RFE3

Well...I thought I found the problem but it also didn't wotk...I found a post on the Web last night where someone was going into detail about the different ways of connecting from the mount to the PC with and without the hand controller. . He said it was very important in the setup of the ASCOM Telescope Driver that the location data be the same as in the Planetarium Software. Mine wasn't exactly the same so I thought "Bingo" it was giving a "Location" error. I made sure the location data was exactly the same in the Hand Controller, Cartes du Ciel and in the Driver setup...but it still didn't work. Still the same Location error then I try to slew or move the mount. I read several times from different sources including SW that the location data shoul be automaticly retrieved from the Hand Controller from v4.39 and above. I have a feeling there's something not quite right in comms between the HC and the Driver. Hopefully someone with a better understanding of Software will chime in. many thanks, Rick

I know what ya mean Brother.... I have no problems with my normal EQMOD and EQ6 and not really any problems with the 35 except the Dec. Axis when Guiding. I agree your guiding graph looks great and if I can get something as good with one layer less it's a win.... Rick

Yes, you're right...In my frustration I forgot that also....but it still won't guide from either of my Planetarium progs...Only the Handset. Yeah, I need a good night here also to see if it works at all...Monday...maybe....hopefully. This is the first Handset I've ever had, I bought my EQ6 about 6 years ago without the SynScan and went directly to EQDir Cables and EQMOD. It's also a learning curve for me as well. thanks, Rick

Yeah, I get a little Pop up direction control window with 4 direction buttons and a speed select dropdown menu. Thats from the SkyWatcher software. That's the one that goes crazy. I use Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel both act the same...I can connect to both but I can't Slew...I get the same warning "The ASCOM driver report an error: The type initalizer for ASCOM.SktWatcher.Location threw an exception" This is exactly as it it written. In PHD2 when I press the "Mount Setup button"I get the same message. I can still connect and minimize the little SW window to the Task Bar and try the Manual Guide buttons in PHD but nothing happens. The Handset works fine. If I try to use the little SW direction control it pops up an "Unhandled exception error" stating the same as above...I've reinstalled the SW Driver several times and read in the Help that it should automaticly retreive the location data from handsets with software above v4.38 and I have v4.39.10... What a nightmare...I really appreciate you time and help with this.

Ok, I got it to connect...kind of....It'll find the port but when I connect it gives me a driver error about location. It won't automaticly retrieve the location from the Hanset and when I manually put it in it doesn't help. If I push one of the direction buttons (on the PC) it gives the same error. If I push "continue" it will go away but if I push a dierction button it won't stop, even when I disconnect. I have to turn off the power to the mount to stop it....I hate software...

In your PHD2 connections did you select "Sky Watcher Telescope (ASCOM)" as the mount?

I'm sitting in my workshop now, I'll Give it a try. Thanks

I have the same set up only that I updated my firmware V4.30.10. I did install the Relay software (which is supposely better for connecting to the PC) but it overwrites the normal firmware. So if you wanted to use the Handset normally, you couldn't, you would have to re-load the normal firmware. I changed it back to the normal firmware because I thought I might just want to "Grab and Go" with a single camera sometime without Computers and such...So if I'm understanding you correctly, you have your Handset connected to the 35's Control box with the normal J6 (or what ever it's called) cable, then the Handset to the PC using the "Printer Cable" USB Port, you then connect the Guide Camera as normal to the PC. If you're not using PC Direct mode nor the Relay what settings do you use in the Handcontroller? Do you do your normal setup, alignment, and Slew to object with the Hand controller and then leave it alone? I'm unsure how PHD2 can then connect to the Handcontroller without an open Port (PC Direct or Relay) without Ascom/EQMOD. Maybe it just works...I've never tried it that way, I'll have to give it a go. How do you connect in PHD2? What options do you use at the Connect Equipment box?

WOW......Well at least I have evidence that it can be done. Running PHD2 through the Handset is an idea I haven't thought of....I'm so used to running everything through EQMOD for so many years It doesn't cross my mind NOT to use it, but the evidence is right there....Do you use the PC Direct Mode or did you put the other Synscan Relay V4, Version 4.2 firmware update in your Handset?

I have a 35 also since April and It's pretty good and a lot easier to transport than my EQ6. I've been fighting with the Dec. Axis also when guiding. I started this thread a few days ago on this and a couple of other Astro Forums to try and work it out. If you guys want to share some Trials and Tribulations, I'm in....

Hi Michael, I'm using EQMOD and a Orion Starshoot as a guide Camera on a 9x50 Guide scope. I wasn't aware you could turn off Dec. backlash in the mount it's self...Is that a setting somewhere in the Handcontroller (I don't use it because I connect directly) or do you mean the setting in EQMOD? Generally I'm pleased with the RA Tracking, I haven't trained PEC yet because the Dec. is so uncontrollable that it didn't seem to be worth it untill I had some degree of consistant control over it. It'll be a few days before I have clear skies again to test it but I'll make a log of the next session. Thanks for your time, Rick

Hi everyone, After a couple of year hiatus from the astroworld (due to foreign work commitments), I've finally gotten my astrostuff out of storage and also bought something more "portable" if I happen to be away from home for so long again. As the title implies I bought a new EQM-35 Pro, I've been really happy with it but I am unable to get it to guide with PHD2... I've pulled what little hair I have left on my head out and am now starting on my Beard...Has anyone gotten this mount to guide sucessfully? I've done everything I know to make it work but it is soooo erratic. I've adjusted the backlash (multiple times), scrapped out the Chinese goop and replaced it with good grease, adjusted the tension on both Axes but it still won't guide worth a d**n. I still have PHD reporting an almost 5 sec backlash in the Dec.Axis...the RA is ..ehhhh...Ok...acceptable...I've tried Hystorisis, Lowpass, PEC...ugghhhh, forget it...I've tried dozens of settings from so many different Websites, Blogs and Videos that my head is spinning...Unfortunatly all of it is for EQ 5 and 6...seems like nobody's tried the 35...If there is anyone out there that's been able to guide with the 35 and PHD2? Please share your settings with me...I hate to think the mount is unguidable... Overall, I'm quite pleased with it...I do mostly DSLR and Wide fieldish Lens AP. I use between 85mm and 300mm, sometimes a little more with my 1.4x Teleconverter. I'm able to get (unguided) about 7 to 10 min Subs at 300mm (Single Camera) and up to 20 min at 85mm. With my Dual Rig about 6 to 7 min. at 300mm and about 12 to 15 at 85mm(with a really good PA). So it's pretty good..I guess I'm used to my EQ 6 with the Rowan Mod, top notch German INA Roller Bearings, Vimech Wedge etc...maybe I'm expecting to much... I'd like to be able to push my Dual Rig to about 15 to 20 min. subs if possible. I tend to shoot at or close to the ISO Invarient points of my DSLR's (ISO 200 of the 1000D's and 400 for the 450's) so I try to haul out as many seconds as possible per sub. Anyway, hopefully someone has been able to do it and will share the Secret Code with me... I have my Decoder Ring ready.... Have a great day and thanks... Rick

Looks promising but I wonder if there are any Distributors in the EU. From their Website is looks as if it can only be ordered from the US.

I got to take a couple of Photos with the Debayered 1000D this weekend at the Clubs Observatory. The Camera works great (unlike my Auto Guider this weekend). Here are 2 photos of Antares, the first is Raw, only opened in PS and converted to a JPEG. The second is the same photo only with the RGB channels aligned and converted to JPEG. The photos are 300 seconds at ISO 400 with a 1.25" IR/UV Cut Filter. There's a bit of vignetting in the corners from the filter placement. I 3D printed some EOS Clip Filter holders for 1.25" filters, the vignetting wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I can probably live with it considering the savings of not having to buy Astronomic clip filters or 2" Screw type filters. Now to do the 350D's and my Camera Stable will almost be complete.

Well, this sensor looks a little better than the last one....except for the nice little line of dead Pixels on the lower right side. When I compare it to the Photos from Herra they look about the same (color wise). I'm going to give it a try this weekend, the Weather-liar says no Rain or Clouds in the Salzkammergut region of Austria this weekend....Fingers Crossed.... I'll hopefully be able to post a couple of Photos next week.

I still check this thread everyday to see what's new in the Mono Mod world, It has been very quiet lately. I got a replacement chip for my 350D last week but haven't had time to "Have a go" at it yet. I actually got 2 new chips just in case....

I had finally got a chance to do a little more work on the 350D, there was another color layer under where I stopped last time. It went from a Goldish layer to a Copperish layer and the image was pretty uniform but then I went back and tried to even it out a bit more in one spot and welll.....I should have left it as it was.....I went a tad too deep and got into the sensor layer. The Chip sitll functions but has an area that is not registering. Luckily I was able to purchace on Ebay two more 350D sensors from the States for 10USD each. One down, two to go. Very overexposed but easy to see the non functional area of the sensor. I have another question about shooting with these Mono Modded DSLR's and Filters. For shooting Luminance Frames do I need to use a UV/IR Cut Filter as the Luminance Filter? Something like this: http://www.teleskop-express.de/shop/product_info.php/language/en/info/p572_Baader-2--Infrarot-Sperrfilter-fuer-CCD---UV-IR-Sperr--und-Luminanz.html Would I also need the Cut Filter in place when using a NB Ha Filter (7nm) or just the NB Filter? I have removed the Canon Low Pass Filter from the Camera and was planning to reseal the Sensor with only the Edmund's Optics AR Glass.

Thanks for having a look Herra, Mine definatly don't look like yours, maybe I messed up the original CR.2 files with FL or PS. When I open the files they are either already Grey Scale or they have that funny Grain and are Blueish. I'll take some more photos and open them directly in PI with the Pure Raw enabled. The FIT images look great, but maybe they are artifically Black and White. I expected the photos would look simmilar to the ones I take with my Full Spectrum Modded 1000d's but they don't. Is the photo in your link from a CMOS Sensor or a CCD Sensor?

Hi Everyone, First Post, but a long time lurker. I've been following this Super thread for a while now, I have to say there are some real Pioneers in this bunch....My Hat's off to Gina, your determination and patience are borderline Awe inspiring..... After reading this thread through twice and all of Gina's Modding threads, I decided to give this a try. I have several Canon's laying around (350D, 2x 1000D and a 450D) and I decided to try this Mod. I picked the 350D as the Victim because it hasn't really been used in years. The two 1000D's are full spectrum modded (by me) and are what I currently use for AP, the 450D is my "normal Camera". The process went rather smoothly (to my relief), dismantled the camera, removed the cover glass (in two pieces), epoxied the "Golden Hairs of Satan", polished the sensor with a liquid plastic polish and two different Felt tips (Conical and Straight) in the Dremel. The hardest part was determining where to stop polishing. Every photo in this thread looks a little different, some more golden, some more copper, some greenish... I tried to polish down to the Golden layer but depending on how I held it in the light it reflected some green. If i tried to lightly polish the green away it became more copper in color. In the end I have some places that still have the Golden/Green tint and some with the Copper tint. After putting it all back together (Luckily) it all still works. The Sensor is still a bit dirty and there is no glass in the optical path (cover glas or IR filter). I've taken some photos with it and I quess it's Debayered. If I take a JPEG it's just Red much like my Full Spectrum 1000D's but different. If I open the CR2 file in PixInsight it's a lovely Wine Red color before applying the STF function, then it turns sort of Orangy/Red. If I open the Raw (in PI) and save it as a Fits file, then open it in Fits Liberator, do a little streching and save it as a TIFF it looks completely different. I can then open the TIFF file in PI or PS and it's a nice Grey Scale image. If I convert the Grey Scale image to RGB and then run Channel Extraction, all of the Channels (R, G, & B ) are B&W. I assume this means it's now Monochrome. I've put up a copy of the CR2 and Fits files for the Flat IMG_1200 and another Carbon Fiber shaft IMG_1201 in Dropbox. If someone could please have a look at them and and confirm that they are indeed Monochrome I would be grateful. https://www.dropbox.com/s/cia79i5wvu2nrqi/IMG_1200.CR2?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/umf3mrlcqnmcsyq/IMG_1200.fit?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/zk2hy878jwmuvuc/IMG_1201.CR2?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/743uhe4aer8p5n2/IMG_1201.fit?dl=0 If this one is OK then I'll try one of my 1000D's. I've been really wanting to get into Narrowband stuff for a while now. Once again a huge BRAVO to all of you who have gone before..... many thanks, Rick