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INDI Library v2.0.6 is Released (02 Feb 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Guiding does not work

  • Posts: 94
  • Thank you received: 8
Hi,

I've got a QHY5 guide camera and an iEQ45 (not Pro) mount, running under the latest Ekos VM. I configure guiding to use this camera for the guide cam, and guiding "via" the same camera. The cable is connected from the camera to the guide port on the mount. This was the setup I used under Windows with PHD and it worked fine. In Ekos, it tries drifting in RA both directions but gives up after a while, saying, "GUIDE_RA: Scope cannot reach the start point after 30 iterations, possible mount or drive problems".

I tried driving the mount directly rather than through the QHY5, but this is very unstable and the software loses the guide start after only a couple iterations. It's one of the brightest in the field, I don't know why that would be.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Charles
Ubuntu 18.04 and Raspbian Jessie; INDI 1.7.4
Mounts: CEM-60 chiefly; iEQ45
Cameras: Atik 383L+, QHY5-II-M
Focuser: Moonlite
6 years 8 months ago #18140

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hi crw4096,

have the same guide camera, different mount. For me this worked:
- Increase Guide Tab -> Options -> Pulse to 4000
- Do not check Subframe for Calibration
- Choose a bright star

Otherwise follow these advices (from: www.indilib.org/about/ekos/guide-module.html):

Calibration can fail for a variety of reasons. To improve chances of success, try the following tips:
- Better Polar Alignment: This is critical to the success of any astrophotography session. Perform a quick polar alignment with a polar scope (if available) or by using Ekos Polar Alignment procedure in the Align module.
- Set binning to 2x2: Binning improves SNR and is often very important to the success of the calibration and guiding procedures.
- Prefer use ST4 cable between guide-camera and mount over using mount pulse commands.
- Select different filter (e.g. High contrast) and see if that makes a difference to bring down the noise.
- Smaller Square Size.
- Take dark frames to reduce noise.
- Play with DEC Proportional Gain or disable DEC control completely and see the difference.
- Leave algorithm to default value (Smart)

Ferrante
The following user(s) said Thank You: Jasem Mutlaq
6 years 8 months ago #18150

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic Guiding does not work

Also make sure the mount is tracking before you start guiding. To know whether your mount is tracking or not, go to mount tab or open mount control panel, and check if the mount's RA/DE values are static or they change. If they change with time, then your mount is NOT tracking.
6 years 8 months ago #18164

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Thanks guys, for your suggestions. Sorry I've not replied sooner but things got busy.

I've tried everything suggested. No luck.

I definitely prefer guiding through the QHY5 camera, and I have the cable connected from the guide cam to the mount. When I try calibration, the mount simply does not move, as is seen because the guide cam picture doesn't move at all.

I think the calibration pulse should be much smaller than 4000. I set it to 150 for this mount and the mount movement was much reduced between images, and it managed to track the star during calibration.

The problem now is when I select "guide", it only takes a few frames and gives up, saying "lost track of the guide star. Aborting guiding..." The last image invariably shows the mount is moving way too much for a guide correction. This happens over and over. I'm trying all the guiding algorithms, still no luck.

I've reduced the max and min pulse control to 100 and 50, respectively.

Anyone out there have good luck with an iEQ45? What are good settings?

By the way, forgot to say I'm using a Raspberry Pi at the mount and Ekos on my laptop.

Thanks for any tips. It's too good a night tonight to be wasted on guiding issues.

Charles
Ubuntu 18.04 and Raspbian Jessie; INDI 1.7.4
Mounts: CEM-60 chiefly; iEQ45
Cameras: Atik 383L+, QHY5-II-M
Focuser: Moonlite
6 years 7 months ago #18208

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I think it's working. Setting the calibration pulse to 4000 (milliseconds I assume) finally got enough motion to calibrate the algorithm. Now to try a 5 min exposure! Crossing fingers...
Ubuntu 18.04 and Raspbian Jessie; INDI 1.7.4
Mounts: CEM-60 chiefly; iEQ45
Cameras: Atik 383L+, QHY5-II-M
Focuser: Moonlite
6 years 7 months ago #18209

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  • Posts: 94
  • Thank you received: 8
Hi,

Things went relatively well when I could finally get calibration to work when guiding through the guide camera ST4 connection. Guiding through the mount directly always fails, but I prefer the ST4 connection anyway.

I am amazed at how little the stars move in the image during calibration. Is this due to my mount's guiding rate? I have it set to 0.2 right now (in the mount and the GUI). Should I increase it? I did use a calibration pulse setting of 4000. Do these two work together? I am assuming that 0.2x sidereal for 4000 mS determines the mount movement. Does the calibration use this guide rate?

I think calibration fails when drifting in DEC. I generally need DEC guiding as my polar alignment isn't perfect, at least until I can get the Ekos polar alignment to work (next project :-). I think it might fail due to the large DEC backlash in my mount. Are there any settings I can change to increase the time spent waiting for DEC to move?

I had a couple guide failures last night in the middle of a 2 hour imaging run. No idea why... The star is plenty bright, and in fact, I would try to avoid using such a fat star when using PHD in a Windows setup. Any suggestions here?

Overall, a good night, given it was first light for my new setup and new camera. Thanks again for all your suggestions.

Charles
Ubuntu 18.04 and Raspbian Jessie; INDI 1.7.4
Mounts: CEM-60 chiefly; iEQ45
Cameras: Atik 383L+, QHY5-II-M
Focuser: Moonlite
6 years 7 months ago #18222

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good to hear that things are going better.
As far as I understand, during calibration the guiding rate is not a concern.

I do encourage you to test the Polar Alignment tool in Ekos. In just a matter of minutes you can reach a nearly perfect alignment without even touching the polar scope!
6 years 7 months ago #18224

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Thanks for the info.

I did try the Polar Alignment once, but it didn't work how I expected. I have a rare clear night again so I'll try it out.

Charles
Ubuntu 18.04 and Raspbian Jessie; INDI 1.7.4
Mounts: CEM-60 chiefly; iEQ45
Cameras: Atik 383L+, QHY5-II-M
Focuser: Moonlite
6 years 7 months ago #18240

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