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02-10-2017, 09:47 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Sydney
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PHD2 woes with ZWO and EQMOD...advice please
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e1...ps0eiwzt3b.jpg
Hi all,
Hopefully someone may be able to help?
I'm trying...again...to get everything to happily work together but PHD2 won't cooperate.
The main hardware I'm using:
1. NEQ6 with EQMOD and William Optic 132
2. 50mm guide scope with ZWO290MC
The software is:
1. ASCOM and EQMOD. Pulse guiding is checked
2. Cart du Ceil
3. PHD2
I have the ZWO connected to the computer and the the computer to the mount with the Shoestring DB9 plug.
I can see the star image in PHD2 but cannot get enough movement west after 60 or so iterations. In the PHD2 manual it says to take manual control to check the mount is talking to PHD2 but that doesn't work either. I've checked the calibration data and increases the duration of the pulse but no luck.
Am I missing something here? Does anyone haven advice please as I'm feeling frustrated after several days on just this issue.
regards
Geoff
PS why do I see the image in preview but only as a link in the actual thread?
Last edited by GOTO; 02-10-2017 at 09:47 PM.
Reason: image missing in thread
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02-10-2017, 10:08 PM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
Posts: 4,532
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Can you make the mount move with eqmod?
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02-10-2017, 10:22 PM
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Yes Peter all is well with EQMOD. I can drive the mount with the game pad or from the EQMOD control panel.
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02-10-2017, 10:23 PM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
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What do you have selected as the telescope in PHD2
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02-10-2017, 10:33 PM
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For the telescope in the Advanced Setup and Guiding tab: Focal length 162mm as its an Orion guide scope which give calibration steps of 1050 which in Manual mode I extended to 5000ms.
In the connect to equipment tab on the bottom left I've tried two different ways
Firstly
Camera: ZWO Camera
Mount: On camera
Aux Mount: EQMOD ASCOM HEQ5/6
and
Camera: ZWO
Mount: On camera
Aux Mount: None
Cheers
Geoff
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02-10-2017, 10:38 PM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
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To use on camera you need the st4 cable connected from the zwo to the guide port on the mount. You are better off using ascom pulse guiding. For that you enable pulse guiding in eqmod setup and select eqmod ascom heq5/6 as the mount in phd2
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02-10-2017, 10:43 PM
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Thanks Peter, I will try that
Cheers
Geoff
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02-10-2017, 10:46 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Lake Macquarie
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059
To use on camera you need the st4 cable connected from the zwo to the guide port on the mount. You are better off using ascom pulse guiding. For that you enable pulse guiding in eqmod setup and select eqmod ascom heq5/6 as the mount in phd2
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You can still use on camera with the ST4 cable connected to the mount. Just select the ZWO camera and on camera connection on start up. I do it that way with no issues at all. Make sure your guide star SNR is above about 10 and set the exposure to 2 sec to start with.
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02-10-2017, 10:58 PM
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Thanks Glen. I did use the auto guide port on the EQ6 and on camera until a few months ago when it all stopped working for some reason hence the revisit to EQMOD.
Cheers
Geoff
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03-10-2017, 08:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059
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No doubt, i was not suggesting multiple interfaces, my point being the use of EQMOD is not required for good guiding, you don't need it. There is no requirement in imaging, or guiding, to control the mount from a laptop. Mounts work very well using the range of alternative control interfaces available, including standard hand controllers, wifi interfaced devices running Sky Safari, etc. Sure you need a app platform for PHD2, or Metaguide, and a camera app of some sort, but mounts respond to guide commands just fine without EQMOD.
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03-10-2017, 09:17 AM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
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Pretty sure Geoff is already using eqmod and he also needs a computer to drive his zwo camera. In this case the st4 connection is not required.
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03-10-2017, 04:16 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albury
Posts: 52
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Geoff,
I have not got the solution to your problem,..........not a good reply is it,............. I have the identical fault, PHD2, Neq6, Zwo camera etc, running Eqmod in pulse, etc, I have tried 3 different computers, replaced all the leads, tried to guide in ST4, which worked once, gave me a flaky calibration then stopped working , changed every setting in Eqmod and PHD2, uninstalled the software and reinstalled, I connected an oscilloscope to the mount to watch the signal, this proved to be inconclusive or perhaps I just dont know anough above pulse widith modulation signals .......... I'm totally out of ideas after 5 weeks of effort.
I've spoken to service at Tasco who was very helpful, he sent me a replacement mother board for the mount, which I installed, the problem remains.
I can use manual mode in PHD2 and watch the "pulse guide monitor" window and see the pulses being sent as I push direction buttons in PHD2, (Dec works ok),
I checked the continuity of the windings on the RA stepper motor, which appear ok,
I have come against brick wall.
I've spoken to the tech at Tasco, he is currently looking into a solution at the moment.
None of this is fixing ur problem but at least ur not alone on this, if I come up with a solution, I will let you know,..... the solution may be returning the mount to the dealer, and buying another brand mount.
You can contact me offline if you would like to discuss this further
regards Russ
Last edited by Russj; 03-10-2017 at 05:58 PM.
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03-10-2017, 06:22 PM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
Posts: 4,532
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Russ
In eqmod when you hold down the ra and dec buttons does the mount move?
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04-10-2017, 05:39 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albury
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059
Russ
In eqmod when you hold down the ra and dec buttons does the mount move?
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G'day Peter, yes the mount moves in both axis
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04-10-2017, 08:29 AM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
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I think phd2 also has manual mount jogging buttons. Does it move when you try these?
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04-10-2017, 08:39 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Albury
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059
I think phd2 also has manual mount jogging buttons. Does it move when you try these?
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Only Dec. axis moves, Ra is the problem.
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04-10-2017, 10:50 AM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
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Have you got the same guide rates set in eqmod for both ra and dec?
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04-10-2017, 11:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter_4059
Have you got the same guide rates set in eqmod for both ra and dec?
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Tried different rates without any reponse from ra
------Geoff, hope I'm not hijacking your thread-------
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04-10-2017, 01:05 PM
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Big Scopes are Cool
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SE Tasmania
Posts: 4,532
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Are you using pulse guiding via eqmod or st4 connection?
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