malc-c

On a similar note... we've already started to damage the ecology on Mars.... there was a news report on the BBC website that NASA has manged to produce oxygen from the carbon dioxide in the Martian atmosphere... the by-product is vented into the Martian atmosphere... the by-product is carbon monoxide !!! -- If the future colonies on Mars is to be self sustaining then plans for larger conversion plants will have a very big impact on the atmosphere of Mars

What mount are you connecting too? Are you running windows, linux or a iOS and on what machine? Have you installed any driver (windows based machines) for the USB/Serrial device ? Without the details we can't help

I wasn't suggesting it was a bad thing... Just that having put all this effort in to try and help the OP, it's annoying that once again he doesn't have the common courtesy to update me / us on his findings by updating this thread.

Well that's not fair.... we put in all the effort and he posts elsewhere. And if he's ignored suggestions laid out in as basic a fashion as possible then this will indeed be my last post in this thread and he can try and work things out for himself as there is no more to be said

"No response both axis" means that the handset can't talk to the microcontrollers on the motor controller. This often happens if an incorrectly wired "EQDIRECT" cable is used and 12v get shoved up the TX/RX lines !! - But if its been working before then it could simply be the contacts on the RJ connector not making contact with the one on the HEQ5. Do you get the message every time the handset is plugged in ? I would suggest you take look at the socket on the HEQ5 to see if any of the pins have been pushed up. You may be able to carefully pull he small wires down a little so that a better contact is made when the connector is plugged in. If you are getting the same message over and over again, and EQMOD or GS Server now reports com port errors and the mount is in warranty then it may be worth contacting the retailer and see if they are agreeable to taking the mount (or just the boards) back for replacement under warranty. If the message is reported every time you plug it into the mount and mount is second-hand or out of warranty then all is not lost. I've reprogrammed a few PIC microcontrollers and repaired a few motor board for other members. If the mount is out of warranty and you want me to take a look drop me a PM and we can sort out a repair.

As the scope is still inside the warranty period then contact the retailer and have it repaired under the guarantee. However, if the board was blown due to use outside of the normal approved method (ie some home made interface cable to connect the mount to a PC ) then they may state that the warranty is in valid. - Synta boards seldom have damage PICs which result in these error codes or messages under normal use. Normally is when the wrong cable or device has been connected instead of teh handset and 12v have been shoved up the serial port which then means the handset can't communicate with the board... I've fixed five Skywather DOBs as a result !! Good luck and hope he gets the scope fixed

Whoops... so I did !! - Edited

May not be relevant, but I googled the subject and found a post on Cloudynights that appears to have the same issue with lack of images, it may help link here

And there is a way to test the guiding at any time using this emulator

Steve, nice of you to confirm my suspicions... Whilst I had suspicions I was correct, there was always that element of doubt after I clicked "post" @wael Having spend another hour or so searching the net for anything that might steer you in the right direction I came up with a few suggestions. Check the firmware version of your mount, and possibly update the firmware for the EQ35 From Synta's website Delete all profiles in EQMOD (All user settings for EQMOD applications are stored using text files with a .ini extension. The are stored in the "application data" directory - each user has their own application data so different users can have different settings. To find the application data location type %appdata%\eqmod into the explorer address bar (makes sure you can see hidden files)). Uninstall EQMOD and download the latest version - U - seems you are running an older version. Install the latest version of EQMOD Run the TOOLBOX application - From windows start button > all programs > EQMOD > EQASCOM > Toolbox Click DRIVER SETUP In mount options leave that set to Auto Detect - Don't use the Custom setting as before Enter the correct latitude, longitude and elevation for your location Ensure ASCOPM PulseGuiding is selected under the guiding section and set the RA and DEC Rate to x0.90 Click OK to close the config window On the mount make sure the RA setting circle knob is not binding. If you mis-tighten it, the RA axis won't slew correctly because the drive will slip--it can’t overcome the friction and the gears may even clash Click on ASCOM connect button to launch EQMOD. By default it is expecting the mount to be parked in the default HOME position. Release the clutches on the mount and place the mount in the default home position, with the counterweight bar parallel and in line with the North pointing tripod leg (if the counterweight bar looks to be out of line remove it and screw it back in and make sure its not cross threaded Lock the clutches on the mount Set the slew rate (drop down list to the right of the NSWE buttons) from 1 to 4 and unpark the mount Use the NSEW buttons on EQMOD to move the mount to a position pointing well away from the home position Click the "park to home" button Hopefully the mount will slew back to the same position with the counterweigh bar back in line with the tripod leg. If it doesn't then it may be worth posting on the user group https://groups.io/g/EQMOD If the mount returns to the default home position then when you have a chance check the tracking To check the tracking, on a clear night set the scope up and polar align as detailed in my post that I uploaded on Monday evening Once you are happy with the polar alignment, select a target that is close to the elliptic and about 30 degrees up and use the NSEW buttons on EQMOD to move the mount to any star near that area. Enable tracking by clicking on the sidereal tracking button Take a single unguided exposure that is long enough to capture some stars. Let the scope run for a couple of hours, in this time you should notice it has moved if its tracking. Take another unguided exposure of the same target. Park the scope to the home position. Check the two images in PixInsight, they should line up and stack without any rotation or overlap as mentioned above. If it does than this confirms the mount is tracking in RA at the right rate Open up CDC and connect to the mount - ensuring that the location information in CDC is the same as EQMOD Open up PHD2 and ensure logging is enabled Select a target in CDC and instruct the mount to slew to target - take a single exposure to confirm its on target Open up PHD2 and create a new profile. Run through the wizard to enter the focal length and camera pixel size etc and then let PHD2 calibrate. Hopefully it will calibrate well enough to do a guided run Now we are going to want screen shots of your Polar alignment results in sharpcap, the results of the two stacked tracking test images, and your PHD2 log files. If you find something strange happens at any point of that list, take photos and screen captures (click on the item you want to capture and then hold down the right CTRL key and hit the C key to copy, then open paint and paste the copied item) Now as I've spent upwards of two hours researching this and formulating the post I hope you won't let me down and will provide feedback for us. If the feedback is not forthcoming or obscure then this will indeed be the last contribution to this thread, and possibly it won't be just me who jumps ship !

I wasn't going to add any more to this thread.... but something was niggling at me..... In the image of the star clusters that was posted on Tuesday it would appear that the two images used in the stack shown have shifted. It looks like a fair amount of the underlaying image is missing from the left and bottom of image above, and with a slight rotation (field rotation??). But the stars appear quite round. This to me suggest that PHD2 was guiding whilst the subs were being taken, but the mount is not tracking, or its tracking as if it's an ALT / AZ mount and not an EQ Mount. When an EQ mount is set up right and tracking the framing of the image should not change, at least not as much. You should find that taking 10x, 20x, 30x, or more images that when stacked they all line up at the edges and have the targets in the same place. Personally I don't think we're looking at a PHD2 issue here, there is more going on with how the mount us being used / set up or controlled.

If you can give us some idea of what you are after it might help. Don't want to sound patronizing as some points you may already know so I could be telling you how to suck eggs ! Basically, most people use EQMOD and an EQDIR cable between the PC and mount. Install the ASCOM platform on the PC Install EQMOD on the PC Install a planetarium applications such as Cartes du Ciel on the PC Install PHD2 on the PC Install your Imaging software of your choice on the PC Power up the mount and set up EQMOD - If you have a GPS dongle your location can be easily added Launch the planetarium software and enter the same location details (some can import from EQMOD) Launch PHD2 and create a profile based on the camera and guidescope details Select a target via the planetarium software and slew the scope to target Run the calibration process in PHD2. If successful the guiding will commence. Let guiding stabilise for a few minutes Start imaging ! On subsequent imaging session you can omit the first five steps Hope that helps without it being patronising... not my intention

A physical connection issue could be the cause, it only needs the TX or RX wire to be intermittent and the movement of the mount can cause the drop out, but it's not normally an issue, at least not at the mount end. Did you try the suggestions I offered above ? One other possible cause is the USB cable to the hub- if its long, 5m or over then it could be that the voltage is dropping out. An Active cable is recommended for 5m or more to ensure decent voltage levels over the distance. It could also be the ports on your laptop. If you have the ability to try a different PC / Laptop it might help rule that out. Another thing to try is GS Server in place of EQMOD. https://sites.google.com/view/greenswamp/ If (and I doubt this very much) it turns out to be the motor board on the HEQ5 that develops a fault then don't panic, I've reprogrammed upwards of a dozen PICs and repaired half a dozen boards for forum members. - But I don't think this is the problem as normally the chips are 100% non responsive rather than intermittent (mainly as people inadvertently shove 12v up the communications port !!)

File off the block off the finder mount, then drill and tap a hole into the base of the finder mount. Place the mount at 90 degrees to the dovetail bar, feed a bolt through the hole in the end and bolt down the mount. If you don't have the toold I'm sure a local small machine shop would do that for a drink 😉

To eliminate the hardware, connect the mount directly to the PC via the EQDIR cable (ie no hub). Launch the EQASCOM Toolbox and connect to the mount. Un-park the mount and let it track for an hour or so. If it doesn't disconnect and come up with an error then repeat this with the hub between the PC and EQDIR cable. If that too runs for over an hour (I'm guessing the disconnection you are reporting happens after some minutes ?) then again, this would suggest the issue is software related. To highlight NINA as the issue, disconnect the connection via toolbox and close the toolbox application. Launch an alternative planetarium application such as CuC, and connect to the mount through that... again if this remains connected then the issue would point to NINA rather than ASCOM platform, or EQMOD. If you google "NINA keeps dropping connection" there are lots of posts (mainly on cloudy nights) where people had this and not just with SW scopes - NINA has the ability to log data, and that may be an indication of what went / is going wrong. It may not be an issue with NINA, but it could be a problem with compatibility with the ASCOM platform and NINA, and or the OS drivers. Which version of ASCOM and EQMOD are you running?

I'm sure a lot of members will find that useful

I'm sure there is another thread where people are having issues when using NINA and EQMOD. - Can't find it at the moment If other applications interface with EQMOD without issue then it would seem to be a problem with NINA rather than EQMOD... Edit - I stand corrected, it was between NINA and PHD2 !!

Apples and oranges... You can't compare. As mentioned both came form the same factory, but each have a different build criteria. A few years back there were lots of posts form people considering the Skywatcher EQ5 against the CG5 from Celestron as both were around the same pricing point and payload capability, but what put a lot of people off was the sound the CG5 made. It was nicknamed the coffee grinder. This was because it used servo motors rather than stepper motors to drive the mount. It was really loud, especially in the dead of night. Build quality there was nothing in it... you wouldn't expect otherwise form the same company. Performance, again both were on par, but the CG5 had larger diameter tripod legs and could handle a slightly heavier payload than the EQ5. Back then the EQ5 scored over the CG5 as EQMOD made it possible to control from a PC, as Celestron use a different protocol which isn't supported.

In a nutshell its an alternative to using the handset to control the mount via a computer. It offers an interface between the planetarium application, guiding software, and firmware in the mounts motor controller. It's both simple enough to run with the same simplicity set up of the handset, or be as customisable as you want. Modern SW telescopes with USB do have SW "ascom" drivers, but these are really just the chipset driver for the USB/Serial convertor built into the newer versions of motor control boards, effectively performing the same function of an EQDIRECT cable used between the PC and older mounts that don't have USB ports. These are really just Prolific PH2303 chipset drivers, which strangely Microsoft dropped support for back in 2012, which is why so many people have problems trying to connect the new mounts under windows 10. EQMOD is not required for use with a SW telescope. But if you are looking at computer control of the mount its has been the application of choice for may people over the years as nothing else existed. There is one other application that I'm aware of and that is GSS, which can be used in the same way.

I would have thought my last post was self explanatory, but let me put it another way. I spent upwards of an hour of my time formulating the last post, listing things in as simple way as I could for a beginner, finding and embedding an old video for you to follow. Most of the steps were such that we could rule out possible reasons for your poor guiding issue, so forum members, possibly more experienced then me could focus on anything that your reported back. I even advised you how to take screen captures rather than trying to work things out from rotated photos of the screens which didn't show the full window. So we all waited here with baited breath to get your response. To possibly see screen captures of the polar alignment in Sharpcap, or to look at the resultling guide log so we can see for ourselves the values and results PHD2 provided.... But No You then posted up a new issue in the same thread. So I (and others that are following the thread) have no idea if you are still having issues with guiding, or if it was resolved and you managed to get a decent result, what the cause was or at which stage of my lengthy list you found the problem. Michael is right, you need to think of other members of the forum. Not just those who have contributed to this thread and posted assistance and suggestions, but to any future member who is having the same issue. If they read through this they will never discover if the issue was ever resolved, and if it was what you did to resolve it. Being a beginner has no bearing on my last post... it's common courtesy that was lacking. In any post I've made where others suggested I try things, I always reported back if their suggestions mad any difference or not. It also helps that person making suggestions to get closure, and possibly come up with more suggestions. Anyway, I said I would not be contributing to this thread any more yet I've added another post. If you are now successfully guiding, please report that, and if possible detail what it was that fixed the problem, and then create a new thread in the relevant section as suggested by Michael so people can try and assist in helping you out there.

You know what really peeves me about this thread is we spend ages typing up suggestions and offering advice to resolve your guiding issue. We ask for feedback following those suggestions, and request updated guide logs so we can see how thing may have improved. But instead you post up a different problem, and now want help with PixInsight. As you don't have the courtesy to explain how things went with the suggestions (Mine, Steve's, or David's), and what you did differently, or what you discovered was a probable cause that made it work, I'm out of here and won't be contributing anymore to this topic. It's a two way thing, we provide suggestions, or request screen shots or log files and you need to provide feedback so we can work with you. Sorry if this is blunt, and I wish you well with your journey down the imaging path, but I've already put enough of my time in to this.

It's either an optical illusion caused by the camera, or the counterweight bar is bent or incorrectly fitted Now it may well be that when the RA is rotated so the bar lines up with the leg all three lines will be parallel. If EQMOD is in the HOME parked position and the scope ends up like this, then release the RA clutch and rotate the mount until the counterweight bar (green line ) is parallel to the Yellow (which should then make the red line parallel too). Then you can mark the mount as suggested in the post above

Martin, you did. I'm sure the problem is that with three or four people all piling in with suggestions and recommendations the Wael simply missed that or went on to trying something else ? Hopefully my last post, if followed, has covered your suggestion. If not then he can always read through the tread again and see what he may have missed

Here's a suggestion: Remove the telescope and guidescope from the mount - saves any possible damage occuring Place the mount in the default home position with the weight bar vertically inline with the North facing tripod leg (don't worry about the setting circles shown in your earlier post) Remove the covers off the polar scope (the scope that runs through the mount.) connect the USB lead between the synscan unit and the PC. Power up your computer Power up the mount. Launch EQMOD and confirm the mount is shown as parked in the default home position. Follow the video below on using EQMOD's polar alignment tool. It should provide a basic position to start from. The recital may be different to that show, but you'll get the gist Fine tune the PA: Having run through the EQMOD polar alignment tool park the mount back to the default home position. Fit the main scope to the mount - leave the guidescope off the mount for now. Fit the camera to the main scope, taking care not to move the mount Open Sharpcap and run the polar alignment tool, ensuring you enter the details of the focal length of the main scope and not the details of the guidescope Once you have polar alignment as good as it gets (hopefully within the Good to Excellent rating) close Sharpcap Guidescope: Without moving the mount or main scope, carefully reattach the guidescope to the main scope and fit the camera to the guidescope Connect the main camera to the main scope In EQMOD set the slew rate to 4 and unpark the mount. Set tracking to Sidereal Using the NSEW buttons in EQMOD slew to a bright star that is clearly visible Open Sharpcap or whichever application controls the main camera and centre the star in the main camera's image Change the selection to the guidecamera and centre the same star in the image form the guidecamera by adjusting the physical adjustment screws NOT USING THE NSEW BUTTONS IN EQMOD Use EQMOD and select park to home. Now providing the mount and scopes were not moved you should now have a mount that is polar aligned to the best of your ability, and the main and guide scopes are as close to parallel as you can get it Guiding test: With the mount Parked in the default home position close EQMOD Launch PHD2 and select the option to connect to the guide camera and ASCOM mount - EQMOD should re- launch and PHD2 should open Unpark the scope and select a target star that has at least 30 degrees declination and in the south and ideally close to the celestial equator. I'm guessing that the celestial equator will be quite high up for you Check the settings (ensure logging is enabled) in PHD2 match the guidescope and camera, set the exposure settings to 2 seconds and adjust the slider to give a pleasing image, and let PHD2 auto select a guide star Post back with your findings. To take screen captures click on PHD2 and then hold down the right CRTL key bottom right and press c at the same time. Then open windows paint and paste the result into a new document. Crop and save as before closing paint. Upload your log files after doing this so we can see if anything has works, or if there are still issues. Other than that I'm at a loss as I'm running out of suggestions.

Great idea. It would certainly highlight if the issue the OP is having is related to the choice of guidescope and camera. But having said that, I'm now using the standard SW 9 x 50mm finderscope as a guidescope with an old mono QHY5 camera. The focal length of the "guidescope" is 181mm and the QHY5 has 5.2um pixels, but I'm averaging 0.5" RMS guide error on both axis. Whilst the OP has a 120mm focal length, his camera has a 3.2uf pixel size. David, would there be much difference in what PHD2 sees ? - Whilst my finderscoep is 50mm longer in focal length the pixels are 2um larger. The guidescope / camera the OP uses seems to be a popular combination looking at both RVO and FLO websites. There is even a review on FLO's site of someone using the same combination as the OP as far as main and guidescopes (although they don't state the mount they are using) On PHD2 the X and Y axis of the graph is scalable by clicking selecting different values - click the button marked x400 and it will give you a list of other options - some increase the timeframe, others reduce it