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Guiding issues with PHD2 and Avalon M-Zero


gregk01

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Hi

I've been trying for weeks now to get PHD2 guiding working with my new Avalon M-Zero mount. I also have a CEM-25P and have no issues at all with PHD2 on that.

I have followed the suggested settings for the M-Zero (as per attached) and then changed those settings following examples of others, but no matter what I do I get the message "RA Callibration failed: star did not move enough".

I live in the UK but have 2 weeks of clear and dark skies in Crete and I've already wasted the last 3 nights trying and failing to get the guiding working.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I've attached a couple of screen shots of my settings.

Thanks

Screenshot 2020-08-10 at 23.05.36.png

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I don't use Windows anymore (or rarely) for imaging. However when I did I recall having to increase the ASCOM pulseguide settings from the default of X0.10 to something like X0.9 - then gradually backed it off to something like 0.5. My mount is a Skywatcher one but not familiar with the AvalonStarGo. So have a play around that area first of all. Then you could maybe try contacting the PHD2 people themselves as there may be something in the "brain" you could alter.

image.png.a55f3cde425dbc880193cd3fe42d3c06.png

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It doesn't appear to know what pier side it is on. That might not be important.

Calibration Begins at 2020-08-10 22:29:37
Equipment Profile = FSQ106, M-Zero, ASI290MM
Dither = both axes, Dither scale = 1.000, Image noise reduction = none, Guide-frame time lapse = 0, Server enabled
Pixel scale = 2.47 arc-sec/px, Binning = 1, Focal length = 242 mm
Search region = 15 px, Star mass tolerance = 50.0%
Camera = ZWO ASI290MM Mini, gain = 50, full size = 1936 x 1096, have dark, dark dur = 1000, no defect map, pixel size = 2.9 um
Exposure = 1000 ms
Mount = Avalon Mount (ASCOM), Calibration Step = 1000 ms, Calibration Distance = 25 px, Assume orthogonal axes = no
RA Guide Speed = 0.0 a-s/s, Dec Guide Speed = 0.0 a-s/s
RA = 0.00 hr, Dec = 0.0 deg, Hour angle = -7.19 hr, Pier side = Unknown, Rotator pos = N/A, Alt = -17.9 deg, Az = 90.0 deg
Lock position = 1789.109, 128.672, Star position = 1789.253, 128.594, HFD = 4.69 px
RA Calibration Failed: star did not move enough

  • Also the alt is a minus figure which is odd! Are you pointing below the horizon?
  • Try increasing the exposure to 2.5 seconds.
  • Ensure that ASCOM driver knows what side of the pier it is on.
  • What guide scope are you using with 242mm focal length as a matter of interest?

On a known working calibration log it looks like this

Equipment Profile = ZWO-HEQ5
Dither = both axes, Dither scale = 1.000, Image noise reduction = none, Guide-frame time lapse = 0, Server enabled
Pixel scale = 4.30 arc-sec/px, Binning = 1, Focal length = 180 mm
Search region = 15 px, Star mass tolerance = 50.0%
Camera = ZWO ASI120MM Mini, gain = 60, full size = 1280 x 960, have dark, dark dur = 2500, no defect map, pixel size = 3.8 um
Exposure = 2500 ms
Mount = INDI Mount [EQMod Mount], Calibration Step = 1250 ms, Calibration Distance = 25 px, Assume orthogonal axes = no
RA Guide Speed = 7.5 a-s/s, Dec Guide Speed = 7.5 a-s/s
RA = 18.91 hr, Dec = 33.1 deg, Hour angle = -2.46 hr, Pier side = West, Rotator pos = N/A, Alt = 56.9 deg, Az = 113.1 deg
Lock position = 297.069, 261.728, Star position = 297.204, 261.214, HFD = 2.89 px
West calibration complete. Angle = -103.0 deg, Rate = 1.181 px/sec, Parity = Even
North calibration complete. Angle = -15.1 deg, Rate = 1.677 px/sec, Parity = Even

 

It all points to something in ASCOM not being right. Have you tried the ST4 cable instead?

It may also be that it is locking onto a hot pixel so create another dark library.

Edited by TerryMcK
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The mount is not reporting any information via ASCOM. I'd suspect an issue with the setup of the Stargo application. e.g. It may be configured for the wrong type of mount. 

 

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36 minutes ago, alacant said:

Hi

Increase the mount guide speeds from zero to at least 0.5 a-s/s for both axes. Then go for a calibration.

HTH

The data is showing RA Guide speed =0; Dec guide speed =0; RA=0; Dec=0, PierSide =Unknown. The non-reporting of RA and Dec suggests something more fundamental. With the Avalon mounts you need to set up the StarGo application by loading up a configuration file for the type of mount being used or it just wont work. Seeing as it is a new mount for the OP it is possible that this step has been omitted.

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Thanks all for the advice.

Ken, it does seem weird the the mount isn't reporting anything.

I have loaded the config file and also went through the Stargo alignment process.

I think as a starter I'll uninstall and reinstall the Stargo software and set the mount up again from scratch, see if that helps. Try again tonight!

 

 

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@gregk01I just did an experiment that might help you. I started up PHD2 and connected to the StarGo driver without any USB connection to the  mount. The StarGo driver popped up a window asking for the COM port so I clicked OK. It was happy with this even though the selected COM port did not even exist. The connection went ahead as though everything was OK and the guide log shows pretty much the same as yours.

So make sure that (a) Your USB cable is correctly connected to the mount and (b) that you have selected the correct COM port

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So, it appears the problem was a communication issue but related to having to run PHD2 as administrator. It seems that all apps communicating with Stargo need to be installed as admin and then run as admin otherwise they don't communicate.

So now I have them talking to each other, tonight I'll play around with the guide settings. Wasn't very smooth last night so assume I can fix this by playing around with the max movements and aggresiveness.

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