Planned multi night imaging question

[tooth_dr]

1 hour ago, Yoddha said:

So you are using kind of ASCOM driver? Any settings there that can influence the Sync/GoTo?

Hi Ivo, I'm the Skywatcher and Celestron ASCOM drivers installed.  I think you are right, that the mount and the platesolving program are at odds with one another.  I initally thought it was the Ha filter that was causing trouble, and so I upped the exposures to 60s, then removed the filter completely, and it still struggles.

[Jkulin]

Hi Tooth_Dr, I can only say that I don't use the hand controller at all as it would appear a number of people experience similar problems.

I'd suggest that you get one of these https://www.firstlightoptics.com/skywatcher-mounts/lynx-astro-ftdi-eqdir-usb-adapter-for-sky-watcher-eq5-pro-heq5-syntrek-pro-az-eq5-gt-az-eq6-gt-and-eq8-mounts.html

It just makes things so much easier and the Com port is then assigned to the cable and you don't need the hand controller at all and plug the lead direct into the mount, I'd be lost without this. It's the only simple fix I could suggest.

[RayD]

Yes if using the handset on PC DIRECT with EQMOD I think is known to have some issues.  If you are using it that way best to get the EQDIR cable and remove the handset.

I also find that I need to set EQMOD to dialogue mode as I only do a solve and sync.  If I have it set to append on sync it goes belly up like you are describing.

[tooth_dr]

Thanks all. Just so happened an EQDIR cable arrived in the post. I just didn’t want to complicate things, but now it seems it may (plate) solve my issues ?

[RayD]

48 minutes ago, tooth_dr said:

Thanks all. Just so happened an EQDIR cable arrived in the post. I just didn’t want to complicate things, but now it seems it may (plate) solve my issues ?

Boom boom

[Yoddha]

4 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

Hi Ivo, I'm the Skywatcher and Celestron ASCOM drivers installed.  I think you are right, that the mount and the platesolving program are at odds with one another.  I initally thought it was the Ha filter that was causing trouble, and so I upped the exposures to 60s, then removed the filter completely, and it still struggles.

Congrats no your new device Hope that it will solve the issues. If there is something that I can do, just drop a line here or in the APT forum

[Jkulin]

Hi Ivo, do you have any plans to incorporate AT into APT, it would be very useful?

[tooth_dr]

3 hours ago, Yoddha said:

Congrats no your new device Hope that it will solve the issues. If there is something that I can do, just drop a line here or in the APT forum

I must apologise I never realised you were the main man for APT development! It’s a fabulous piece of software. I recommended it to a friend and he bought it straight away last week based on my report!  Thank-you. 

[Yoddha]

9 hours ago, Jkulin said:

Hi Ivo, do you have any plans to incorporate AT into APT, it would be very useful?

Hi John,

I'm afraid that AT is not a very active project in nowadays which will make hard such integration. By the way, ASPS (All-Sky-Plate-Solver) uses the same solving engine and is much easier to install  

[Yoddha]

9 hours ago, tooth_dr said:

I must apologise I never realised you were the main man for APT development! It’s a fabulous piece of software. I recommended it to a friend and he bought it straight away last week based on my report!  Thank-you. 

Thank you for your kind words and for making APT popular!