Anthonyexmouth

1 hour ago, mark skelton said:

Ok just been out to the scope connected laptop to scope then started APT (admin mode) click on scope connect, scope connected no problem so far. Then I started up stellarium. When I went to connect stellarium to mount EQMOD come up with com port error. looks like I'm able to connect either APT or stellarium to mount but not both.

check the baud rate in eqmod. make sure its 9600 . have you got the lastest stellarium? are you connecting to heq5 ascom?

can you post a screen shot when you get the error? ALT+PRT SCR  on the active error window then CTRL+V when typing here to paste the screen shot. 

Also, not APT has connected once, try unticking the admin mode and try again. 

2 minutes ago, BungleHilton said:

So that's that bit. How do I do the stellarium bit. As you can my imagine. My other half is over the moon with me trying to sort this out tonight. 🤣🤣

Go to the settings, click on load at startup, restart stellarium, go back to the telescope control settings and click configure and ADD 

Just now, mark skelton said:

How do I go about doing that?

Right click on the APT icon, then click compatibility then the check box run as administrator. you may only have to run it as administrator once and then uncheck the box. 

6 minutes ago, mark skelton said:

Last  session that  I had (3 nights ago) I went outside got my laptop powered up and usb connected, powered up the mount. Then started stellarium got that connected to the mount via ascom no problem, then I started up APT then I connected my camera, focuser and the filterwheel all 3 connected ok. When I went to connect APT to the mount I get an audible msg. saying mount disconnect yet the mount was not connected to APT in the first place. I tried the HEQ5/6, porth and the generic options but no luck. Any ideas on what I could do.

Try running APT in administrator mode. 

2 minutes ago, BungleHilton said:

Changed to 9600. And thank the lord. The thing moves!! 

cool. 

Just now, BungleHilton said:

Cable runs from mount to laptop directly 

cool, just check the baud rate in eqmod , also, when trying to move the mount in eqmod make sure the movement speed is set to 4 in this drop down menu

7 minutes ago, BungleHilton said:

I cant her the mount to connect. Cant take pics at min either as not with mount. 

It shows com 3 in port when I go to set up eqmod window. Check on device manager shows port 3 in use when mount plugged in. 

But the mod thing doesn't seem to pick up the mount itself. 

set the baud rate to 9600

then rescan in  eqmod.

is the eqmod cable plugged directly to the mount?

4 minutes ago, BungleHilton said:

Well I've downloaded all of the above. But cant get my mount to budge or connect. 

First thing to do is get the mount and the Eqmod interface working together. 

can you post a few screen shots of the eqmod up and running with the mount connected

8 minutes ago, Miko_Skye said:

Hello,

I wanted to say thank you to everyone - last night, I got it to work using all your advice. Firstly, it seems that reinstalling everything after the ASCOM driver allowed PHD2 to talk to the mount properly this time. And secondly, I was not calibrating away from Polaris - as soon as I followed your advice and ran the calibration nearer the south horizon, BINGO!! First run was a bit off (RMS Total of over 2). Second run was much better (RMS of around 0.5) 

Still a huge amount to learn, but now I can get images and have a baseline, I can build on this.

Thank you to everyone for the advice ,you have no idea how much it helped!!!

Out of interest, can you list your setup. mount, imaging rig and guide setup. 

Also a good idea to check the pulse guide settings. default is quite low and needs to be .5 or higher really on RA Rate and DEC Rate I have mine on .9 and works fine

How can you calibrate indoors anyway? without a star to calibrate off PHD2 is gonna throw a wobbly. 

2 minutes ago, BungleHilton said:

That sounds rather simple. Is it that easy? I've got stellarium on new laptop. I connect the mount via the hand controller? 

never connected via the handset myself, always used an eqmod cable so cant help you there. once you go laptop controlled the handset is redundant 

well worth investing in a good Eqmod cable from FLO

up until a few weeks ago stellarium required an additional piece of software called stellarium scope to bridge ascom/stellarium. was sometimes a pain but all thats sorted with the latest version. 

1 hour ago, BungleHilton said:

Merry christmas folks

 

I need some brains to pick as I've no idea at all. How would I run my mount eq6r pro on my laptop and then use to stalarium to operate it

 

Thanks. 

dead easy now. Stellarium supports ascom with the latest version. 

Install the ascom platform and connect to the mount

install stellarium

goto the telescope control tab in stellarium settings and enable, you have to restart stellarium

then add the telescope in the settings. 

27 minutes ago, MarsG76 said:

 

 The problem I have with the covered up solutions is that a lot of humidity and moisture will get in under the tarp and ultimately cause oxidization on the mount.. even the PCB... there would be times when its raining for weeks and this might be too close to leaving in in the elements.. just prolonged damaging effect.

 

Mines been out in the UK weather for over a year, and only a mile from the sea. zero signs of any issues or corrosion. gets more condensation on it when imaging than it does under the cover. Always wipe down with a towel before covering it up. or if i know its going to be dry all night i just let it run all night and cover in the morning. 

12 hours ago, WanderingEye said:

An you get no condensation at all on the mount..?

none at all, i think the double layer of 2 bbq covers helps with that. usually have a strap around the bottom to stop it flapping or blowing off . 

If this has a web interface id jump on board. i get that a tablet app is useful but having access via laptop would be much more useful when at home. 

My setup stays outside under 2 bbq covers. all power routed to the workshop and an alexa enabled socket in there. i just bark at my alexa in the kitchen to turn the telescope on and then all i have to do is uncover and away i go. wouldn't have it any other way now. 

4 minutes ago, Skyline said:

How much is high, when using backyardeos, I used to set it at 3

My dither is set to 15 in APT. APT goes up to 90 but i think its worked on pulse length rather than a set distance. its pretty random which seems to work nicely. 

I ditched BYEOS for APT, cheaper and seems a little more flexible. Wouldnt be without pointcraft now either.

2 minutes ago, Adam J said:

Literally the only thing wrong here is dithering and and that it needs ten time more integration. 

yeah, i set dither quite high in APT

Here you go, just in case the skies clear.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1En__ZI7PbSqZ0YLIFcvBb8_0hTeQNO7l?usp=sharing

7 minutes ago, daveangie0110 said:

If you zoom in to the image you can see lots of red and blue pixels, I had a friend of mine who run it through Pixinsight and he could see the pixels in the image. I streched the dark frames and they looked ok. I did not dither either.

I have all the FIT files in my dropbox which I can send you if you like.

yeah, post the link so we can look at the individual subs. 

Just now, daveangie0110 said:

I stacked just the light frames and they are still in that image.

what about a single sub?

does it only happen after stacking? 

29 minutes ago, daveangie0110 said:

I done my flat frames aiming for a value of 28000 ADU i used a tablet, i have tried stacking just the lights but still no good.

ok, stack in DSS and post the unprocessed image that comes out. no stretching. 

how did you do your flats?

try stacking just the lights.