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Old 29-02-2008, 05:10 PM
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Darks with PHD autoguiding

Has anyone used the "Dark" button on the PHD interface? I presume it's to remove camera noise while autoguiding, but how exactly do you implement it? There is nothing on the help file.
Geoff
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Old 29-02-2008, 05:45 PM
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OK I think I've worked it out. Click "Take Dark". A message appears "Cover the guide scope". Click "OK". Dark gets taken with whatever exposure you plan to use. I guess this DF is then applied automatically as you expose for guiding. Remove a dark using the "tools" menu.
Geoff
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Old 29-02-2008, 05:49 PM
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iceman (Mike)
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Thanks Geoff, great idea. Will try it tonight if it stays clear.
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Old 29-02-2008, 05:53 PM
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Hi Mike
Let us know if it works.
Geoff
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Old 29-02-2008, 06:02 PM
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You have it right, it actually gives me a better range of guidestars when using the Q-Guider, eliminates the excess noise from the raw image.

Just remember if you change your exposure time, redo the dark.

Cheers
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Old 29-02-2008, 06:09 PM
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You have it right, it actually gives me a better range of guidestars when using the Q-Guider, eliminates the excess noise from the raw image.
Agreed, makes a huge difference with the QGuider.

My only problem then is callibration in PHD with the QGuider is doing weird stuff and not working Yet to try enough times to rule out user stupidity though
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Old 29-02-2008, 07:05 PM
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Agreed, makes a huge difference with the QGuider.

My only problem then is callibration in PHD with the QGuider is doing weird stuff and not working Yet to try enough times to rule out user stupidity though
What sort of exposure on what size guidescope are you using with the Q guider Roger?
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Old 29-02-2008, 07:48 PM
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Hey guys, on the subject of PHD, I've got it loaded on the laptop & it seems straight forward enough but what platform should I use to get it talking to the LX200GPS? Ive got ASCOM ticked but it seems to be spitting the dummy at that configuration. Any comments would be welcome.
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Old 29-02-2008, 08:21 PM
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With my Losmandy I use the GPUSB guide port interface from Shoestring Astronomy . I click this in the PHD "Mount" pull-down menu. It's supposed to work with Meade mounts as well.
Geoff
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Old 29-02-2008, 08:24 PM
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Thanks Geoff, I'll give it a go mate.
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Old 01-03-2008, 09:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghsmith45 View Post
What sort of exposure on what size guidescope are you using with the Q guider Roger?
I'm using a skywatcher 70x700 (F/10) scope as the guidescope with the Q guider.

My problem is a bit of a strange one, the image inside the PHD window jumps around in a strange way when in calibration mode, not what I would expect. I would expect the image to stay still and the stars, and crosshair, move, but the actual image within the "canvas" is moving what appears to be randomly while the cross hair says steady. Bizzar. Next time I get it hapenning (cloudy and daylight going to prohibit that for a bit) I will do some screen prints.

Roger.
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Old 01-03-2008, 10:46 AM
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Hi Roger

When I calibrate, been a while due to cloud, the cross hair stays still and turns yellow from memory but the background image actually moves North/South/East/West during the calibration routine, on the status bar, it gives you how many steps each move takes. The image gives the impression of moving all over the place but when you watch closely it is not random but in a controlled manner.

If your guide camera is not perfectly setup in the true N/S/E/W directions it will give the impression of moving all over the place. I have found that using the default setting works fine for me. I also force a calibration after each slew.

Cheers
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Old 01-03-2008, 01:21 PM
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Thanks John - that's exactly what I was seeing, sounds like I just need to get used to how PHD does things (to be expected). I'll give it another shot shortly.

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Old 09-11-2012, 11:57 AM
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Reviving old thread

Hi All,

I revived this thread as it was related but does not explain the problem I am experiencing.

I took a dark capture of the guide scope and when applied the background brightness altered from dark to bright in a bout 5 or 6 steps.
I think it is related to the number of frames captured. Guiding was still good as the Low SNR only occurred during one of the brighter moments then re-guided without much of a miss although there was a couple of moments where the image jumped.

Any offer if a solution?

Cheers
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Old 09-11-2012, 03:23 PM
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Never happen to me but you should be able to adjust brightness with slider control bellow the exposure control slider.
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Old 09-11-2012, 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by Karls48 View Post
Never happen to me but you should be able to adjust brightness with slider control bellow the exposure control slider.
I have this all the way down to almost minimum but it varies between 5 to 6 levels of brightness. It looses guide when it comes across the highest level.
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Old 09-11-2012, 08:43 PM
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I don't know - in four years guiding with PHD it never happen to me. And I always take darks. I had occasional problem with PHD crashing and solved it by starting PHD first then Maxim then SkyMap and VNC last.
Did you try redoing darks?
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Old 09-11-2012, 09:19 PM
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Did you try redoing darks?
Yes I had tried but I have just set it up again tonight and will try again.
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