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Star Adventurer: can't guide - ST4 cable?

Thalestris24

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Hi all

I've been trying out my Star Adventurer and decided I'd try and configure it with a finder guider via the ST4 port. I'm running PHD2 and have configured it with a qhy5l-ii mono as camera and 'on-camera' for mount. I appreciate I don't have any motorised movement in DEC. However, I can't get it to calibrate? :( My first thought was maybe a faulty ST4 cable so tried another and still the same. I've tried it with PHD1 too - no change. The ST4 cables are the ones that came with the qhy5l-ii cams. I've never tried them before but it doesn't seem likely that both would be faulty - but... Tried connecting one of the ST4 cables to the heq5 but still couldn't seem to elicit any movement with 'manual guide'. Am I missing something? Any ideas/suggestions?

Thanks

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Its a bit late to dig the manual out, i can't say i have ever heard of anybody guide with the SA....

It has an ST4 port Auto Guide port though for RA guiding only. However, I'm wondering whether the problem is with the qhy5l-ii port...

Anyone used the qhy5l-ii ST4 port?

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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It has an ST4 port Auto Guide port though for RA guiding only. However, I'm wondering whether the problem is with the qhy5l-ii port...

Anyone used the qhy5l-ii ST4 port?

Louise

I'm wondering whether I need to use the non-Ascom qhy5l-ii driver?

I'll investigate when I can but it doesn't look like I'll be seeing any stars before next Wednesday...

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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I have only ever used mine with a 600D + 100mm F2 lens, it track 3minutes perfectly i would think 5 minutes is on the books, really depends what you are going to hang on it....weight wise...

An ST80! But that's beside the point as I want to get the guiding interface up and running. I think the problem is with the qhy5l-ii mono camera since as I mentioned, I can't seem to get it to move the mount so can't calibrate in PHD2. I tried manual guide mode but that didn't seem to do anything - unless maybe the manual guide mode in PHD2 doesn't work with ST4? Both the ST4 cables I have came with the cameras and both seem to be wired straight through (no crossover and they are flat cables). As I say, I'll try again when the stars come out...

Louise

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Ouroboros

Ouroboros

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I use the ST4 cable supplied with my QHY5-IIM and AZ-EQ6 and that works OK. Not quite the same camera but from the same stable. Could you try it on your other mount? When you say it won't calibrate do you mean the calibration fails or it just won't start to calibrate? Is there a setting in PHD to use RA guiding only? I must say I couldn't find one when I looked through the manual.

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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I use the ST4 cable supplied with my QHY5-IIM and AZ-EQ6 and that works OK. Not quite the same camera but from the same stable. Could you try it on your other mount? When you say it won't calibrate do you mean the calibration fails or it just won't start to calibrate? Is there a setting in PHD to use RA guiding only? I must say I couldn't find one when I looked through the manual.

Hi

The mount (Star Adventurer) doesn't move when trying to calibrate. It goes through the motion of stepping West but doesn't appear to move and I tried different stars. I've tried two qhy ST4 cables. I've tried plugging the cable into an heq5 and attempted to cause some movement using PHDs 'manual guide' but couldn't elicit anything. I'll have to try calibrating on another mount when the stars are out again (not before Wednesday by the looks of the forecast  :( ). Yeah, I have PHD/PHD2 configured with DEC guiding off. There's probably a very simple solution to the problem but I'm not seeing it!

Thanks

Louise

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Ouroboros

Ouroboros

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...... I tried manual guide mode but that didn't seem to do anything - unless maybe the manual guide mode in PHD2 doesn't work with ST4? Louise

It does on my set up. I just tried it. I didn't know it did that. Could be a useful way to tweak alignment from the laptop without having to go to the scope .... if you're not using EQMOD that is.

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Good. Glad you're sorted (hopefully) .... not that I understand what the problem is from your description. Good luck anyway.

Hiya

Sorry, I should have explained better! The setup for the qhy allows setting the gain and also selecting 12 bit data. Normally not a problem but it warns that the 12-bit mode doesn't also support autoguiding via ST4 (they must have been limited by their hardware interface design). The setup pane is the only place that gives the warning so if you don't bring it up you might never know!

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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I see. I wasn't even aware there was a 12 bit mode for these cameras, or is that just the QHY5L-II? What are they normally? 8 bit?

I only know the qhy5l-ii mono... Yes it has a 12-bit mode but otherwise 8. Presumably it uses 1-4 of the extra bits in the ST4 interface somehow... (I'm guessing)

Louise

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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There might be some filters out there could help......

I don't think I'm planning to use it for imaging long term. It's just part of my plan to put something together that I can carry downstairs and use outside. If I can do that successfully I'll try and get something better :)

Louise

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Ouroboros

Ouroboros

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Good. Well done.

Just to add in post script, I didn't realise the star adventurer was guided in RA only. I was actually thinking about this mount as a potential pick up and go. I don't think I'll bother now.

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Thalestris24

Thalestris24

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Good. Well done.

Just to add in post script, I didn't realise the star adventurer was guided in RA only. I was actually thinking about this mount as a potential pick up and go. I don't think I'll bother now.

Yeah, I got it for the portability. It's a shame that it has no DEC motor/guiding but good PA should allow decent sub lengths. 2-3 min subs should do. Well, I'll find out for sure soon enough!

Louise

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  • 6 months later...
wornish

wornish

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Wish I had read this thread before Christmas.

I got the mount in January used it unguided for some wide field shots but even at 60 secs the stars were appearing slightly misshapen.  

I really wanted to get longer exposures.

So.........      last week I got a ST80 guidescope and Touptek astrocam kit from FLO.

Had some fun getting the camera to work but finally succeeded after upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 10.

 

Then I read a post on another site about guiding the adventurer and the penny dropped , its only got one motor (doh) so it only guides in RA).

If I can get 2 to 3 minutes with my DSLR I will be happy.  But if not then its going to be an expensive next step.

 

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Tinker1947

Tinker1947

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Guiding and getting round Star requires near perfect PA, when you look through the Polar Scope Polaris should be on the circle and stay on the circle while you turn the scope 360' get that right then get the balance right and 5 minutes  should be on the cards....

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Davey-T

Davey-T

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You should be able to do several minutes no problem, providing the mount is working properly.

The first SWSA I had was running slower than the stars, no way I could ever have got round stars with it, the second one was fine.

You need to get the PA pretty spot on, the best way to do this is to monitor it while you're imaging, you need to use the dovetail bar to keep a clear view through the polar scope and if necessary make slight adjustments to keep Polaris tracking round the circle.

Here's one I took messing around to see how long it would go unguided about 17minutes Canon 24 /105mm at 24mm, eggy stars in the corners if you zoom in.

You shouldn't need to guide it, mine will do 90sec @ 300mm unguided

Dave

SW-SA-Canon-24-105--at-24- iso1600,1020secs 60Da.png

 

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