EQAscom / EQ6-R tracking problem

[Vega]

Dear fellow stargazers...

I'm helping a friend with a tracking issue using Eqmod. He has used EQAscom for a number of years with his Celestron CG-5 no problem. Having moved over to the new fancy Skywatcher EQ6-R mount (I'm not jelous... not one bit), he now has a problem with EQAscom. Having chosen PC-Drect mode on the hand-controller, EQAscom connects to the mount and slews perfectly, however when using Stellarium Scope and slewing to an object, the mount does not then continue to track the target (even after pressing the siderial rate button on EQAscom). We have checked EQAscoms 'default siderial rate' and it is as it should be.

It does work however by then going back to the hand-controller setup menu and re-selecting 'Siderial Rate' under tracking, then choosing PC-direct mode again. Then EQAscom/Stellarium Scope works normally with tracking.

Although we have found this temporary fix, it is quite annoying to have to go through this procedure with every session. Has anyone else come across this issue or had no problems using the EQ6-R with EQAscom? Were trying to decipher if it is a compatibility problem with the new mount  (as it is a new kid on the block with different motor drives etc).

 

Thanks in advance for any comments/suggestions

Matt  

[Cornelius Varley]

Have you tried using Stellarium/Stellariumscope without selecting pc-direct on the handset ? Not all planetarium programmes will control the mount if the pc-direct mode is selected.

[Tomatobro]

I would check the following....

When the non tracking condition exists I would put my ear to the mount to see if the tracking motor has indeed stopped and not just going slow.

Do any of the other rates via Ascom work (solar, lunar etc)

Is your power supply for the mount adequate amps wise

I run my EQ5 pro via a 4 or 7 port USB splitter at the mount and run a single USB cable to the laptop. A RS232 to USB convertor does the interface from the splitter to the Synscan hand controller. Sometimes I have to wake up the RS232 link by disconnect and reconnect particularly if I have added another item (like say a focuser) during the session.

[spillage]

Not sure if it would help but have you updated the handset to the latest firmware? Firstly I would  try using cdc and see if this is an issue with stellarium or the handset.

[RayD]

My understanding is that PC direct mode is still a bit of a "may or may not" work solution.  I would try using it direct connection to the mount and ditch the handset, for nothing else at this stage than proving it is the connection mode and not the mount or handset.

[Vega]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've already upgraded to the latest firmware. Still the same problem. It could be the RS-232 link but he never had this problem with the CG-5 mount. It worked every time and that used exactly the same connections. My own EQ6 Pro works fine in PC-Driect mode with StellariumScope and EQAscom. With the EQ6-R it's very hard to hear the motors tracking but when looking at a target through the finder scope after slewing to it, it's definitely not tracking (or tracking extremely slowly) as the target simply moves off the cross-hairs and eventually out of FOV. I know that an EQ direct cable is a solution but don't want to give him the bad news of more expense (and probably the need of buying an xbox controller or the like so that there is still a manual slewing option off screen). I cant remember off hand if he has a spare USB slot either. :\\

 

[Sangon]

On 24/09/2017 at 14:34, Vega said:

Thanks for all the replies.

I've already upgraded to the latest firmware. Still the same problem. It could be the RS-232 link but he never had this problem with the CG-5 mount. It worked every time and that used exactly the same connections. My own EQ6 Pro works fine in PC-Driect mode with StellariumScope and EQAscom. With the EQ6-R it's very hard to hear the motors tracking but when looking at a target through the finder scope after slewing to it, it's definitely not tracking (or tracking extremely slowly) as the target simply moves off the cross-hairs and eventually out of FOV. I know that an EQ direct cable is a solution but don't want to give him the bad news of more expense (and probably the need of buying an xbox controller or the like so that there is still a manual slewing option off screen). I cant remember off hand if he has a spare USB slot either. :\\

 

Hi folks

I know this is an old thread, but I've been experiencing the same issue with my new eq6r... It doesn't track the object properly... I choose the EQMOD ASCOM HEQ5/EQ6 driver in CdC and PHD (also tried via POTH) using the EQDir cable but with no success. However, doing the same via the hand controller/Pc Direct Mode, the traking seems to improve and I'm able to guide 2-4 minutes... That's weird because with the same setup I can guide twice with my heq5...

Did you find any solution or clue about the root cause?

Thanks

Edited June 9, 2019 by Sangon