PMX autoguider help needed

gregbradley · #1 04-12-2011, 09:51 AM

I am using my PMX mount and going through the teething troubles.

I now have everthing working; cameras, filter wheels, autoguider.

But I tried to autoguide with the Lodestar last night and the autoguider does not have a connection with the mount only the main camera.

So corrections don't work and I get a no connection with mount error message.

I am using Wins 7 64 bit and CCDsoft. I had it set to direct drive guiding.
I then setup the Lodestar guide cable and plugged it into the guide port on the PMX and it made no difference.

Any suggestions?

I also went to use T-Point in The SkyX. It would not plate solve an image. I did not enter a postion angle as I had hoped it would plate solve it and get one itself but not so. I may have to do this using T-point and the Sky 6 and then enter in the angle found if I can get that to work.
The PMX manual only touches on T-point and says its in the T-point users guide so I'll have to get a copy of that.

So far I am finding the Sky X not very user friendly and quite different to the Sky 6 and less robust. I also don't like the graphics display of the stars etc. Perhaps I'll get used to it. Not a good start though.
I guess its a complex piece of software and a lot to know about it even if you are very familiar with the Sky 6. There are similarities but there are also odd complexities like it has a control the camera section which looks like its only half done and gets in the road rather than helps.

Greg.

gregbradley · #2 04-12-2011, 01:50 PM

I think I solved that problem. You have to check the The Sky X under preferences in CCDsoft. The autoguider seems to work now.

Greg

Terry B · #3 04-12-2011, 03:30 PM

Greg
I find that TSXP will platesolve every image I send it. Tise wasn't the case initially though. The image angle isnt the problem but the plate scale needs to be correct. You also need to check the source extraction options so that it only finds relatively few stars in each image. I use a 5 sec exp with autodark in CCDSoft through either a V filter or a clear filter.
Change the source extractions so that 10-50 stars are found and use the unknown image scale choice until you get a match then change it to a known image scale.
Good luck

gregbradley · #4 04-12-2011, 04:14 PM

That's very helpful Terry - thanks very much. I will do that tonight.

Cheers,

Greg.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terry B

Greg
I find that TSXP will platesolve every image I send it. Tise wasn't the case initially though. The image angle isnt the problem but the plate scale needs to be correct. You also need to check the source extraction options so that it only finds relatively few stars in each image. I use a 5 sec exp with autodark in CCDSoft through either a V filter or a clear filter.
Change the source extractions so that 10-50 stars are found and use the unknown image scale choice until you get a match then change it to a known image scale.
Good luck

cfranks (Charles) · #5 04-12-2011, 05:26 PM

I've had good success with ImageLink for a while now but I've had no success Autoguiding with CCDSoft at all. My Lodestar is plugged directly to the PMX and using Direct Drive. I get no error messages at all but CCDSoft refuses to calibrate. MaximDL using the same parameters guides perfectly. Obviously it's something I haven't done but I am a bit lost. Any suggestions would be welcome

Charles

gregbradley · #6 05-12-2011, 10:42 AM

I used a Lodestar last night and it worked quite well. Its not as sensitive as an SBIG ST402ME but its very light and very convenient.

You won't be able to callibrate it without autodarks because the Lodestar often appears to have a white line on the left and sometimes a white line across the top.

What happens is these artifacts are brighter than the guide stars so the software picks them over the guide star so when callibrating it appears that the mount did not move when it should have.

So;

1. Set CCDsoft to autodark on the autoguider.
2. Lodestar set to 2x2 binning.
3. Take an image, I use about 4 seconds.
4. Check the subframe box under focus tab.
5. Drag a box around a suitable guide star, make sure the box is large enough for the callibration routine which moves the star about 1/10th of the size of the full 2x2 image. Also make sure there is not another bright star in the field or just outside the field that will move into the image in the callibration routine.
6. I use the auto button under autoguiding tab to select the guide star (this also shows it will pick the star and not some defect).
7. Click on callibrate (you don't need to worry about the number of seconds as it does it really fast, that is for other non-Software Bisque mounts).

The callibration routine done as above only takes about 15 seconds. It usually is successful.

Perhaps Maxim does not get these artifacts and it is something to do with CCDsoft.

SX recommends PHD also.

I found using the latest 64 bit drivers got rid of the white horizontal line in my images. So that was a surprise. I still have the bright left hand edge though.

See how that works.

Depending on the seeing etc, but last night it appeared I got lowest tracking errors using 1 second guide exposures just like my Tak NJP did.
That may change once I get a PEC and better polar alignment should I ever get T-point working.

Greg.

cfranks (Charles) · #7 05-12-2011, 02:46 PM

Thanks Greg, when I get another clear night, I will try your check list. I would much prefer to use CCDSoft for my imaging vs MaximDL. No real reason, I just like it's look & feel. What version of CCDSoft are you running? I recently upgraded to 5.00.212.

Charles

gregbradley · #8 05-12-2011, 11:44 PM

Yes I am using the latest version.

You have to use one of the later versions for it to work with the Sky X.

Greg.

cfranks (Charles) · #9 16-12-2011, 09:58 AM

Finally got to try CCDSoft Autoguiding again and still no joy. I used Camera Relays as it was the only setting that actually made the mount move. The star I had picked moved very well but CCDSoft still gave me the error 'not enough movement in the X axis' Increasing the calibration time made the star image move even further but I still got the error.
As before, Maxim works fine and its Calibration doesn't move the star as much as CCDSoft! Maxin's guiding was a bit 'soft' though but I think the poor seeing was the cause. Having just done a PEC run, I still had the guide log disabled so I will try again when the clouds disappear (right!).

Charles

gregbradley · #10 16-12-2011, 07:27 PM

Do you have CCDsoft file/preferences set to the Sky X?

You may have it set to the Sky 6.0.

The Lodestar I take it has the special Lodestar guide cable if using relays? (not needed for direct drive).
If you are using direct drive I wonder if you need to disconnect that cable in case you left it plugged in.

I seem to remember a post about that cable not working with Tak Temma mounts and needed a shoestring
astronomy adapter. Could that be it?

Greg.

cfranks (Charles) · #11 16-12-2011, 09:58 PM

Yes, TheSkyX is properly set in CCDSoft and the Lodestar is plugged directly into the VersaPlate. I tried it with Direct Drive set in CCDSoft but no movement at all hence the move back to Camera relays. I then found an old thread on the Bisque CCDSoft Forum which pointed out a change in Calibration parameters when going from Camera Relays (= Calibration Time (secs)) to Direct Drive (= Calibration Distance (arcsec)). The thread suggested a number 5 to 10 secs for the Camera Relays but up to 150 arcsecs for the Direct Drive! My CCDSoft will only allow 60 arcsecs move but I will try this approach when next we see a star or two.

Charles

pmrid (Peter) · #12 16-12-2011, 11:44 PM

Greg, I wrote to Terry at SX about problems I was having with using my SX gear with the PMX and CCDSoft and TheSkyX. I had a new H18 setup as my imaging cam and an Exview (similar to Lodestar) as guider but CCDsoft would not connect with either, or it would mistake the guider for the imager and vice versa. Terry said it was a known bug in CCDSoft that they were working on.
It might pay to write to him and see if you arre experiencing the same bug.
Peter

gregbradley · #13 17-12-2011, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfranks

Yes, TheSkyX is properly set in CCDSoft and the Lodestar is plugged directly into the VersaPlate. I tried it with Direct Drive set in CCDSoft but no movement at all hence the move back to Camera relays. I then found an old thread on the Bisque CCDSoft Forum which pointed out a change in Calibration parameters when going from Camera Relays (= Calibration Time (secs)) to Direct Drive (= Calibration Distance (arcsec)). The thread suggested a number 5 to 10 secs for the Camera Relays but up to 150 arcsecs for the Direct Drive! My CCDSoft will only allow 60 arcsecs move but I will try this approach when next we see a star or two.

Charles

That's interesting. I thought the callibration time box was not active when using direct drive as it seemed to do the same thing everytime no matter what I set.

Greg.

gregbradley · #14 17-12-2011, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmrid

Greg, I wrote to Terry at SX about problems I was having with using my SX gear with the PMX and CCDSoft and TheSkyX. I had a new H18 setup as my imaging cam and an Exview (similar to Lodestar) as guider but CCDsoft would not connect with either, or it would mistake the guider for the imager and vice versa. Terry said it was a known bug in CCDSoft that they were working on.
It might pay to write to him and see if you arre experiencing the same bug.
Peter

Hi Peter,

Its Charles that is having the problem. I used a Lodestar with direct drive 2 weekends ago successfully. Main camera was a FLI Proline 16803.

I did install the 64 bit driver that is on the SX site. Then it worked in Wins 7. Prior to that it did not. So try that and see if it makes any difference. Unless its an issue when using 2 SX cameras.

Good point though. Charles what main camera are you using?
Greg.

cfranks (Charles) · #15 17-12-2011, 03:11 PM

My main camera was a QSI 540 wsg but changed last week to a QSI 683wsg-8. Guiding for both was/is a Lodestar.
I use Win 7 x64 with the x64 SX Driver.

Charles

gregbradley · #16 18-12-2011, 08:37 AM

Can you post an image from your Lodestar?

Greg.

cfranks (Charles) · #17 18-12-2011, 08:58 AM

I never keep the Lodestar images. I will have to wait until the next imaging session.

Charles

gregbradley · #18 18-12-2011, 09:47 AM

It could reveal the problem.

It may be that there are artifacts in the image the software is confusing for the star and that is why it is failing.

Greg.

cfranks (Charles) · #19 18-12-2011, 03:57 PM

I'm not sure about the image as Maxim guides perfectly with the same setup. I was hoping to try again tonight but it is still raining. Maybe tomorrow night.
Thanks for the continuing help Greg, I appreciate it.

Charles

PRejto (Peter) · #20 18-12-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregbradley

I am using my PMX mount and going through the teething troubles.

I also went to use T-Point in The SkyX. It would not plate solve an image. I did not enter a postion angle as I had hoped it would plate solve it and get one itself but not so. I may have to do this using T-point and the Sky 6 and then enter in the angle found if I can get that to work.
The PMX manual only touches on T-point and says its in the T-point users guide so I'll have to get a copy of that.

Greg.

Greg,

I have an idea, though I have not yet been able to try it out myself. If you can use an ASCOM driver with your camera why not run T-Point directly from the TSX Camera Plugin? It might solve your issues given that everything would be from within TSX instead of CCDSoft to TSX.

Peter