PHD2 after Meridian Flip

[Jockinireland]

I have not been guiding for long - maybe 4 sessions - so still incrementally adding things but generally it is going really well.

The one problem is that PHD2 will not automatically restart guiding after and automatic meridian flip carried out by APT.

There is a message saying that guiding was stopped as scope slewed, and a message saying star lost. So I'm thinking that APT is not telling PHD2 to stop guiding nor telling it to recommence after guiding. I've search to find a wrong setting in either APT or PHD2 but cant see anything obvious that is wrong.

When I hit autoselect star and "start guiding" it goes ahead perfectly - but that means I need to get out of my bed!

Any suggestions?

Regards

David.

[UlteriorModem]

That has to be some setting in APT. PHD Only follows commands as in start, stop, etc. Evidently it is not getting the command to re-start.

I dont use APT but hopefully someone can help you with that.

[JayTee]

There is a "side of pier" command that needs to come from ASCOM to APT or vice versa so they can report that to PHD2. PHD2 needs to know this so it can flip the calibration data to give the correct guide commands. I can never remember where "side of pier" originates from. Look into that.

JT

[UlteriorModem]

It is supposed to be reported by the mount / controller.

I had an issue with the CGX-L at first as it was not reporting side of pier. Fortunatly Celestron was aware of the problem and they put out a firmware update which fixed it.

May not be relevant to the OP in this case but something to consider.

[bobharmony]

David - there are two places I would look first (and you most likely already have). In the PHD2 Tools menu, make sure "Enable Server" is checked. In APT, click on the Gear tab and then the Guide selection. In the box that appears make sure you have set the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. In my setup the IP address is the loopback address 127.0.0.1 and the port is 4400.

I'm guessing you've already checked these but I'll throw them out there just in case. What version of PHD2 and APT are you using? This might be a good question for the APT forum as well.

Bob

[Jockinireland]

David - there are two places I would look first (and you most likely already have). In the PHD2 Tools menu, make sure "Enable Server" is checked. In APT, click on the Gear tab and then the Guide selection. In the box that appears make sure you have set the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. In my setup the IP address is the loopback address 127.0.0.1 and the port is 4400.

I'm guessing you've already checked these but I'll throw them out there just in case. What version of PHD2 and APT are you using? This might be a good question for the APT forum as well.

Bob

Thanks Bob, server is definately enabled but I've never touched the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. I've just looked and its the same as yours. But, i'm wondering where and when APT gets that IP address and the port number. Because the first time i set this up I probably used direct cable from mount to computer but now I'm going through a USB hub. So i wonder if that may have changed the portnumber (and you can probably tell I am now way out of my IT depth!!)

rgds

David.

[Juno16]

David - there are two places I would look first (and you most likely already have). In the PHD2 Tools menu, make sure "Enable Server" is checked. In APT, click on the Gear tab and then the Guide selection. In the box that appears make sure you have set the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. In my setup the IP address is the loopback address 127.0.0.1 and the port is 4400.

I'm guessing you've already checked these but I'll throw them out there just in case. What version of PHD2 and APT are you using? This might be a good question for the APT forum as well.

Bob

Thanks Bob, server is definately enabled but I've never touched the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. I've just looked and its the same as yours. But, i'm wondering where and when APT gets that IP address and the port number. Because the first time i set this up I probably used direct cable from mount to computer but now I'm going through a USB hub. So i wonder if that may have changed the portnumber (and you can probably tell I am now way out of my IT depth!!)

rgds

David.

Hi David,

These are my settings if that might help.

[Graeme1858]

Can you see the allocated port numbers in Windows Device Manager?

Regards

Graeme

[UlteriorModem]

His comm should be fine if everything is working correctly prior to a flip, no?

[Jockinireland]

David - there are two places I would look first (and you most likely already have). In the PHD2 Tools menu, make sure "Enable Server" is checked. In APT, click on the Gear tab and then the Guide selection. In the box that appears make sure you have set the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. In my setup the IP address is the loopback address 127.0.0.1 and the port is 4400.

I'm guessing you've already checked these but I'll throw them out there just in case. What version of PHD2 and APT are you using? This might be a good question for the APT forum as well.

Bob

Thanks Bob, server is definately enabled but I've never touched the PHD/LG IP address and PHD/LG Port. I've just looked and its the same as yours. But, i'm wondering where and when APT gets that IP address and the port number. Because the first time i set this up I probably used direct cable from mount to computer but now I'm going through a USB hub. So i wonder if that may have changed the portnumber (and you can probably tell I am now way out of my IT depth!!)

rgds

David.

Hi David,

These are my settings if that might help.

APT Guide Settings.JPG

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that, I note that you have the "control guiding" box checked. I dont. And looking in the APT Manual it states it must be checked for Automated meridian Flip. So I think you may have resolved my problem. You are a star (hehe - see what i did there??? :joking: )

[Juno16]

Hi David,

These are my settings if that might help.

APT Guide Settings.JPG

Hi Jim,

Thanks for that, I note that you have the "control guiding" box checked. I dont. And looking in the APT Manual it states it must be checked for Automated meridian Flip. So I think you may have resolved my problem. You are a star (hehe - see what i did there??? :joking: )

I did!!!

Good to hear that. I remember reading that too.

Get lucky every now and then!

[bobharmony]

Yep - that's the missing piece. Allowing APT to control guiding needs to be on, as APT directs PHD2 to resume guiding after the flip.

Bob

[Jockinireland]

Yep - that's the missing piece. Allowing APT to control guiding needs to be on, as APT directs PHD2 to resume guiding after the flip.

Bob

Yup! And you know what, I'm usually very good for reading manuals and instructions so I'm not really very sure how I missed this one - or could not find it afterwards! But I think AP is probably one of the most complex things I've ever done. There are just so many interconnecting components and processes and they all have to be 100% correct to end up with a usable image.

But I guess for me that is part of why it keeps my interest - its like a brain work-out every time I try to take an image.

[UlteriorModem]

That's one of the aspects that this 'hobby' has held my interest for so long. So many aspects from the mechanical, electrical, programming, and "Art" (processing).

Even after several years and probably forever, there is always something new to learn and try.