Assistance Please EQ-6 and PHD

[Astrodad]

EQ-6 and PHD
My EQ-6 autoguides wonderfully with my ST2000XM when I plug the camera feed into the Autoguider port. However, as part of my astro-evolution I'm piggybacking the ST2000 on top with a Mandel widefield adapter and Nikon lens and want to autoguide with my DSI through the OTA using PHD. I can successfully interface the laptop to the EQ-6 using Cartes du Ciel using my USB-serial port adapter (rs-232) by calling my scope a Celestron Nexstar 5 like the manual says to do. AND PHD works with my LX200 but when I plug into the EQ-6 autoguider port or the Serial port at the base of the hand paddle, an error message "Scope Does Not Support Pulse Guide Mode" appears. I'm setting it up as the instructions say, as a Celestron Nexstar 5. What is the answer to this question???
Cheers,
max

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Hi Max, I am having a similiar problem!!! My Handset says, "you have no telescope connected" It has been suggested to me that the wires are wired up wrong in the cables plugs. Hmmmm . . . possible.

[Dennis]

I think that Pulse Guide Mode is an ASCOM feature and from what you describe, your mount may not support this ASCOM feature. However, all is not lost as there is also an ST-4 mode of operation.

From the PHD website, we have the following:

• Guides through ASCOM's PulseGuide commands for lag-free, accurate commands on a wide range of mounts (Windows).
• Guides through ShoeString Astronomy's GPUSB (Windows & OS X) and GPINT (Windows) ST-4 style adapters for lag-free, accurate commands on a wide range of mounts.

My Tak EM200 doesn’t support Pulse Guide, so I use the ShoeString Astronomy's GPUSB which connects as follows:

USB2 port on Notebook PC -> GPUSB Box -> Tak EM200 mount.

So, I am using the 2nd method for an ST-4 style adapter and PHD works fine that way.

Cheers

Dennis

[Astrodad]

Ken,

After overcoming "that little" error message along the way, here are a few tips. If you are using a USB port out of a laptop, ensure it's configured properly through a usable USB/serial adapter. In windows, you can check this by going to control panel/device manager/harware/com ports and ensure your com port is recognized as the one that has been "virtually assigned". This is usually port 4, 5, or 6. FYI, in response to my problem, I'm buying a Shoestring EQDIR Mod device.