Jonny_H

20 hours ago, wimvb said:

A bit late, but I had a look at your data.

Calibration is ok, but your mount has some DEC backlash. I don't know if the ASIAIR compensates for this. If you have another computer to which you can connect your gear, you can measure this with PHD2. Although it doesn't seem too severe and guiding handles it.

You dither only 2 pixels. you might want to increase that to 10 pixels or more. This will make it necessary to let the mount settle longer between exposures.

The periodic error curve of your mount is very jagged. Normally this curve is much smoother. In your guiding algorithm, use PPEC for RA guiding (Predictive Periodic Error Correction). Your mount (AZ-EQ6) does have the capabality to use Permanent Periodic Error Correction, stored in the mount. But this feature is not compatible with guiding; it's either or, not both.

A frequency analysis of RA guiding shows main peaks at 120 s and 240 s. 120 seconds coincides with the motor timing pulley doing one full revolution. The much smaller peak at 10 s is this pulley advancing exactly one section/tooth.

Imo, you should do a test with guiding for one hour with 1 s guiding exposures. This will resolve the 10 s peak better. My guess is that it will increase. The 10 s peak (and to a lesser extent the 120 s peak) is related to belt tension. If you tighten the belt, this peak will decrease. If you use 2 s or longer guide exposures, the 10 s peak will cause what looks like noisy guiding.

Thanks @wimvb & @michael8554

I really need to learn this stuff!

Thank you both for your comments. So in essence, i need to check my belt tension and tighten. Change my guiding contributes including looking at dithering settings.

I have recently changed my kit so that i can utilize NINA, PHD2 etc... mainly to free me from the ZWO bubble that the ASIAir restricts you to,  but also to open software capabilities. So next time I get out (whenever this weather decides to give it a rest) and have a play.

if I have said anything untoward above please feel free to put me straight!

regards,

Jon

Thank you all for your comments/input.

The issue was that I hadn't entered all info for the scope, I.e. focal length and ratio. With the contributes entered it now works as expected. I can now sleep at night!

Thank you all again. I can only apologies for being a complete berk and not identifying what was a rather simple issue to resolve!

I have just taken a screen shot of the issue I am having.  I cant work out if it is a bug as i am using the latest BETA version of NINA - or if it is indeed something daft that I am doing.

When clicking on the button to pull the data from Stellarium - it instantly populates the details of the thing I have selected in Stellarium.  Shortly after the image of the object appears however I get an error stating that the coordinates could not be aquired (see image).

Could this be a Bug or is something not quite right with settings etc...? Given that the details are populated do I just ignore the error message?

I now know I don't need Stellarium....but I've got a bee in my bonnet now and need to fix this issue!

1 hour ago, teoria_del_big_bang said:

You do not need stellarium but it should work.
I have set it up and I did test it so it does work.

I will check and send some screen shots of how I set it up, although sounds just as you have done so far.

Steve

Thanks Steve,

That would be great if you wouldn't mind. I am sure I must have missed something so would be good to cross check.

Out of interest are you connecting your mount via a EQDIR cable or USB?

Thanks to everyone else for your comments so far.

Thanks @Same old newbie alert

I assumed that you needed a Planetarium installed. I think CDC is selected by default but out of the two I probably have more knowledge in Stellarium.

If you do not need it though then all is well. I will carry on having a play.

3 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

I think if you have a GPS of some description you can click the button and retrieve. I think I entered mine manually and again I "think" CDC will just retrieve coordinates for slewing depending what has been selected in the app but can test later if needed.

Thank you for this.

Rightly or wrongly I had assumed that the coordinated would be pulled through GSS or one of the other pieces of software in the chain, e.g. via the Internet. But it makes sense that you need a GPS device for this.

Lessons learned......never assume

Hi all,

I need some help with an issue I have with N.I.N.A and Stellarium in that I cannot seem to get the two to talk, or at least I get an error message when trying.

In N.I.N.A I have selected Stellarium as the Planetarium software and made note of the default port #.

In Stellarium I have ensured that the remote control plug-in loads at startup and I have selected the two server boxes within the remote control configuration screen. The port number here matches that of N.I.N.A.

However when I select a target in Stellarium then go to N.I.N.A and try to import the coordinates from Stellarium, i get an error pop-up stating that the coordinated could not be retrieved.

I just wondered what I have missed?

be gentle - I am very new to N.I.N.A.....and Stellarium for that matter

Thanks,

Jon

Whilst on the topic - I too am trying out GS Server as I have very recently moved to NINA so feeling my way around at the moment.

In the fear of this being a daft question - do you need to retrieve coordinates under the observatory location section of GSS? If so I cannot seem to get mine to retrieve as i keep getting an error. Not sure if this is relevant though as everything I have read/watched - no one really talks about this section and just seem to say that they have already synced.

Thanks @adyj1

I do not get this option within the drop-down so could be that my driver needs reinstalling.

Did you install the ASCOM driver from the Skywatcher site or elsewhere?

Hi all,

I am very new to N.I.N.A. and have been feeling my way around it this evening (for the first time).  I have connected my equipment for starters, however I noticed that there are an array of options which you can select when connecting your kit.  For example, my mount is an AZ EQQ GT and I use an EQDIR cable.  Under the telescope section you can select a number of different options under the ASCOM category: ASIMount, Simulator, and there are a few more (i think one is something like Direct telescope Hub, and another telescope for .NET or something similar).

My question is, which one 'should' i be picking?  Or doesn't it really matter?  Or should i be downloading another driver which i have missed?

For my cameras (ZWO 2600MC and 120MM Mini) they appear in the list so I have just selected them.  The ZWO EAF just comes up as ZWO EAF Focuser (1) and ZWO EAF Focuser (2) so i selected (1).  These appear to all be in order though so no issues with these. items (unless you tell me otherwise  )

Any help or a point in the right direction will be appreciated

Thanks,

Jonny

Yes, on mine the shaft narrows down to 8mm where it passes through the bearing. I assume yours will be the same.

Yes I believe the bearings are the same as mentioned in the previous post above. FYI I purchased mine from Acorn Industrial (part numbers below) for my AZ EQ6 GT.

1 hour ago, scotty38 said:

I had the same dilemma, Ultimate versus Advance and for a while I was torn due to the control I thought NINA had over only the Ultimate. Turns out there is a driver for the Advance so I can pretty much do everything I want apart from switch the 12v ports off individually. As it happens they control my camera, focuser and mount and soon my new flat panel so I want them all on or off at the same time anyway so it's no big deal. I can switch those ports off and leave the adjustable port on as that powers my mini pc so is always on. I basically control it all using the advanced sequencer in NINA, switching stuff on at the start and then off at the end of an imaging run. Example startup sequence:

 

So, to answer your question now I have the Advance and can see how I can control it the Ultimate would not be worth it for me.

That's interesting to know. Thank you.

1 hour ago, scotty38 said:

Well..... another alternative is a couple of those sticky pad type things. I bought some 3M ones off Amazon a while back and I know if I used a couple of those it wouldn't be going anywhere. Would possibly leave residue behind of course if you wanted to remove at a later date.

That is very true and a good shout. I didn't think of using them!

I guess as an extra piece of security and piece if mind I could put a couple of cable ties around it and the dovetail.

But from past experience with the outdoor 3M sticky pads they probably won't be going anywhere for a while!

Another quick question for you - in your opinion is there any benefit over the ultimate vs the advanced? I can see the benefit of the extra USB ports but at almost double the price of the advance I'm not convinced the additional features or worth the money. I.e. having more control over the 4 x 12V ports etc....

I thought I would get your views.

4 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

Mine's mounted up so I can't quite see 100% but other then a couple of screws holding the base plate on I cannot see any. The mounting holes are on the short edges so you're going to need an L shaped bracket of some description. I guess you could use the base plate holes and if the unit is 100mm I'd put them at about 90mm centres give or take.

Thanks @scotty38

Another option is of course to print a bespoke bracket, or purchase an already printed third party one. I have seen some 3d printed brackets from Buckeyestargazer but they are based in the US so shipping might hurt a bit!

@scotty38

Sorry to come back on this one.

Another quick question for you and a potential workaround for me - what does the underside of the PPBA look like? Does it have screw holes in the bottom of it (a bit like the ASIAir where you can screw a finder clamp to it etc...)?

Thanks @scotty38

So I could possibly just about get away with it, with the PPBA at least. I dare say I have no hope with the Ultimate as the box alone is 2cm longer than the Advance!

6 minutes ago, scotty38 said:

I can try and be more accurate plus they're fair size slots so you may have a bit of wiggle room anyway.

OK - if its not to much of a pain that would be great.

Hi @scotty38

Yes they're the ones.

Hmm that's annoying - I think the maximum spacing I have available at the moment on the current dovetail is 115mm 🙄

Hi all,

I hope the title makes sense, but in the way of a bit of context - I am trying to find out the distance between the mounting bracket holes of both the PPBA and PPBU. This to determine whether they can (or cannot) fit on my existing dovetail or whether i would need to get a longer one or another with different hole configurations etc...

As an example, the PPBA is 100mm in length, so does that make the mounting bracket holes 105mm apart / 110mm apart and so on?

Thanks,

Jonny

I am working on Mrs Jonny_H to let me build an observatory in the garden. That said,  with the seemingly never ending cost of living increases I feel I should probably keep my savings topped up as opposed to spending it! At least for the moment

I don't mind lugging my gear in and out but I must admit it is tedious!

Hi @Simonas

I don't have an Esprit 80 but have the Esprit 100. I mount my Evoguide 50 on top of the scope using tube rings. This frees-up the finder shoe in which I put my ASIAir Pro.

Not sure if this is an option for you but something to consider.

Alternatively (and I'm not sure about the 80 so you will need to check) the Esprit 100 has a hole for a finder show on the opposite side which is hidden by the sticker. If the 80 is the same, you could screw-in another finder shoe and mount the Air on that? Again please check first....I wouldn't want you to rip stickers off for no reason!

Hope this helps!

James makes a valid point here re: why are they trying to get rid of them.

I get the impression that they simply aren't as popular as their sibling EQ6R. When I got my AZ EQ6 (I think it was a couple of years back during the lockdown) the EQ6R was sold out everywhere but the AZ was more or less readily available.

I might be wrong though but just an observation at the time

44 minutes ago, Realtimedoctor said:

Yes, everything gets it power from the PPBA, including the Rpi. I only have one power cable that tracks up my mount and the scope, to power the PPBA. 

Thanks @Realtimedoctor

Thanks also @Skipper Billy nice set-up you have there

All comments have given me food for thought so far, but I will await further responses from the others also.

50 minutes ago, Realtimedoctor said:

Hi, 

I've had zero issues with using the PPBA as a hub. It only has 4 ports, but I also have 4 ports on the Rpi and two on my camera. 

So with good cable management, and planning that's all the USB port you'll ever need. 

Cheers 

Nish 

Thanks Nish,

And given your first post above, I assume that you power your mount from the PPBA also?