PHD and QHY5-11

[piprees]

Hi all,

been imaging for a while now and have decided to take the plunge into guiding. Read lots of reports and thought that the most straightforward route would be a QHY5-11 linked to PHD. All well and good, just hope I'm doing this correctly. USB cable from laptop to camera, ST4 cable from camera to mount. The problem arises when it starts, I'll click connect camera then got to mount and click "on camera", I'll take a dark, seems to be no problem, then click on "begin looping", it says "capturing" and that's about it. Lots of grey lines that seem to be refreshed every second or so and that's all. I've read that it could take a bit of time, well, I made a coffee and by the time I'd drunk it I was a bit fed up, still lots of grey lines capturing. so I guess I'm missing something somewhere. The camera is on a startravel 80 and I've had to guesstimate focus. Oh, and the same thing happens on both PHD and PHD2.

I definitely need help so any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Phil

[kalasinman]

Do you have both the latest drivers? Point at the moon and see what focus is like. Read PHD2 user guide. There is a segment on your camera, hope it's mono.

[Viewmaster]

You can also get a fair focus check on a far away building or trees etc when it is nearly dark if the moon

is not up.

[tich]

Sounds like focus is off to me, also when using these camera's on the ST80 you need a fair bit of extension on the focus tube to achieve focus as I found out. I'm having to use a diagonal at the moment but I'll get round to sourcing an extension tube at some point. Of course a mono cam is better for sensitivity but mine is colour & so far touch wood it's always found a star for me to guide from.

[piprees]

Thanks guys, yes, it is mono and I'll try to focus on a fairly distant house later tonight to get some sort of focus.

Please don't laugh Kalasinman but you lost me there a bit. I loaded the small disc that came with the camera, QHY driver 141212. Is there another that I should have?

P.

[Garethr]

Might be worth checking the gain settings as well.

This should be done before connecting the camera to PHD using the button to the left of the connect to camera button. On my QHY 5 I have the gain set to 85% then connect. You can also adjust the picture from the main PHD screen on the slider at the bottom middle of the screen. I don't think this changes the gain just the view you see on screen.

I normally get a decent black picture even if the focus is well off.

[kalasinman]

Thanks guys, yes, it is mono and I'll try to focus on a fairly distant house later tonight to get some sort of focus.

Please don't laugh Kalasinman but you lost me there a bit. I loaded the small disc that came with the camera, QHY driver 141212. Is there another that I should have?

P.

Looks like you are up to date. Good to check here, now and then: http://qhyccd.com/en/top/download/ With QHY good idea anytime one updates to download, then remove old version before installing the new.

[glowingturnip]

it does sound like a focus issue - even if you're slightly out, PHD will struggle to see anything.

That ring that came with the camera in the box is a parfocal ring.  Set up the scope in the daytime, and using your favourite eyepiece, focus on a distant building/telegraph pole/whatever.  When you've got the best focus you can with the eyepiece, lock the focusser down.  Then put the QHY in instead, and without moving the focusser but just by sliding the camera in/out, you should be able to get the camera to focus - once you've found the point where the camera is in focus, slip the parfocal ring over the camera so that it rests against the end of the focusser, and tighten it.  Your camera and eyepiece are now parfocal.

Then at night time, just focus with your eyepiece on a guidestar, swap over for the camera and it should be in focus already.

Mine's a colour QHY and works fine, I get guidestars every time.

[piprees]

Thanks guys. I've since had a problem getting PHD to load. Got so frustrated I've deleted everything to do with PHD, programs, shortcuts etc. and started all over again. Now I'm getting "PHD2 instance 1 is already running. Use the -i INSTANCE_NOM command-line option to start a different instance". What on earth is going on??? I'm finding myself wanting to go to a darkened room and listen to Leonard Cohen!!!!!

[glowingturnip]

ugh...  standard IT response required...have you tried turning it off  and on again ?

[piprees]

Thanks Stuart. You've restored my faith in mankind.

P.

[salas]

With an ST80 and QHY2 you will need an extension tube of some description to gain focus, I use a barlow with the lens removed and even then the ST80 focuser is almost fully extended to get focus. I don't think you will see a thing with this camera in daylight. From experience mine won't show a thing until dark.

I have had the grey lines you mention and yes the turn it off and on again trick has been necessary! Also try adjusting the gain as already mentioned.

Steve

[libraryman]

I use the qhy5-Lii mono, I use a gain of 12....its a sensitive camera. Assuming that you have found focus, any brightness will give you a grey screen, try dropping the exposure time..if its not dark I might use 0.05 sec, however PhD will adjust the screen stretch when it finds a star.

When it's fully dark you can then use whatever e,g 5 sec +.

Ray

[piprees]

Thanks again guys, hopefully have a clear sky tonight so I'll try those settings. (Still can't get PHD2).

P.

[piprees]

Just an update. Totally euphoric tonight. PHD loaded and connected just fine, focussed on Vega using EZPlanetary to begin with then switched to PHD. Pushed the gain to 95 and increased the exposures to 2secs. Calibrated and locked on just like a top gun pilot. Brilliant. Oddly, I didn't need the extension tube to get focus. Thank you all again for all of your help and input. I honestly couldn't have done it without you.

Kind regards,

P.