Maxim Autoguiding help, amongst other things...

[Ant]

Last night had a mixed night, once again I couldn't get PHD to work correctly.

All I really wanted to do was image something - almost anything would have done... So I failed at that.

It was cold but clear and I was willing to sit in the cold and just work things through, Jon (ford prefect) suggested guiding with the H9 - just to see if it was the DMK that was causing the issues... It appears to not be the DMK. So I checked for a new version - but I have the most uptodate PHD available.

I've had issues with the DMK in a particular USB slot, so I changed that. I used different USB leads... the leads I'm using are 5m.

So I thought that I would have another go at using Maxim for the guiding... Well this time, thanks to some guidance from Kevin, I managed to get an image of the star in PHD. Thats further than I've ever got before, so that was good.

But I couldn't work out how to get MAXIM to talk to the mount - it keep saying that there was an error. I had the "Control Via" set to Guider relay, which I think is the correct way to do it.

Thats as far as I got... pretty much the whole country was supposed to be clear - but it wasn't at my house . I left everything running and went back out a firther three times and eventually gave in and packed away at around 1am.

So the things that I've learnt/acheived tonight are...

1. PHD doesn't like me very much.

2. The focus points for both cameras in the new sopes.

3. The 2" adapter that comes with the H9 DOESN'T have a 2" filter thread!!!

4. Got a guide star on Maxim.

Things I need to work on...

1. Get maxim taking to the mount.

2. Use the EQDIR module - but I have no free USB ports on the laptop(for a wireless gamepad) - can I use the handset and the EQDIR module?

As usual all and any help most welcome.

My last session out with the scope was 17/01! Nearlt 2 months ago.

Cheers

Ant

[MikeP]

Hi Ant,

I may be wrong but if so, someone will correct me.

The EQDIR is simply there to permit communication from the laptop to the mount. It just does electronic stuff that I don't understand. The latest releases of the software for the hand-controller allows it to fulfil the same purpose ie connect to the mount from the laptop. That's the "pass through" mode or whatever they call it.

In both cases you can control the mount from your PC. I'm talking now about doing alignment, go to's etc. - normally from a planetarium program and / or the EQMOD interface. Where the games controller comes into play is to work in conjunction with EQMOD - you map functions to its keys. So, you can stand at the eyepiece and use the games controller to nudge etc.

As far as I know, if you are using the handset in "pass through" mode, you should keep your fingers away from its buttons - very confused software will result otherwise.

OK, you don't have enough USB ports on your machine. You can use a (preferably) powered hub and plug the receiver for the games controller into that - I used to do that till I bought a new laptop a while ago.

Now, turning to Maxim and autoguiding. As you know, you can guide via your mount's autoguider port. Guiding messages from "whatever device" you are using are sent to the mount to move it a bit to keep the guide star steady.

There is an alternative way that EQMOD enables called pulse guiding. Instead of messages being sent to the guide port, they are sent to the normal one (whatever that is called). They are literally little pulse messages like little slews.

I use EQMOD to control the guiding via the guider port but to do this I have to use another gizzmo between the PC and the mount - a GPUSB module (Shoestring). Maxim and PHD (IIRC) have GPUSB as an option so I can't really get that bit wrong.

Now I'm guessing a bit. If the hand controller software allows pulse guiding (I really don't know), I think in Maxim you will have to choose "ASCOM Direct". "Guider relays" I think relate to a connection to the guider port.

Ant, that's the best I can do. With a bit of luck someone who uses the same configuration as you will come along and tell you how to do it. I hope that helps a bit.

Mike

PS You still got further than me last night - trying to use an OAG and get the cameras parfocal. After loads of problems I got to the point where I could see what needed adjusting but ..... the blasted extension tube I needed to replace would just not unscrew. Of course it came off easy peasy this morning. Grrrr

[SteveP]

Hi Ant

To understand a little more, why do you want to use the EQDir module? Maxim has the ability to autoguide and control your mount directly from your laptop. I suspect that part of your issue is having another piece of equipment in the chain. EQDir is fundamentally part of the EQMod approach to controlling the mount without the need for the handset.

Does that make sense?

Steve

[Ant]

Cheers Mike.

Your issue was the metal cooling down and shrinking slightly - which is why annoyingly it unscrews the next day. I found an elastic band (just a thin one) was enough to alleviate the problem.

I tried using a QHY5 using the autoguide port and failed - so returned to the DMK as a guide camera.

My current setup uses the serial lead plugged into the bottom of the handset and pulse guides the mount.

I bought one of these, Cables, Leads and Controllers - HitecAstro EQDIR adapter, a while back and this bypasses the handset. But currently I have no way of controlling the mount if I remove the handset.

I do have a powered USB2 hub, So I will try that next time I'm out. But I don't get on with USB hubs . I suppose that I can get that part working in the warmth of the garage.

I do have a PC joystick(wired) that I could try (and I have just placed a bid for a wireless gampad). I'll hook up the joystick as well and see if that can be configured.

I wanted to move away from pulse guiding as 'd been told that it was a not very efficient way of guiding. Hence buy the EQdir module.

I get very confused with this sort of stuff, as I do not have an endless supply of money, I seem to be getting a usable clear night every 2 months or so at this rate I'll have retired before I get it working.

So what is the method that Maxim uses to talk to the mount? I assumed that would have used the EQdir method as everyone tells me that once I lose the handset things get easier.

Currently I use

DMK21 to guide, through PHD, pulse guiding the mount.

H9 via Maxim to image.

I cannot get through a session without PHD crashing, so I'm giving up on PHD. It used to work great, not sure what happened, but it doesn't work now.

So I thought that I would use Maxim for guiding as well. But I couldn't get Maxim to control the mount.

Ant

[roundycat]

I must confess this thread has me a bit lost. Why?, because if a computer numpty like me can have faultless guiding for years then Maxim must be ok.

I use my mount (both G11 and now AP1200) in stand alone mode. If I want it to point somewhere I use the handset, that's what it's for. Maxim is obviously responding to both your cameras (?) so with one set as guider all you need to do is connect it's guide output to the guide input on the mount, usually an RJ11 or similar plug.

So now Maxim talks to your imaging camera. It also talks to your guide camera (from the camera set-up menu in Maxim, set it before connecting the cameras in the software) and all that needs to happen is for the mount to get signals from the guide camera via the RJ11 plugged lead.

The mount handset plays no part in this whatsoever.

Dennis

[Ant]

The mount handset plays no part in this whatsoever.

Dennis

It does if you plug the serial lead into the handset. Don't assume that everyone does things the same way.

Thanks for the chat Mike. You've given me loads to do/check and a good order to do things in...

I've been getting the blue screen of death a lot lately, so I've re-installed the OS and I'm installing all the software that I need. So very soon I'll be able to get out into the garage and start making sure everything works. Bit by Bit... I'll get there.

Expect a call at some point Mike

Ant