, resetting, receiving Calibration data and other commands ........................................ 17
Setting pressure calibration.................................................................................................. 17
Setting temperature calibration ............................................................................................ 17
Setting humidity calibration .................................................................................................. 18
Resetting calibration values ................................................................................................. 18
Getting calibration values..................................................................................................... 18
Send GPS-Data to Mount (Standard Firmware only) .......................................................... 18
Send Meteo-Data to Mount (Standard Firmware only) ........................................................ 18

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Version 1.1
Update Mount refraction data (10Micron specific Firmware only) ....................................... 18
Update Mount time initially (10Micron specific Firmware only)............................................ 18
Update Mount time continuously (10Micron specific Firmware only) .................................. 19
Getting Mount Model (10Micron specific Firmware only)..................................................... 19
Getting Mount Firmware Version (10Micron specific Firmware only) .................................. 19
Rebooting the GPS-Module ................................................................................................. 19
Rebooting MGPBox ............................................................................................................. 19
Turning GPS Module On...................................................................................................... 19
Turning GPS Module Off...................................................................................................... 19
Activating the relay............................................................................................................... 19
Query Device type................................................................................................................ 20
Query status of timesync (10Micron specific Firmware only) .............................................. 20
Troubleshooting........................................................................................................................... 20

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Version 1.1
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing MGPBox (short for Meteo-, GPS- and Power Box) a small, self-
contained device that delivers positional information, barometric pressure, temperature,
humidity and dew point information with high accuracy.
Sophisticated telescope mounts usually allow the creation of models to minimize inaccuracies in
pointing and tracking that can result from mechanical tolerances, atmospheric refraction and
other factors. In order for this model to be of the highest quality, the mount computer or
controlling software can use the data that MGPBox provides and thus improve the accuracy in
their calculations.
Because of the small size of MGPBox, it can be used in both mobile astronomy as well as
stationary setups inside an observatory.
MGPBox is self-declared CE conform according to EN 301489-1 Class B and EN 61000-6-3
Class B
MGPBox is also ROHS compliant.

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Version 1.1
Overview
1 –RJ10 Port
2 –GPS Status LED
LED blinks in 1 second interval if no GPS Fix is acquired
LED remains off once a valid GPS Fix is achieved
3 –Mount Status LED
Only relevant for the 10Micron specific Firmware
Indicates if communication with the mount has been established. If the LED is on,
MGPBox and the mount are not communicating with each other.
4 –Micro USB Connector
5 –Socket for Power-Control Cable

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Version 1.1
System Requirements
MGPBox was tested on WindowsXP, Windows 7 and Windows 10 in a mix of 32-bit and 64-bit
versions. It is assumed that the Windows OS is updated to the latest patches and updates.
General Requirements
Windows Operating Systems
Windows 10
Windows 8 / 8.1
Windows 7
oNo further requirements, in case the FTDI Driver is missing or overwritten by
the Windows update process, please reinstall the one from the FTDI website
(http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm)
WindowsXP
oService Pack 3
o.Net Framework 4.0
oFTDI Driver (http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm)
Other Operating Systems
Although untested, MGPBox should work on Mac or Linux operating Systems. It may be
necessary to install the proper driver that is available from FTDI (see link above). For a
description of the command protocol please refer to Section Application Interface.
ASCOM Connections
For connections thru ASCOM the following needs to be installed:
ASCOM Platform 6.2 or later
Astromi.ch MGPBox Driver

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Version 1.1
MGPBox usage
MGPBox can either be used with or without a computer.
If you use the RJ10 interface of MGPBox, please check the pinout of your mount’s computer
before hookup. We take no responsibility for possible damages resulting from improper
configurations! Please see Chapter “RJ10 Interface”for details
Usage with computer
Connect MGPBox to your computer using the supplied USB-Cable and launch the
application. MGPBox will be recognized by Windows as a new Com-Port
It is recommended to do this at least once to in order to configure the behavior of the
RJ10 Port.
On older Windows Versions or other Operating Systems, it might be necessary to install
the proper FTDI Driver before the device becomes available.
Usage without computer
MGPBox can also be connected to your mount using the supplied RJ10 cable. The
RJ10-Port is configured similar to a serial port and MGPBox can draw power either thru
the USB-Port or from the RJ10-Port.
Using just the RJ10 Port makes MGPBox operate in stand-alone mode where it just
keeps sending data according to its configuration.
Note: For 10Micron Mounts, if the mount is powered off but the mount’s power source
remains on, MGPBox will continue to receive power from the mount.
Windows Application
Please consult the respective manual for a description of the windows application.

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Version 1.1
Firmware Versions
There are two versions of Firmware available for MGPBox which are described here.
Standard Firmware
The standard Firmware is pre-flashed onto the microprocessor. It sends both positional and
meteorological data to the computer and the RJ10 port, if configured.
10Micron specific Firmware
Operating a high-end telescope mount can have some pitfalls. There are quite a few things that
can go wrong and ruin the experience the mount is capable of providing.
Just to name a few:
Wrong refractive data / time during model creation
Update of critical parameters during tracking / exposure
Multiple sources that sync (different values) with the mount (e.g. time)
Etc.
In order to reduce this complexity, a 10Micron specific Firmware is available. The goal is to have
one device that is “plug and forget”and does all of the above automatically and therefore
reduce complexity for the user.
Installation and Configuration
Please download the Firmware from the astromi.ch website and install it using the MGPBox
application and the procedure described in chapter “Windows Application –Setup and Close
buttons”of this manual.
The application recognizes the firmware automatically after reconnection and automatically
enables additional features.
Configure the Mount’s GPS-Port to be a serial port. Details about this can be found in the
10Micron Manual.
Once these prerequisites are met and you have verified the pinout of your mount’s computer,
you can connect MGPBox to your mount using the supplied RJ10 cable.
Note: If you want to use MGPBox as the “one-and-only”data source, please ensure that no
other software or driver also synchronizes data as this could lead to unpredictable results.

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Version 1.1
Differences in Windows Application
Because this Firmware features additional functionality, the Windows application also needs to
be slightly different to take advantage of these features. The additional functionality described
below is enabled automatically when the software detects the 10Micron specific Firmware.
Main Window
Mount Model and Firmware Information
Once MGPBox and your Mount communicate with each other, information about the Mount
Model and the installed Firmware is displayed.

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Version 1.1
Setup Window
Initial time sync
Updates the mount’s time to the time received from the GPS Module. This will only happen
once when MGPBox and your mount establish communication. No further updates will happen
after that.
Update refraction
Sends updated temperature and pressure information to the mount.
Continuous timesync
This option will continuously update the mounts time, depending on the tracking state as further
explained below.
More Details
When MGPBox is plugged into the mount it will boot up and constantly query the mount for
various information. As soon as a valid reply is received for a specific command, the main
processes start.
Tracking state
MGPBox queries the mount for its tracking status at frequent intervals. Any updates to time or
refraction parameters will only happen if the status is anything but tracking.

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Version 1.1
Location
Once the GPS Module reports valid data, the mount’s latitude, longitude and elevation is
updated to reflect the GPS data. This happens one time after MGPBox establishes
communication with the mount and is irrespective of the tracking state.
Refraction and Time updates
The positional data from the GPS Module includes very accurate timestamps. To further
increase that accuracy, MGPBox also makes use of the 1PPS signal that the GPS-Module
provides. This time information, together with the UTC Offset and daylight savings defined via
the hand controller of the mount, the current local time is calculated and compared to the time
the mount reports.
The difference between “Mount-Time”and GPS-Time is computed every 5 seconds and the
difference stored in the RAM of MGPBox. Every two minutes, and only of the mount is not
tracking:
MGPBox calculates the average of all time errors collected. If it is more than one
second, the actual time is set directly. If the error is less than one second, the mount’s
time is nudged by the difference.
Refraction data is updated
If MGPBox misses an update to the mount (e.g. because the mount has been tracking for the
last 15 minutes), it will update the mount as soon as the tracking state is anything but tracking.
Note: If either of the two options is enabled, MGPBox will sync time / refraction once
irrespective of tracking state. After the initial sync, updates will only happen if the mount is not
tracking.
Note: For time synch to be available, the GPS Module needs to have a 3D-Fix (tracking four or
more satellites).
LED
The top LED is used to indicate the current state of the communication with the mount.
The following is a breakdown of the different states:
LED Constantly on
oNo communication with the mount
LED blinking once a second
oCommunication with Mount established, update of location, refraction
parameters and time ongoing (if configured)
LED off
oAll mount parameters are updated according to the configuration. Time sync, if
enabled, is considered complete when the GPS- and mount time do not have a
delta of more than 100ms.
oThe LED flashes every time an update to refraction and / or time is done.

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Version 1.1
Hardware information
MGPBox uses a Bosch Sensortec BME280 Sensor that delivers pressure, temperature and
Humidity with very high accuracy. The following is an excerpt from the specifications of the
sensor depicting its tolerances and operating limits:
Pressure Sensor
Parameter
Min
Typical
Max
Unit
Operating
temperature range
-40
25
+85
°C
Operating pressure
range
300
1100
hPa
Absolute accuracy
pressure
+- 1.0
hPa
Relative accuracy
pressure
+-0.12
hPa
Temperature Sensor
Parameter
Min
Typical
Max
Unit
Operating range
-40
25
+85
°C
Absolute accuracy
temperature
+- 1.0
°C
Humidity Sensor
Parameter
Min
Typical
Max
Unit
Operating
Temperature Range
-40
25
+85
+C
Absolute accuracy
tolerance
+- 3.0
%RH

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Version 1.1
Microprocessor
The “heart”of MGPBox is an Atmel ATmega2560V microprocessor that interfaces with the
Sensor over the I2C protocol. It features 256KB of flash memory, 4KB of EEPROM, 8Kbytes of
internal SRAM and 86 general-purpose I/O lines.
The ATmega2560 runs at 8Mhz using and external ceramic resonator.
GPS Module
MGPBox uses a GlobalTop PA6C GPS Module. The Module utilizes the MT3339 Chipset from
MediaTek. It features high sensitivity (-165dBm) and low power consumption. The patch
antenna is built in and the module can track up to 22 satellites.
The quick Time-to-First Fix of this module makes the use of a backup battery unnecessary,
which in turn removes the hassle of replacing batteries and at the same time not causing
additional pollution.

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Version 1.1
RJ10 Interface
The RJ10 Interface works almost like a typical RS-232 Interface with the exception that only V+,
GND, TX and RX are used.
The following picture illustrates the pinout:
Conversion from TTL to RS-232 is done by a Max3232ESE+ IC.
The supplied cable is a standard RJ10 cable and the pinout is as follows (colors may vary):
Important: Please consult your mount manual before connecting MGPBox to it.
We will not take responsibility for possible damages resulting from wrong connections!

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Version 1.1
Application Interface
This section provides information about how to interface with MGPBox from your own
application or script.
Serial Port settings
Use the following settings to connect to MGPBox and start receiving data:
Baud: 38400
Data-Bits: 8
Stop-Bits: 1
Parity: None
Serial Port settings RJ10
With the following settings you can receive data from the RJ10 Serial Port:
Baud: 9600
Data-Bits: 8
Stop-Bits: 1
Parity: None

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Version 1.1
Protocol
MGPBox uses, for compatibility reasons, the NMEA 0183 Protocol that is used by various
navigation devices.
MGPBox sends data from the sensor in the following format:
$PXDR,P,96276.0,P,0,C,31.8,C,1,H,40.8,P,2,C,16.8,C,3,0.8*39<cr><lf>
This breaks down into the following, more readable format:
$
Start of sentence
P
Proprietary sentence
XDR
Transducer type
P
Sensor type, pressure
96276.0
Sensor value
P
Sensor units, pascal
0
Sensor ID
C
Sensor type, temperature
31.8
Sensor value
C
Sensor units, °C
1
Sensor ID
H
Sensor type, humidity
40.8
Sensor value
P
Sensor units, percent
2
Sensor ID
C
Sensor type, temperature
16.8
Sensor value
C
Sensor units, °C
3
Sensor ID
0.8(M)
MGPBox firmware version (an “M”indicates
that the 10Micron specific Firmware is
running)
*39
Checksum

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Version 1.1
Additionally, MGPBox can also send information about calibration values stored in the
EEPROM.
Standard Firmware:
$PCAL,P,0,T,0,H,0,MM,1,MG,0*69<cr><lf>
10Micron specific Firmware:
$PCAL,P,0,T,0,H,0,UR,0,UT,0,CUT,0*16<cr><lf>
$
Start of sentence
P
Proprietary sentence
CAL
Calibration data
P
Sensor type, pressure
20
Calibration value multiplied by 10, e.g. 2.0
hPa
T
Sensor type, temperature
50
Calibration value multiplied by 10, e.g. 5.0 °C
H
Sensory type, humidity
-10
Calibration value multiplied by 10, e.g.
-1.0 %RH
MM / UR
MM: Send Meteo-Data to mount
UR: Update mount’s refraction data
1
Yes (0 = No)
MG / UT
MG: Send GPS-Data to mount
UT: Initially synchronize mount’s time
0
Disabled (1 = Enabled)
CUT
Continuously synchronize mount’s time
0
Disabled (1 = Enabled)
*69 / *16E
Checksum
Setting, resetting, receiving Calibration data and other commands
In order to set, reset or query calibration data from the MGPBox, similar formatted sentences
can be sent to the device:
Setting pressure calibration
:calp,50*
:calp
Set calibration value for pressure
50
Calibration value multiplied by 10, e.g. 5.0 °C
*
End of message indicator
Setting temperature calibration
:calt,22*
:calt
Set calibration value for temperature
22
Calibration value multiplied by 10, e.g. 2.2
hPa
*
End of message indicator

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Version 1.1
Setting humidity calibration
:calh,50*
:calh
Set calibration value for pressure
50
Calibration value multiplied by 10, e.g. 5.0°C
*
End of message indicator
Resetting calibration values
:calreset*
:calreset
Resets all calibration values
*
End of message indicator
Getting calibration values
:calget*
:calget
Resets all calibration values
*
End of message indicator
Send GPS-Data to Mount (Standard Firmware only)
:mg,1*
:mg
Set’s if GPS-Data should be sent to the
Mount
1
Enable sending (0 = disabled)
*
End of message indicator
Send Meteo-Data to Mount (Standard Firmware only)
:mm,1*
:mm
Set’s if Meteo-Data should be sent to the
Mount
1
Enable sending (0 = disabled)
*
End of message indicator
Update Mount refraction data (10Micron specific Firmware only)
:ur,1*
:ur
Set’s if the mount’s refraction data should be
updated periodically
1
Enable sending (0 = disabled)
*
End of message indicator
Update Mount time initially (10Micron specific Firmware only)
:ut,1*
:ut
Set’s if the mount’s time should be updated
initially
1
Enable sending (0 = disabled)
*
End of message indicator

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Version 1.1
Update Mount time continuously (10Micron specific Firmware only)
:cut,1*
:cut
Set’s if the mount’s time should be updated
continously
1
Enable sending (0 = disabled)
*
End of message indicator
Getting Mount Model (10Micron specific Firmware only)
:mmget*
:mmget
Returns the Mount Model if MGPBox has this
information
*
End of message indicator
Getting Mount Firmware Version (10Micron specific Firmware only)
:mfget*
:mfget
Returns the Mount’s Firmware if MGPBox
has this information
*
End of message indicator
Rebooting the GPS-Module
:rebootgps*
:rebootgps
Reboots the GPS-Module
*
End of message indicator
Rebooting MGPBox
:reboot*
:reboot
Reboots MGPBox
*
End of message indicator
Turning GPS Module On
:gpson*
:gpson
Enables Power to the GPS Module
*
End of message indicator
Turning GPS Module Off
:gpsoff*
:gpsoff
Removes Power to the GPS Module
*
End of message indicator
Activating the relay
:pulse,1500*
:pulse
Starts a pluse of the relay
1500
Pulse length, 1.5 seconds
*
End of message indicator

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Version 1.1
Query Device type
:devicetype*
:devicetype
Queries the Type of the Device connected
*
End of message indicator
Query status of timesync (10Micron specific Firmware only)
:tsget*
:tsget
Queries the status of the initial time sync
*
End of message indicator
Troubleshooting
If your MGPBox does not work as expected, please check the following:
Verify in Device Manager the FTDI Serial Port shows up. Install / reinstall the driver if
necessary (http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm)
If configuring ASCOM Connection and it appears that nothing happens when you click
the “Configure”button, look in your task bar for an additional window. Sometimes the
ASCOM Setup-Dialog ends up behind the other windows and is therefore not
apparently visible.
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