PHD2 guiding

[Andrew INT]

Hello all,

I am trying my hand at autoguiding for the first time. I am using PHD2. I have the guide camera connected to the laptop via a usb 3.0 cable. The camera is also connected to my HEQ5 pro mount via an ST4 cable.

I connected the camera ok and selected  "on camera"for the mount. Although PHD appears  to be running, I dont think that it is actually guiding. Should the graph not show the adjustments? Any advive welcome! Please see a screen shot. Many thanks, Andrew

[Laurin Dave]

I’m sure you have but, have you clicked on the green button to initiate guiding...  your screen shot says ‘looping’ and a star is selected ..  green button turns black when guiding and it says guiding where it currently says looping..

Dave

[cuivenion]

Yep he's right, you need to press the green target icon to start guiding.

[Andrew INT]

Yes, I had hit the green button. It was toggling on and off due to clouds etc. not ideal test conditions I know. Should the corrections not appear in the gragh?

[Laurin Dave]

Was anything showing? Did it calibrate when you pressed the green button? 

[Thalestris24]

It doesn't look like you have a guide star selected. You need to find one that will give you a high snr with a 2 sec exposure. With ST4 it will calibrate first, every time you start a session and you will have to recalibrate if you move to a different part of the sky. Is there a reason why you are using st4? It's generally better not to. Which guide camera and guide scope are you using?

Louise

[michael8554]

The status bar says "looping", but I think PHD2 is guiding on a hot pixel, not a star !

So PHD2 won't issue any guide pulses because your "star" isn't moving !

0.5 seconds exposure will be "chasing the seeing", try 2 seconds.

The red Star Profile should look look like a single sharp "mountain", not a mountain range.

Did you set up PHD2 according to the Setup Instructions ?

Michael

[Seanelly]

I'm just getting off the ground, so to speak, in PHD2, but wouldn't 'auto-select star' in the Tools menu be the way to go?

[spillage]

As @Thalestris24 says don't bother with st4 if possible. Make sure you have ran a darks library. I usually calibrate on the meridian at 0 dec. Then use alt + s to choose a star, hit the green target button.

[Yearofthegoat]

Definitely do a darks library. I found out the hard way trying to guide on a hot pixel.

When I played with the gain setting, it showed more 'stars' that weren't.... Fantastic graphs, but no guiding!

I was surprised to find that PHD2 would carry on guiding through light cloud. Wispy stuff, I mean.

[michael8554]

"Darks" is showing Green on his status bar...........

Michael

[Thalestris24]

15 hours ago, Seanelly said:

I'm just getting off the ground, so to speak, in PHD2, but wouldn't 'auto-select star' in the Tools menu be the way to go?

Some people do use 'auto select' for a given exposure. Generally, a 2s exposure is good. The OP also has his screen brightness slider all the way to the right. I usually have mine about 2/3 to the left. It doesn't directly affect PHD2s operation but having it all the way to the right hides the sky's brightness, I feel.

Louise

[Andrew INT]

On 18/11/2018 at 23:52, Laurin Dave said:

I’m sure you have but, have you clicked on the green button to initiate guiding...  your screen shot says ‘looping’ and a star is selected ..  green button turns black when guiding and it says guiding where it currently says looping..

Dave

Hi Dave,

With Hind sight, I think you are correct - I may simply not have clicked on the greed button. Since the red "stop" button had become illuminated, I thought that it was therefore trying to guide! I now feel rather daft...

Cloudy skies here now until December- I shall give it another try in a couple of weeks time. Thanks once again.

[Andrew INT]

On 19/11/2018 at 00:12, Thalestris24 said:

It doesn't look like you have a guide star selected. You need to find one that will give you a high snr with a 2 sec exposure. With ST4 it will calibrate first, every time you start a session and you will have to recalibrate if you move to a different part of the sky. Is there a reason why you are using st4? It's generally better not to. Which guide camera and guide scope are you using?

Louise

Hi Louise,

Do ST4 cables tend to be problematic then? I was only testing the software out - I was set up with a ZWO ASI 290MM camera and a 200mm newtonian. I am ordering a Sky watcher edoguide 50ED from FLO for christmas and will guide via the 290MM.  

My laptop has limited USB ports which is why I was trying the ST4 first. (Before upgrading thye laptop or buying a powered USB splitter).

 

Many thank,

Andrew

[Thalestris24]

2 hours ago, Andrew INT said:

Hi Louise,

Do ST4 cables tend to be problematic then? I was only testing the software out - I was set up with a ZWO ASI 290MM camera and a 200mm newtonian. I am ordering a Sky watcher edoguide 50ED from FLO for christmas and will guide via the 290MM.  

My laptop has limited USB ports which is why I was trying the ST4 first. (Before upgrading thye laptop or buying a powered USB splitter).

 

Many thank,

Andrew

It's just that it's better to guide via a 'eqdir' usb-serial cable which controls the mount. That way, PHD2 knows where the guide scope is pointing and an st4 cable is just superfluous.

Louise