Hey all -- Lewis asked me by e-mail to chime in here. A few bits to note:
-- I use an SX Lodestar myself on a Gemini mount. So, that rig has been tested well. But, I guide via the ST4 port not ASCOM.
-- The bits in that log file saying PulseGuide returned and all the Waiting 50ms bits -- perfectly normal. When I ask ASCOM to PulseGuide for say 500ms, it's allowed to return control to PHD immediately or to return only when the guide was done. If you notice the # of "waiting" bits there ends up being the number of msec intended to send.
-- It seems the issues are limited to those guiding via ASCOM, correct? If anything goes wrong in that code / in the link, PHD is going to have no idea. It'll keep sending commands and, since the mount doesn't actually move, the error builds up like crazy. So, we need to verify that the commands are actually getting out.
This may help.
-- I noticed though that the durations in that file got very large. That may-well suggest an alignment issue. In the above-linked PDF, it'll show you how to check your calibration section to make sure you've not got a lot of drift. The log files hold the key to 95% of user woes.
-- The guiding code (I swear!) hasn't changed in ages and there aren't any bits in there like "Pick a random number ... if it's prime, go mess with the guy and make guiding go all crazy!"
(If you don't believe me, you can look at all the source code, freely posted online!)
Craig