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INDI Library v2.0.7 is Released (01 Apr 2024)

Bi-monthly release with minor bug fixes and improvements

Guiding with SX Lodestar

  • Posts: 396
  • Thank you received: 17
I am running Astroberry Server 2.04 on an RPI 4. I have a CGEM mount, an SBIG CCD, a SX Filterwheel with and OAG and a SX Lodestar as the guide camera on the OAG. I am having difficulty with guiding calibration, I have read most of the posts on guiding and watched the tutorial. About a week ago, I performed Polar Alignment with good results and then started internal guiding and it worked well , I was able to take 10 minute subs with round stars in an F/10 setup. This has biased my judgement, that my equipment should guide well and so I have not 'studied' the reasons for success.

Since then I have not been able to repeat that success. Admittedly my PA has not been as good since then (I have a portable setup), but I do get to within a degree (or two) of the pole. Last night I tried using the guide port on the Celestron CGEM with the guide cable from the SX lodestar. I did select the SX lodestar option on the guide page (instead of CGEM mount), but I could not see any guide pulses getting thru to the mount. I watched the mount guide page for pulses and saw none.

So that is question one, how do I use the SX lodestar guide output directly into the CGEM mount guide port with EKOS internal guiding?

I switched back to guiding directly to the mount , then I could see guide pulses. I can see the guide star move when the pulses are applied and the green box moves with it, but calibration still failed. I have logs, I have tried adjusting the mounts backlash settings. I have to look into why the guide pulses are not re-establishing the position of the guide star.

Along that line, I am planning on loading PHD2 onto the RPI and trying it instead of internal guiding, I believe it has native support for the SX l.odestar. Any help in the correct process for installing PHD2 on the RPI would be appreciated. I will follow the instructions here; GitHub unless someone has a better set of instructions.

thanks,
Ron
3 years 11 months ago #53700

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  • Posts: 396
  • Thank you received: 17
I was able to load and install PHD2 using the process defined on GitHub, so that is good. I am still looking for someone with experience using the guide output of the SX Lodestar as the input to a CGEM mount AUX Guide Port.
thanks,
Ron
3 years 11 months ago #53767

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