Hi,

This is my first post here. I searched this forum for hints to help me resolve my problem but I didn't find any

I have a SkyWatcher AZ-EQ6 mount that I connect to Ekos via the SynScan driver. This works ok for me. Once I do a manual align (I haven't tried the alignment module in Ekos yet) any object I instruct the mount to go to via KStars ends up at the center of the FOV. Great!

However, I have auto-guiding issues. I use a ZWO ASI120MC camera and I applied the USB2 patch so I get images on my Lubuntu 17.04 laptop running kstars-bleeding. Shooting darks is fine, capturing an image as well. But as soon as I start calibrating things go wrong. Calibration in RA so far always has gone OK but calibration in DEC not. As far as I understand Ekos will send guiding commands to the ZWO ccd camera which then passes them on to the mount via the ST-4 cable. The funny thing is that guiding doesn give any problems at all using PHD2!

Now, of course I could stick to using PHD2 for guiding and Ekos for the rest but still. What could be the problem? Polar alignment is ok as I stated above. The mount responds well to any button press on the handpad. And PHD2 is guiding like a charm. What could be the issue with Ekos?


Clear skies, Wouter

Hello Wouter,

You can set the SkyWatcher is "PC Direct" mode and then use the EQMod driver, which is much more powerful than the Sync scan. Regarding your issues, please use the latest KStars release 2.8.5, and enable logging for "Guide", and then attach you log. Are you setting any backlash compensation in PHD2?

Hi Jasem,

Thanks very much for the suggestion to use the EQMod driver. I have tried this a few weeks ago (only for goto) and it works so I'll use that from now on. However, if I understand correctly this will not improve guiding, will it? The guiding commands are sent via the ST-4 cable, right?

As for your question about PHD2, no I don't use any additional configuration. In the PHD2 wizard I chose my guiding camera, chose On Camera for the mount and no AO and no ... sorry, forgot what the 4th option was. That's all.

Anyway, I'll setup the mount with the DSLR camera and ZWO guide camera again tonight and will enable logging for "Guide". I'll let you know the result afterwards.


Clear skies, Wouter

You're absolutely right, it won't affect guiding, but I just mentioned it in case you do not know. I updated the code to try a more aggressive approach and I will test it tonight and see how it fairs and will let you know if you can update to test.

I just triggered another PPA build for KStars on Linux, please upgrade and test this out. If you're using KStars on another platform, let me know which.

EDIT: Also updated build for Windows.

Ok I pulled the new version from your repo. Not sure if I can test tonight but otherwise tomorrow. Thanks a lot!

I was able to give it a try tonight and again, sorry, the calibration for the guiding failed. See the attached log file. Thanks again so very much for your support!

The log shows you were still using the older version, please update again.

I updated again and gave it another try. Doing so I discovered a configuration error. The aperture and focal length of the guiding telescope were wrong! So I corrected those and let Ekos guide for about 15 minutes. That went perfectly OK. Sorry to have bothered you with this. For some reason I cannot upload the log file of tonight (probably my crappy internet connection. If youŕe interested in it then please let me know and Iĺl try to upload it again.

If everything OK no need for log. Glad it worked out!

the direct connection replaces the st-4 cable requirement as the guide commands are sent directly over the usb/serial connection

if you get random disconnects from the mount you need to disconnect the hand controller

Thanks for the comment Elfe but I am confused now.

Jasem says using the EQMod driver won't affect guiding (i.e. I still need the ST-4 cable) but you say it replaces the ST-4 cable connection. So, do I need the ST-4 cable when guiding over an EQMod connection or not?

Also, how can I disconnect the hand controller when in PC Direct mode (i.e. using the EQMod driver) since the PC connection cable plugs into the hand controller?