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This is simply a configuration problem Roger. Both images you supplied I plate solved successfully in MaximDL & Pinpoint using the USNO-A2.0. I let it search from -2 to 20 mag stars. The first image with only a few stars visible took some time, but still returned true image center information with reasonable precision.
Below is the FITS output of the second file (failure2). I've highlighted the plate solve info in bold. It matched 17 stars. Not perfect, but still usable for what I suspect you want to achieve.
SIMPLE = T/CCDSOFT-SOFTWARE BISQUE 3
BITPIX = 16
NAXIS = 2
NAXIS1 = 382
NAXIS2 = 255
BSCALE = 1.0000000000000000
BZERO = 0.00000000000000000
BIAS = 100
FOCALLEN = +2.300000000000e+003
APTAREA = +2.258060000000e+005
APTDIA = +3.000000000000e+002
ORIGIN = 'Darling Range Observatory'
TELESCOP = 'Meade 12" LX200' / Telescope name
OBSERVER = 'Roger Groom' / Observer name
DATE-OBS = '2008-02-09T12:41:40.171' / [ISO 8601] UTC date/time of exposure start
TIME-OBS = '12:41:40' / [old format] UTC time of exposure start
SWCREATE = 'CCDSoft Version 5.00.185'
SET-TEMP = -5.000000000000e+000
COLORCCD = 0
DISPCOLR = 1
IMAGETYP = 'Light Frame '
CCDSFPT = 1
XORGSUBF = 0
YORGSUBF = 0
CCDSUBFL = 0
CCDSUBFT = 0
XBINNING = 2 / Binning level along the X-axis
CCDXBIN = 2
YBINNING = 2 / Binning level along the Y-axis
CCDYBIN = 2
EXPSTATE = 293
CCD-TEMP = -4.817803680962e+000
TEMPERAT = -4.81780368096E+000 / [Deg. C] Temperature of CCD detector chip
OBJECT = 'NGC 1185' / Target object name
OBJCTRA = '03 04 00.00' / [hms J2000] Target right ascension
OBJCTDEC = '-09 07 00.0' / [dms +N J2000] Target declination
TELTKRA = +3.115313074245e-305
TELTKDEC = +2.639312901468e-308
CENTAZ = +2.929575640478e+002
CENTALT = +4.677778573741e+001
TELHA = '02 39 22.380 '
LST = '05 42 18.676 '
AIRMASS = 1.37228533957E+000 / Airmass (multiple of zenithal airmass)
SITELAT = '-31:52:53.00 '
SITELONG = '-116:10:12.30 '
INSTRUME = 'SBIG ST-7 Dual CCD Camera' / Detector instrument name
EGAIN = +2.300000000000e+000
E-GAIN = +2.300000000000e+000
XPIXSZ = +1.800000000000e+001
YPIXSZ = +1.800000000000e+001
SBIGIMG = 5
USER_2 = 'SBIG ST-7 Dual CCD Camera'
DATAMAX = 65535
SBSTDVER = 'SBFITSEXT Version 1.0'
FILTER = 'Clear ' / Filter name
EXPTIME = 2.50000000000E+001 / [sec] Duration of exposure
EXPOSURE = 2.50000000000E+001 / [sec] Duration of exposure
CBLACK = 266
CWHITE = 330
INPUTFMT = 'FITS ' / Format of file from which image was read
SWOWNER = 'Jase ' / Licensed owner of software
HISTORY File was processed by PinPoint 4.1.10 at 2008-02-09T14:58:39
DATE = '09/02/08' / [old format] UTC date of exposure start
UT = '12:41:40' / [old format] UTC time of exposure start
TIMESYS = 'UTC ' / Default time system
RADECSYS = 'FK5 ' / Equatorial coordinate system
RA = '03 04 00.00' / [hms J2000] Target right ascension
DEC = '-09 07 00.0' / [dms +N J2000] Target declination
CLRBAND = 'R ' / [J-C std] Std. color band of image or C=Color
ZMAG = 1.99983462221E+001 / Mag zero point for 1 sec exposure
EQUINOX = 2000.0 / Equatorial coordinates are J2000
EPOCH = 2000.0 / (incorrect but needed by old programs)
CTYPE1 = 'RA---TAN' / X-axis coordinate type
CRVAL1 = 4.56672494233E+001 / X-axis coordinate value
CRPIX1 = 1.91000000000E+002 / X-axis reference pixel
CDELT1 = -4.72269273228E-004 / [deg/pixel] X-axis plate scale
CROTA1 = -1.45381330567E+000 / [deg] Roll angle wrt X-axis
CTYPE2 = 'DEC--TAN' / Y-axis coordinate type
CRVAL2 = -9.13743436287E+000 / Y-axis coordinate value
CRPIX2 = 1.27500000000E+002 / Y-axis reference pixel
CDELT2 = -4.72204122167E-004 / [deg/pixel] Y-Axis Plate scale
CROTA2 = -1.45381330567E+000 / [deg] Roll angle wrt Y-axis
CD1_1 = -4.72117250540E-004 / Change in RA---TAN along X-Axis
CD1_2 = -1.19803409491E-005 / Change in RA---TAN along Y-Axis
CD2_1 = 1.19819939036E-005 / Change in DEC--TAN along X-Axis
CD2_2 = -4.72052120451E-004 / Change in DEC--TAN along Y-Axis
HISTORY WCS added by PinPoint 4.1.10 at 2008-02-09T14:58:39
HISTORY Matched 17 stars from the USNO-A2.0 Catalog
HISTORY Average residual was 0.68 arc-seconds
PLTSOLVD = T / Plate has been solved by PinPoint
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