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RA 'Runaway' while using PHD2/EQMOD PulseGuiding

Interested

By Interested
in Discussions - Software

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Interested

Interested

Posted
Posted

I have setup EQMOD for PulseGuiding my mount. The two times I have tried to use this method of guiding I have had a 'runaway' in RA almost as soon as PHD 2 has calibrated and started guiding. PHD2 will start flashing as it loses the guide Star and the Stars will start tracking right to left on the PHD screen.

This 'runaway' is evident on my capture software as well, confirming the mount is moving right to left. From a Star entering the PHD screen on the right, it takes about 30 seconds for it to exit on the left of the screen.

Before calibration, everything is stable and the mount is tracking normally. If I swap over to ST-4 guiding with the same settings in PHD I do not get the RA 'runaway'.

Has anyone ever had a similar problem or can suggest a cause and cure?

Many thanks.

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Gina

Gina

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Short answer - yes and no :D  But this was with PHD v1.14 - never could get PHD2 to work.

To elucidate :-  Just occasionally I get the guiding runaway - mostly it works well enough.  But NO I don't know why and this has been mentioned in two other places on SGL.  A few suggestions have come up for the reason but nothing conclusive.  I have also had mount control die altogether on numerous occasions and had to shut down everything using EQMOD ASCOM including CdC and re-run CdC and reconnect to mount.  Then start up all the other software AGAIN.  PAIN in the butt!!

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Interested

Interested

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Thanks for your reply Gina - I didn't think this was going to be an easy question :(.

I tried shutting down PHD totally, then restarting. The 'runaway' was still there. It was almost like there was a permanent guide pulse being fed to RA. I have an earlier version of PHD (1.12.4) which worked well before. I might try that version again.

If it happens next time I am out, I will try parking in EQMOD, then shutting it down and restarting, to se if EQMOD might be causing the problem. I have the guide rate set at 0.30 in both RA and DEC as that was suggested to me by a fellow M-Uno owner. All other settings are at default.

Failing everything, I will try guiding using ST-4 again. If that works, then I may try adjusting the pulse guide rate settings, though this won't be much good if there is a permanent 'pulse' being fed to RA!

Maybe I should copy this post to one of the help sections?

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Interested

Interested

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Thanks D4N,

I had v2.3.1 installed, I have now installed v2.4.1.

I am not sure it is PHD causing the problem as, when I close PHD down after the 'runaway' has started, the mount is still running away.

Failing a "I had a similar problem and xxx was causing it" response to my post, I think I will need to try guiding with EQMOD/PHD a few more times to see if I can isolate the problem further. I will try my original settings (which work reasonably ok for ST-4), I also have some new PHD settings given to me by Avalon, which I will also try.

I have joined the EQMOD forum but the Yahoo 'search' function doesn't seem to work using a tablet or laptop, so I can't search to see if others have had similar problems to me. If no one has had a similar problem, it might be that I have 'missed a step' somewhere on starting everything up! Best to keep an open mind :)

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Gina

Gina

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Forget the make but it's a 10 port powered hub running off a 5v voltage regulator chip a few inches away.

I'm thick tonight - what's "POTH"?

Wait a minute - you mean the feed to the mount?  That has a direct connection to a USB port on the laptop.  Mind you, it might be worth trying the mount off the scope USB hub.  Not tonight though - I'm stayng in the warm.

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D4N

D4N

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I meant the ASCOM hub. It's the program you use to connect other programs to ASCOM so a possible candidate for intermittent communications faults.

TSED70Q, iOptron Smart EQ pro, ASI-120MM, Finepix S5 pro.

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Interested

Interested

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Well, problem seems to have gone away,

Last night I was using PHD2 v2.4.1 (previously, v2.3.1), with Stellarium, EQMOD, and some different PHD settings. I managed 15 x 10 minute guided subs. Stars seem fairly round, though I didn't bother to much on focussing the telescope as I wanted to see if I could guide first. Once I managed to get guiding without an immediate RA 'runaway' I spent some time adjusting EQMOD and PHD settings to see if I could improve the guide graphs. DEC guiding was pretty smooth but RA was a bit bumpy. I had pushed the dome back on my POD and there were little gusts of wind, so, not sure if that was causing the problem. I know the mount is well balanced in RA, so that is not a problem.

Guess I was a bit naughty really, using a new version of PHD, AND Stellarium instead of CdC, AND new PHD settings, all together. I should have changed one thing at a time to try to isolate the cause further, but, we just do not get enough clear nights in the UK to try a different setting every night!

Next time out I will pick a target that doesn't require me to take the lid off the POD, so the scope is a bit more sheltered. Hopefully, I will then be able to 'tweak' settings for RA so that the guide graphs are a little more stable.

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Hi

I posted in another thread about my laptop usb connections being loose, especially in the cold that we've had recently. This was causing random disconnects. Dunno if anyone else might be suffering from this but it might be something to look at. I found that even a slight side to side movement of the usb cable connector caused disconnects. Very annoying! The only (temporary) solution seems to be to bend the cable connector metal just enough to improve the fit. I'm thinking about how it might be done better...

Louise

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