Hello,

I haven't been very active for some time, but that changed beginning of this year (once clouds finally moved away).

Since my beginning with astrophotography I am having problems in aligning and especially polar alignment. To solve at least some of these I bought a Celestron StarSense Auto Align for Skywatcher recently. This little thing is fantastic in helping me to do a quick and solid alignment. It takes about 5 minutes and targets are spot-on. So far, so good.

StarSense requires to change the SynScan controller for my Skywatcher EQM-35 mount to their own controller. Fine and it does do what is expected when operating the mount directly. However, using EKOS - of course - requires to use a different mount. Instead of SynScan (or SynScan legacy) I tried the diverse Celestrons and found that the CGEM driver does function with EKOS to operate the mount using either KSTARS or SkySafari. Now, I wanted to start using my guide-scope (Opton 320mm) with the guide-camera (ZWO ASI1120). All devices connect successfully. However, when I start guiding, the software always starts calibration but ends with:

"Calibration failed : star drift too short" and "GUIDE RA/DEC: Scope cannot reach the start point after 21 iterations. Possible mount or backlash problems..."

When watching the INDI panel for errors I also found; Celestron CGEM : "[WARNING] PULSE STILL IN PROGRESS, POSSIBLE MOUNT JAM. "

My thoughts are that the controller (connected using usb to stellarmate) is not "allowing" the guide camera to send corrections using ST-4 connection.

I have not yet tried PHD as I assume this is a setup problem with my rig.

Does anyone have a clue what I am doing wrong? Did I choose the wrong mount-type or is this configuration not working properly with INDI-Library at all?

Ralf.

Edit: I tried several combinations in the guiding module, like binning 1:1, 2:2 or frame-size, etc. I even changed some parameters in the option, but no change to this behavior.

Hello Ralf,
You write you are using an ST4 cable. What are you using in the guiding tab under via: the camera or the mount, for ST4 you would need the camera...


Regards

Dirk

Hi Dirk,

thanks for your reply. Honestly, I don't know, never looked at that part. Need to check that and will come back to this thread.

Ralf.

I checked the settings and the guiding setup is via ZWO camera.

Dears,

I must apologize... When I looked today in the late afternoon, the default guiding was set to the ZWO camera. Now, once I started my session and connected all my stuff, the "via" setting was on the Celestron. I switched it to camera and within seconds eKOS reported that it started guiding.

Thanks for the hint. Seems to work now...

Ralf.

Hi all just to add to the guiding issue, i have not had much luck with the internal guider on my RPi4 over the last few nights ever since the last update (3.4.2). See attached logs.

When i use phd2, i have no issues. See attached log from phd2.

Initially i though the problem was with my mount, so i adjusted my mount to eliminate backlash. Polar alignment was within within 12" of the south celestial pole. The weather was fine (no wind), no cable snags, everything was balanced and mount clutches tight.

But the internal guider just did not want to cooperate. I also tested with my Asus tinker board which was last updated on 2/1/2020 and the internal guider works perfectly.

So something has changed in the internal guider.

regards

Any special settings for RA in PHD2? It appears that you might need more proportional gain for RA? Perhaps decrease minimal pulse to 50 instead of 100?

The internal guider graph looks like the RA pulses never reached the mount. Are you guiding via ST4 or mount? The log tells us Ekos sends correction pulses of >1s in RA (which is huge) yet no reaction in the guide graph at all. Clearly this is not what one would expect! [BTW, have guide graph and log file been taken at the same time? It would be helpful if we could see the correction pulses in the guide graph, too.] It's not a PA issue. Did the internal guider calibrate OK? Did you watch it calibrate?

Hi krno and Herrhausen, thanks for your fast responses.

I using eqmod pulse guiding method, not ST4. I have not used ST4 cable from guide camera to mount for a long time.

The graphs were taken one after the other. I first ran phd2 (using its default settings), guidered for a while until everything was stable. I then disconnected phd2 and reinstated the internal guider and did the same. I did not move the mount, it was still pointing at the same target and the time from disconnection of phd2 and re-connection to internal guiding was only 20 or seconds. I have now plotted the pulse below the error correction and Herrhausen is correct; the mount is not receiving the RA connection pulses for some reason. See attachment.

How can one use phd2 and internal guider logging at the same time? As you suggest this will be the best way to log what is going on?

regards

Out of curiosity, which guide star-detection algorithm are you using?

hi hy,

Im using the default ekos logarithm, Smart. I have also tried SEP as well with the same results. I have also tried the other 3 with no luck.

regards

Hi all so after the issues with RPi4 guiding (and wifi eqmod connection) I uninstalled everything and did a fresh install. I tested eqmod wifi and it now connects. I have not had a chance to test the guider due to weather, but i have a funny feeling it will now work.

Correct me if I'm wrong (I'm no Linux expert), but to update my Rpi4 (and tinker board), all i do:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Is this the correct way to keep my system up to date with the stable INDI releases?

regards