Autoguiding Problem

[JCJC]

We need some help/ideas setting up guiding on our scope, using a CG5 tripod we have added a secondhand pair of Meade motors with a 497 handset (Roboscope), this all works a treat, full goto etc.

We are trying to guide via an XP laptop using PHD guiding software, I have made a cable to run from the spare socket in the base of the 497 handset to serial and have a Keyspan serial to usb adapter (USA19H). The Keyspan cable seems to be working, green lights flashing, Keyspan Assistant test run OK, com port set to com4 same as in PHD software.

We have tried Ascom V5 but now have V4.1 with modified Meade driver as suggested on the PHD site. When we run PHD in “simulator” mode for camera & telescope it works but of course is doing nothing, when we chose “Meade LX200 and Autostar” we get an alert “Ascom driver problem during connection” and cannot get beyond this point. It seems we are missing a step or something is not speaking to something on a setup that looks like it ought to be easypeasy.

1 Have other guiders used this arrangement with success ?

2 Should we chuck out the Keyspan cable & home made 497 to serial and look for something professionally made for astronomers ?

3 Is there an alternative route we should be taking, it seems to me that trying to use serial and then convert to usb is a roundabout way of doing things, is there a direct to usb way that I have missed ?

I know that this is a lot of questions and a completed procedure but feel we are not far from getting it right, any help will be very appreciated.

Thanks Jordan

[Catanonia]

Mate, hate to be bearer of bad news, but I have found and many others have found that a lot of the 'usb - serial' adapters just don't cut the mustard when it comes to Ascom.

You need to get one that is confirmed to work with Ascom over USB -> Serial adapter.

The one I have is RoHS compliant if that helps.

I have tried a few including the one you mention.

[Psychobilly]

Yeah lead free solder is an absolute must to get it to work

[adamsp123]

Sorry I don't have an answer to your problem, but to elaborate on Psychobillys point the RoHS directive, pronounced "Ross" in the UK and "Ro-Hoss" in the USA is "Restriction of Hazardous Sustances" directive.

It means that electronic equipment (and printed circuit boards and the parts that go on them) must be made without certain chemicals the main one of concern for PCBs is Lead. So all RoHS boards are now soldered using lead free solder and so are likely to break more easily as the alloys used in lead free solder make typically for a more brittle solder joint.

Pete

[Psychobilly]

Indeed Pete... The point being RoHS compliance has little or nothing to do with a USB-RS232 adaptors abillity to work with PHD...

[Starflyer]

I've used a pair of these for about a year now for controlling the shutter on my Canon camera and for guiding my EQ6 Pro with PHD / EQMOD via PC Direct mode.

I've had no problems at all with these - maybe worth a punt even if only to rule out your usb to serial adapter

Ian

[JCJC]

Thanks for the help, we have been down so many twists & turns that this morning, while it was raining, I took our home made serial cable apart.......... yes I had connected the pins with it facing the wrong way !!

Remade, with my old solder (must get some lead free) it worked first time, a major step forward for us, now waiting for a chance to test it in the real world. (looks out of window )

We are now happy bunnies

Jordan's dad (me wot did the soldering)

[steppenwolf]

Delighted to hear that all is well - RS232 connections can often be confusing despite generally only requiring three connections!

[adamsp123]

Remade, with my old solder (must get some lead free) it worked first time, a major step forward for us, now waiting for a chance to test it in the real world. (looks out of window )

We are now happy bunnies

Jordan's dad (me wot did the soldering)

Stick with tin/lead (standard solder) much lower melting point and you get much better wetting and hence joints.

If you go lead free you need a hotter running soldering iron and the chance of delaminating the copper from the PCB fibreglass substrate is greatly increased, the copper is glued on, so glue melts, copper comes off, loads of trouble.

[steppenwolf]

I too would stick with lead/tin solder, malleable and much easier to use

[Starflyer]

Good to hear you found the problem

[Catanonia]

LOL my BAD..

Was with proper intention though even with my miss understanding of ROSH

I have two Prolific USB - Serial cables that will not work with the scope, but the one i got from ebay (happened to have ROSH on it ) does work.

The wiring is the same with them both.

[Milamber]

But it is a valid point, if you need to get a serial>usb adapter then your best bet is to buy one from an astronomy retailer. Looks like you were lucky here but there are indeed adapters out there that will not work for astronomy purposes (usually those that do not use the Prolific chipset).

Arthur