RA Guide Problems, PHD1

[AstroAndy]

Hello

After a few years, I have decided to get back into it, so for the past 2 weeks I tried to get my SW200P & EQ5 back up to speed. I've never had RA guiding problems (9x50 finder, PHD1), noiw I've gone from this (see att.) to this (see att.), and I wonder why. I've checked into PEC, slack gears, stiction (gears are greased ok), East heavy slightly unbalanced setting, different values, cut down flexure, checked for cable drag, guided away from the meridian. I also noticed when drift aligning w/ EQAlign, while my Dec. was pretty much on the nose, RA went "South", so to speak (or North), pretty much right off the bat. The only difference is, I used to guide with the "on-camera" setting in PHD (ST4 cable & camera connected to mount), this time around, I chose mount and cam in Ascom. Any of you folks have an idea as to what could be going on? Equipment in signature.

[michael8554]

Hard to see what's going on as the correction pulses aren't displayed.

For instance, the large negative RA spike might be caused by stiction or a cable snag, which would be verified by the correction pulses starting after the start of the spike. If your mount has been unused for several years I would expect it to be stiff.

Did you do a new Calibration with the new setup?

Are you using PHD1 for a reason?

PHD2 has much better control of the mount and very good diagnostics.

Michael 

[AstroAndy]

Hi Michael

I was kind of thinking that, too, although when I opened the mount it seemed ok (I;d run it through a few tests before taking it to the field). However, I guess I'll be opening it again; as for using PHD1, since I've been non-active for a few years, I thought to stick with the s/w I know, as I have maybe 2 and a half hrs. of imaging time I do a new calibration every time (doesn't help to have to lug the equipment after driving to a better area, either), what I did notice, while dec. calibrates in 10 steps about, RA takes about 20, so that indicates some looseness in the gears.

Andy