EQ6 stops tracking when PHD connected

[vincentnm]

Hi All,

Complete newbie to guiding, tried it for the first time yesterday. I lose tracking as soon as I use PHD to connect to the mount.

1. Polar align

2. Two star align

3. Goto a star and start tracking

4. Connect IS DFK Camera to laptop

5. Conenct cable between autoguider port on the mount and laptop

6. Start PHD

7. Select Camera - Windows WDM

8. Select Mount - ASCOM -> Generic HUB

At this stage, the mount stops tracking and the star wanders off. Any ideas where I am going wrong?

9. Undetered, I clicked on the loop icon, clicked on the guidestar, got the green box.

10. Clicked on the PHD icon to start calibrating.

Gave an error stating that the mount is not responding to pulses.

Any help/pointers will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Vincent.

[Ant]

The EQ6 is listed as a Celesron mount in the list isn't it?

[steppenwolf]

5. Conenct cable between autoguider port on the mount and laptop

10. Clicked on the PHD icon to start calibrating.

Gave an error stating that the mount is not responding to pulses.

To the best of my knowledge, PHD will guide via a 'relay box' or by 'pulse guiding'. The two numbered sentences I have quoted above seem contradictory to me! If you are guiding via the ST4 guide port on the mount then you will need a small interface (relay box or similar switching unit) between the PC and the mount but it seems that PHD is expecting you to be 'pulse guiding' which is carried out via the Serial Port on the hand controller (or main port on the mount if you are using EQMod)

[vincentnm]

Finally got a chance to retry yesterday night. Success!! Thanks for your replies.

I was connecting to the autoguider port previously. Now connected to the handset.

Also I only had the ASCOM platform, but not the celestron drivers. Once they were installed, I was able to select "Skywatcher Mount". Imagine packaging skywatcher drivers with the celestron drivers, I would not have guessed it.

Thanks,

Vincent.