G11 guiding help needed - Page 2

Octane (Humayun) · #21 23-03-2010, 02:41 PM

Yay.

Look forward to seeing the results.

H

Exfso (Peter) · #22 23-03-2010, 04:54 PM

I have set up the GPusb guider for tonight with the current scope setup to see what happens. If result is same, I at least know the Starshoot is ok. If all is now ok, it is the starshoot, which incidentally is less than one month out of warranty, that would be typical. Just a matter of being patient and using the process of elimination. I know for a fact balance is fine, motors were cold last night. As John said we stripped it almost completely at SV and that is not an issue. Used another set of RA and DEC cables, that is not an issue. I have a brand new Gemini battery to put in tonight, but this is just as a precaution. Not too many things left to try. Anyone want to lend me their Gemini so I can check that out...LOL.....

gbeal · #23 23-03-2010, 05:23 PM

Go for it mate. Not conversant with the Gemini stuff, but why, why, would it park differently, that has me beat?
Gary

multiweb (Marc) · #24 23-03-2010, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exfso

Anyone want to lend me their Gemini so I can check that out...LOL.....

If it comes to worse I can lend you my hammer

Works for me. Just show it to the mount and it starts tracking.

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #25 23-03-2010, 09:26 PM

How is your power feed?

I had my G11 do something strange a few weeks back, Goto Star 1 OK, Goto Star 2 OK, Goto Star 3 pointed to ground. Power off Cold start, Star 1 OK, Star 2 OK, Star 3 Ground.

Pulled the power cords out, re-seated them, Star 1 OK, Star 2 OK, Star 3 OK.

Bad power, makes bad Gemini

Exfso (Peter) · #26 23-03-2010, 11:05 PM

Checked with another autoguider tonight, still the same problem. Tomorrow night will strip everything off the scope except the Tak and I will use it as a guidescope this should tell if it is a balance problem. Currently I have the side by side losmandy plate with a Tak TGM guiding mount on it is an ED80 as the guidescope. If this is the problem and I doubt it is, looks like I will be doing a piggyback setup. Have had the side by side for a couple of years with no guiding issues. Got a horrible feeling it may be the Gemini guiding port, but need to get a lend of another Gemini to confirm this. It could be the RA and DEC leads, but if they were a problem, it would not slew and do all the other stuff that it is doing correctly, like pointing etc. Certainly a strange one that is for sure.

:s hrug:

multiweb (Marc) · #27 24-03-2010, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exfso

Got a horrible feeling it may be the Gemini guiding port, but need to get a lend of another Gemini to confirm this. It could be the RA and DEC leads, but if they were a problem, it would not slew and do all the other stuff that it is doing correctly, like pointing etc.

Could you track with PHD guide output disabled? What was your graph like?

spearo (Frank) · #28 24-03-2010, 06:36 PM

Trevor could be onto something
is the mount powered at 13.8 volts?
I once had weird performance
did the "reboot thing" fine since.
frank

Phoenix (Steve) · #29 24-03-2010, 10:59 PM

Hey Pete - I'm not far from you as you know. I can drop round with my Gemini to test if you like. Let me know.

Cheers, nix

Exfso (Peter) · #30 24-03-2010, 11:39 PM

Steve, you are a gentleman and a scholar. This really is getting to me mate.

Exfso (Peter) · #31 24-03-2010, 11:44 PM

The mount is powered by a 13.8 regulated supply. Been down that road before got caught, now it is always powered by this method.

Phoenix (Steve) · #32 25-03-2010, 12:01 AM

Hi Peter

I'm busy tomorrow but free Friday evening where we can try out my Gemini if needed. I can bring DEC/RA motor cables, etc as well as a brand new Orion StarShoot Autoguide - never been used. If you are busy Friday, I'm happy to make another time.

We can PM with details

Cheers

Exfso (Peter) · #33 25-03-2010, 03:12 AM

Sounds great to me mate.

Exfso (Peter) · #34 31-03-2010, 12:25 PM

Well Steve came over last night and we swapped his gemini and all cables. Problem still exists, so it has to be either polar alignment or balance, nothing else could really be the culprit. Thanks Steve, very much appreciated.

multiweb (Marc) · #35 31-03-2010, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exfso

Well Steve came over last night and we swapped his gemini and all cables. Problem still exists, so it has to be either polar alignment or balance, nothing else could really be the culprit. Thanks Steve, very much appreciated.

Could you track with PHD guide output disabled? Can you post your graph?

Octane (Humayun) · #36 31-03-2010, 05:26 PM

Did you remove your finderscopes? ; )

H

JohnH · #37 31-03-2010, 06:06 PM

Wierd G11G guiding - I have had odd behaviour on occasion if the guideport on the camera (mine is a QHY5) is not initialised before it is connected to the guideport on the mount. It seems safest to always start the Gemini with the autoguider disconnected, then start your guidecam/software and then connect the guide port. If I do not do that I have seen the guideport start up with a continuous signal which the guide software will fight to correct...you can tell if this is happening as the tracking returns to normal simply by unplugging the guide cable.

Another thing that drove me almost nuts was random autoguider error messages on the Gemini display - this I tracked down to the dew heater power cable - swapped to coax and no more issues.

Just thought I would share in case it might help, I realise you have tried an alternate camera and cables already but perhaps it is the guide port - that is on the motor contol board not the handset - or did you swap that also? You could try ASCOM guiding to eliminate the guideport from the setup...

allan gould · #38 31-03-2010, 10:13 PM

As mentioned in the post above you could try ascom guiding and plug into the RS232 port. This will eliminate the guide port. The other thing I would do is to give away PhDguiding. I used to use it then as I added programs to my laptop found its performance dropped way off. I then went over to guidemaster and it worked perfectly. Went back to PhD and no go.
Got a new laptop and can use both programs to guide with no problems - go figure.

Hagar (Doug) · #39 01-04-2010, 08:43 AM

Peter, Just a thought, do you get the same graph aberations on both sides of the meridian? don't change the balance or weight positions.

It could be an endplay movement on the dec worm, Checking it on both sides of the meridian sould show up if it is an endplay problem.

Exfso (Peter) · #40 02-04-2010, 01:55 AM

All discussed with Doug and John G tonight. A few more things left to try. Gemini and all cables fine. Possible that I might have the wrong guiding speed set in Gemini, but it started at default when I changed the Eprom yesterday, so that should not be an issue. Going to swap the RA and DEC worms with their wormblocks, just in case one of the worms is at fault. I checked the polar alignment and it appears to be pretty well spot on. A and E numbers are a bit of a worry though...the hair tearing continues....