Ra Calibration Failed Star Did Not Move Enough?

[brodon83]

When using PHD it will cal to 61 steps then failed message comes up?? Has anyone seen this before??

[Leveye]

Something sure is amiss. It never takes over 25 steps for each direction for me using PHD2. You may have lots of backlash and/or the gears are not meshing well. Try re-balancing the mount. You want it to be just slightly heavy in RA to your right for the gears to mesh well if it's a standard Equatorial mount. Then if the mount allows remove the backlash using the HC. Should be info on this in your operating manual.

[kens]

Attach your PHD log file for more analysis. Its location is given in the Global tab on the Brain.

Could be any number of problems: too small a step, wrong focal length recorded, no guide pulses being sent....

[PhotoGav]

The most common reason for this problem is that the calibration step size is too small to move the scope enough... What scope are you using for the guide cam and what is the step size currently set to? Where you are pointing in the sky also affects the step size required somewhat, so it would be interesting to know where you were pointing when trying to calibrate.

This really shouldn't be a tricky one to sort out though!

[wxsatuser]

Check your not trying to calibrate on a hot pixel.

[Uranium235]

Increase the calibration step size, or check your ST4 cable by using manual guiding (click the N/S/E/W buttons to see if the star moves).

[brodon83]

Ill post the logs when i get home. But I think the hot pix might be it. I was fixed on M42 at 5 sec loop brightness up high and i could not see the nebula. Its very bright in my EP so i thought that weird. This was my first try guiding so i wasent sure.

[brodon83]

The most common reason for this problem is that the calibration step size is too small to move the scope enough... What scope are you using for the guide cam and what is the step size currently set to? Where you are pointing in the sky also affects the step size required somewhat, so it would be interesting to know where you were pointing when trying to calibrate.

This really shouldn't be a tricky one to sort out though!

I was pointing at M42 south eastern mid sky for my location in Arizona at the time of attempted cal. Guide Scope 80mm refractor 400mm focal length. Camera pixel size is 5.2. Ill have to check the step size when I get home.

Optical design

Reflector telescopes use a pair of large and small mirrors to direct incoming light to the eyepiece. Refractor telescopes refract, or "bend" incoming light to a focus by means of an objective lens. Cassegrain telescopes, such as Maksutov-Cassegrains, "fold" incoming light using two mirrors and a front "corrector" lens.

Refractor

Optical design

Reflector telescopes use a pair of large and small mirrors to direct incoming light to the eyepiece. Refractor telescopes refract, or "bend" incoming light to a focus by means of an objective lens. Cassegrain telescopes, such as Maksutov-Cassegrains, "fold" incoming light using two mirrors and a front "corrector" lens.

Refractor

[almcl]

I've had that happen a couple of times and in each case the cable to the mount had either become disconnected or had never been connected in the first place!

[glowingturnip]

my money's on a hot pixel.  And if your phd screen is not showing anything even with 5 second loops, then chances are the guide scope is out of focus too.

[bruno]

I had this & it was due to (as said above)  a hot pixel alter your focus until a star/stars appears as a white blotch on the screen then focus the scope into one of those, the other thing is if it's taking to long to calabrate alter the settings mine was set at 1100 & i altered it to 3500 and it guides after about 15 steps on each of the axises

[brodon83]

Sorry I have not been able to test any of this. I will repost when I get it figured out though. Thank you everybody for the helpful input.

[steviemac500]

Have you got the right camera selected? I spent a good part of last night with the same message to find that I had should have had "on-camera" selected. Soon as I changed it it worked perfectly.

[brodon83]

Im pretty sure I did not have the camera in focus as well as the cable to the mount not secured. I feel really dumb was just excited with how clear the skies were. Well see what I can capture tonight.