Come join the friendliest, most engaging and inclusive astronomy forum geared for beginners and advanced telescope users, astrophotography devotees, plus check out our "Astro" goods vendors.
Come join the friendliest, most engaging and inclusive astronomy forum geared for beginners and advanced telescope users, astrophotography devotees, plus check out our "Astro" goods vendors.
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.
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer
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.
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.
Tom
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro
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.
bobharmony wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:36 pm
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.
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer
bobharmony wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:36 pm
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.
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
bobharmony wrote: ↑Thu Apr 16, 2020 1:36 pm
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: )
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer
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!
Jim
Scopes: Explore Scientific ED102 APO, Sharpstar 61 EDPH II APO, Samyang 135 F2 (still on the Nikon).
Mount: Skywatcher HEQ5 Pro with Rowan Belt Mod
Stuff: ASI EAF Focus Motor (x2), ZWO OAG, ZWO 30 mm Guide Scope, ASI 220mm min, ASI 120mm mini, Stellarview 0.8 FR/FF, Sharpstar 0.8 FR/FF, Mele Overloock 3C.
Camera/Filters/Software: ASI 533 mc pro, ASI 120mm mini, ASI 220mm mini , IDAS LPS D-1, Optolong L-Enhance, ZWO UV/IR Cut, N.I.N.A., Green Swamp Server, PHD2, Adobe Photoshop CC, Pixinsight.
Dog and best bud: Jack
Sky: Bortle 6-7
My Astrobin: https://www.astrobin.com/users/Juno16/
bobharmony wrote: ↑Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:56 am
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.
Scope: Skywatcher Evostar 80ED (SW 0.85 FR/FF) on a SW NEQ6Pro
Guiding; SW Evoguide 50ED, ASI 120mm mini
Meade 8" LX200 GPS on wedge (Guided with a cheapo 50mm guidescope and a ZWO ASI 120mm mini)
Sharpstar 61EDPH II (with dedicated 0.8 reducer) with wiliam Optics 32mm uniguide
Camera: ASI2600MC pro. QHY 163M with ZWO 7nm NB filters, Canon EOS700D astro mod
Secondary mount: Skywatcher StarAdventurer
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.
Tom
Current Equipment:
Mount: Celestron CGX-L
Scope: 130mm f7 APO
Cam: ASI071mc-pro