AMSKY01 – Software Usage on Linux

This section describes how to use the AMSKY01 sensor under Linux. It covers stable device naming, usage with the sensor_viewer.py tool, integration with the INDI driver, and making the sensor available over the network using ser2net. Each method includes guidance on when it is most appropriate to use.

1) Stable Device Naming

When the sensor is connected, it usually appears as /dev/ttyACM0, /dev/ttyACM1, etc. The assigned number may change between reboots or re-plugs, which can be inconvenient. There are two recommended approaches to create a stable name:

Option A – using `/dev/serial/by-id/`

The system automatically creates symlinks containing the manufacturer name and the device serial number. These symlinks are unique and stable.

Example:

ls -l /dev/serial/by-id/
usb-AstroMeters.eu_AMSKY01_DF6490926758602A-if00 -> ../../ttyACM0

This symlink can be used directly in your applications.

Option B – custom symlink using udev

If you prefer shorter names (e.g. /dev/ttyAMSKY1), you can create a udev rule based on Vendor ID and Product ID.

Identify values using lsusb:

lsusb
# Example: ID 1209:ae02 AstroMeters.eu AMSKY01

Create rule /etc/udev/rules.d/99-amsky01.rules:

SUBSYSTEM=="tty", ATTRS{idVendor}=="1209", ATTRS{idProduct}=="ae02", SYMLINK+="ttyAMSKY1"

Apply rule:

sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger
ls -l /dev/ttyAMSKY1

This approach is useful if you want a simple, consistent port name regardless of the specific device serial number.

2) Using `sensor_viewer.py`

sensor_viewer.py is intended for users who want to quickly view AMSKY01 data or log it to a CSV file. It supports both serial and TCP connections.

Show help:

python3 sensor_viewer.py --help

Typical use cases:

Quick sensor testing without additional software.
Data logging to a CSV file for later analysis.
Remote access to the sensor over TCP if ser2net is enabled (see chapter 4).

Detailed instructions and examples are provided on a dedicated documentation page for this tool.

3) Using INDI

The INDI driver is recommended if you want to integrate the AMSKY01 sensor with astronomy software (e.g. KStars/Ekos) or in larger systems where a unified interface for multiple devices is required.

3.1 Starting the INDI server

indiserver indi_amsky01

3.2 Connection options

In the AMSKY01 driver you can choose:

Serial connection – simple and direct for local use.
TCP connection – useful if the device is shared over the network via ser2net.

3.3 Command line configuration

indi_getprop | grep AMSKY01
indi_setprop "AMSKY01.CONNECTION.CONNECTION_MODE=Serial"
indi_setprop "AMSKY01.SERIAL.PORT=/dev/ttyAMSKY1"
indi_setprop "AMSKY01.CONNECTION.CONNECT=On"

Detailed installation instructions for INDI drivers are described on a separate documentation page.

4) Converting Serial Port to TCP Stream (ser2net)

In some cases, it is advantageous not to access the sensor directly via a serial port but to expose it as a TCP stream. This approach allows multiple clients to connect simultaneously, simplifies remote access over the network, and unifies configuration for applications.

4.1 When to use ser2net

Ser2net is useful in the following scenarios:

You want multiple applications (e.g. sensor_viewer.py and the INDI driver) to access AMSKY01 at the same time.
You need remote access to the sensor from another computer.
You want to simplify configuration for applications that prefer TCP connections over serial ports.

Using TCP increases flexibility and compatibility.

4.2 Installing ser2net

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ser2net

4.3 Configuration

Configuration file /etc/ser2net/ser2net.yaml:

connection: &amsky01
  accepter: tcp,0.0.0.0,2000
  enable: on
  options:
    banner: "AMSKY01 ready\n"
    kickolduser: true
    telnet-brk-on-sync: true
  connector: serialdev,/dev/ttyAMSKY1,9600n81,local

4.4 Restarting the service and testing

sudo systemctl restart ser2net
sudo systemctl status ser2net
ss -ltnp | grep :2000

Quick test with netcat:

nc localhost 2000

AMSKY01 - software usage on Linux