I don't feel like this could be a mechanical problem since I could have a problematic calibration one moment but if I just run it again it would be successful, I don't believe mechanical problems behave that way. In my experience that sounds more like a software or electrical issue. Now that Max mentioned it I noticed in the screenshot I posted that the calibration was indeed going in the opposite direction to when it was successful. When it worked correctly it would start going up to the right but in the failing instance it went down to the left. Could I be having the guide camera in some particularly bad angle where its just on a 90 or 180 degree rotation and wants to flip directions?
I'll see if I can try PHD2 but I'm not sure if it was connecting with my guide cam correctly and I just wanted to avoid it.

Regarding re-calibration I've found that the guiding won't be working quite right if I calibrate to the north and then perhaps slew to the south. I'll redo the calibration and the guiding is great. But I'm still playing around with this. I should mention I always go away somewhere to shoot, I don't have great conditions from my apartment.

 

Read More...