PHD guiding

[astroboyz]

Hi all,

I just started out experiencing PHD guiding together with EQASCOM. I always had problem with guiding after just 5 secs, the bottom panel kept beeping and flashing in red; and the guiding star moved out of the green square. Please see attached capture.
Much appreciate if you can advise what I did wrong here.

More info:
Equipment
I have HEQ5-Pro Goto mount & Orion Starshoot camera & guide scope (used for autoguiding). Skywatcher CF Newtonian F4 200mm

Connection:
- Orion starshoot to my laptop via USB
- HEQ5-Pro to my laptop via USB
- EQASCOM & PHD loaded

While writing this, I just remember EQASCOM has sidereal tracking feature, which I supposed to be enabled automatically right? (I forgot to double check this)


astroboyz

[chuckywiz]

My thoughts would be wrong star, way to bright and big.... choose the auto star feature or choose one of the smaller or dimmer type stars.

Ben

[willik]

Try PHD 2 You might find that easy to use not so much to adjust it is worth a try and take dark frames.
Willik

[Robert9]

My Starshoot camera links to laptop via USB for PHD2 and direct to my HEQ5 Pro via 6 wire mod. cable for guiding. I don't use EQASCOM. Works fine.
Robert

[willik]

You are using PHD 2 Check your delay time is more than 5 sec increase 300 sec not giving enough time for phd 2 to settle and you can go back to last calibrate this works it as happened to me lost star.
Willik.

[redbeard]

Hi, I know this is stating the obvious, but you are accurately polar aligned?

[traveller]

If the guide star moves too much during calibration, it is a sign of poor polar alignment. So I'd check that first.

[uwahl]

My 5 cents worth from someone who has just started out - early on I had trouble with the star scooting out of the box and PhD losing lock - the problem turned out to be that the mount was not tracking. Once I made sure that the mount was tracking all was well. It is now part of my check list. :screwy:

[speach]

I don't use eqascom at all found it a pain, just use the guider plugged directly to the mount, PHD, APT and the synscan controller. Simple and very good guiding. Let PHD choose the star for guiding.
Looks like your guide scope need focusing too.

[DavidLJ]

Looking at your image, I wonder if you have focused your guide scope properly? The very bright star at the top looks to be too large and the other fainter stars seem to be quite fuzzy. PHD probably needs to have a very small point on which to guide. For that reason I usually select a guide star midway between the brightest available and the dimmest. If you are guiding on a large and/or de-focused star PHD will have a hard time determining if and when to send an adjustment instruction to the mount. Once properly focused and unless demounted between imaging sessions the Orion Miniguider / Autoguider should hold its focus setting well.

[astroboyz]

Hi all,
Many thanks for the prompt response, going through these advice, I have created a list of "to-try" list .... just a matter of waiting for clear sky :-)
I'm sure it would be some silly thing that I missed. Will keep you posted.

Thanks again :-)