SYNSCAN, EQ5 Mount, PHD2 and ASCOM Help please.

[Greg Golden]

I am having a very frustrating time and would appreciate any assistance.

 

 I have a new EQ5 pro mount with a Synscan interfaced with ASCOM,  EQMOD using PHD2.  After alignment I switch to PC DIRECT and the mount is talking with the laptop through the Handbox port. I can move the mount using EQMOD and ASCOM interface, I can see the star through the interface in PHD2 when looping. 

 

Problems.  First, when I first see the star/stars to select for autoguiding after beginning to loop, they are already slowly drifting to the (west) across the screen (RA)?  BEFORE ANY TYPE OF CALIBRATION.  When I select the star to autoguide, the PHD begins its calibration, but will not it will not track or calibrate or cause the mount to stop to move the start back to the general beginning.

 

I got it to calibrate once and guide for about 3 minutes then it failed.  It seems to me that the star selected just continues to slowly moves west (RA) without the software trying to pulse it back.  The only error message I says my max RA correction is too low (but I've already got it set to the max of 2000.

 

Could my problem be as simple as the PEC or improper alignment with the beginning setup before trying the PHD2?   I use 3 star alignment and am successful.  When I have the mount slew to another star/object it is right on.  I can not see any appreciable movement of the selected star when looking through the eyepiece but I sure do in the guiding loops in PHD2.  It will not track.

 

Thank you for your thoughts and help.

Greg   

 

[Patrick Chevalley]

Hi,

> After alignment I switch to PC DIRECT

This is wrong and probably the reason for the other errors.
You must first switch to PC DIRECT, right after you power the mount and skip the alignment procedure on the handpad.
Then you must do the alignment with EQMOD, without touching any key in the handpad, this is why you need some gamepad to move the mount during alignment.
See the very useful introductory video on the eqmod web page.

Patrick

[Greg Golden]

Patrick,

Thank you for the info.  I will watch the video.  May I use the pad on the EQMOD screen to align?  It may be awkward, but am willing to try it.

Greg 

[Greg Golden]

Ok, Let me ask another question.  Should I be working this with a planetarium software plug in like Stellarium or Cartes du ciel?  

Greg

[Patrick Chevalley]

Yes you can use the eqmod virtual pad but this is very inconvenient except if you align using a video camera.
You can also use the keyboard, this is better to use at the eyepiece if you not have too much cable on your laptop.

You use the planetarium software to select a star and slew to this star, then center the star in the eyepiece and sync from the planetarium.
 But before that you need to configure all the software with the same ground coordinates and timezone and set the mount home position.
Also look at the video to understand the difference between the two alignment mode.

Patrick

[Greg Golden]

Patrick,

Thank you and thanks to Paul Walsh,  you both have provided me with the missing links.  I downloaded a planetarium software and linked through pc direct first then launched the planetarium software.  Everything interfaced and will slew to proper areas for alignment using the planetarium software.  Tonight I will use the sync and guider to validate preliminary tests.  In looking back to my learning curve, I have been using envisage from Meade successfully until my mount failed.  With envisage you align normally then connect scope and go without using any planetarium software. I apparently could not get my mind around those first steps.  

Again,

Thank you I am a lot closer than I have been for the last week.

Greg