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Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

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Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2 was created by Carlos Martínez

Hi everybody.

I'm having a lot of problems using EKOS and external autoguiding in PHD2. If I enable DEC guiding mode as "Auto" I always get a graph like the attached one. At first, it goes well but when a north correction pulse is done, the DEC red line goes down wildly.

Instead of that, if I only change USBs to my Windows laptop and start ASCOM + Cartes du ciel + APT + PHD2, the graph is perfect, as seen on attachment.

This is my equipement:
  • Mount: Skywatcher AZ-GTI + Star Adventurer wedge + serial cable
  • Main tube: Skywatcher Evostar 72ED 420mm + Canon 550D
  • Guiding tube: Svbony SV165 30mm/120mm + ZWO ASI178MC
  • System: Raspberry PI 4 & Astroberry (INDI Library v1.8.6 & KStars v3.4.3 using EQMod driver)

I have a friend with the same problem.

What could be the problem? Bad settings? Driver bug?

Here are PHD2 logs. I think I'm going to test it again tonight and I'll get INDI logs.


Thank you in advance.
3 years 6 months ago #60506
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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

Hi again.

I've got some KStars logs and the PHD2 related. I attach them.

At first DEC mode south was selected, because it doesn't fail, then changed to DEC mode auto that failed a few time after.

23:32:12 - DEC south mode guiding
23:34:00 - Changed to DEC mode auto
23:35:20 - Guiding failed

Here are some guiding logs that I've found. Sorry but I don't understand INDI logs between them (as you can see, logs are in spanish, sorry about that):
[2020-09-23T23:28:07.406 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "PHD2: Guiding started."
[2020-09-23T23:28:07.427 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Guiado automático iniciado."
[2020-09-23T23:28:07.516 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "PHD2: Tiempo de exposición fijado a: 1.50"
[2020-09-23T23:28:07.555 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "PHD2: Modo de guiado DEC fijado a: South"
[2020-09-23T23:34:07.647 CEST DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - PHD2: event: "{\"Event\":\"GuideParamChange\",\"Timestamp\":1600896847.633,\"Host\":\"astroberry\",\"Inst\":1,\"Name\":\"Dec Guide Mode\",\"Value\":\"Auto\"}\r\n"
[2020-09-23T23:34:07.648 CEST DEBG ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - PHD2: event: "{\"Event\":\"ConfigurationChange\",\"Timestamp\":1600896847.633,\"Host\":\"astroberry\",\"Inst\":1}\r\n"
[2020-09-23T23:34:07.649 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Evento de PHD2 desconocido: ConfigurationChange"
...
[2020-09-23T23:36:12.552 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "PHD2: Guiado automático detenido."
[2020-09-23T23:36:12.570 CEST DEBG ][   org.kde.kstars.ekos.capture] - Guiding state changed from "Guiding" to "Aborted"
[2020-09-23T23:36:12.571 CEST INFO ][     org.kde.kstars.ekos.guide] - "Guiado automático interrumpido."

Then, I tried DEC mode north too:

23:37:00 - DEC south mode guiding started
23:41:15 - Changed to DEC mode north
23:43:50 - Guiding failed

Could you help me to find the problem?

Thanks again.
3 years 6 months ago #60518
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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

Same results with internal guiding?
3 years 6 months ago #60529

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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

Hi.

Thanks for your reply.

With internal guiding I got the same results as in this post , so I abandoned this option because PHD2 was running well on Windows with good results. I thought using the same guider first to compare results and then resolve internal guider problems. At the moment, I can't guide on linux correctly, only using DEC mode South, but it is not as acurate as Auto mode.

I haven't mentioned that in Linux and Windows, PHD2 has the same settings and that in Linux (astroberry) I've only run INDI server (using the web manager) and PHD2, because of I think the problem is INDI driver. PHD2 versions are the same on Windows and Linux too.

I can attach windows PHD2 logs if you want them.


Thanks again.
3 years 6 months ago #60536

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Replied by Jasem Mutlaq on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

once last thing to try: ST4 cable. If used instead of sending pulses to EQMod, does this make any difference?
3 years 6 months ago #60545

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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

Hi.

Sorry but the AZ-GTI doesn't have ST4 port. I only can use EQMod driver or specific AZ-GTI, but this driver doesn't support serial connection.

I think de mount is OK, because in Windows using ASCOM there is no problem.

Can I test something more?

Thank you.
3 years 6 months ago #60546

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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

Sorry, I haven't said that I have tested it using WIFI, connecting directly astroberry to the mount Hotspot and connecting the mount to atroberry Hotspot too.

Thanks.
3 years 6 months ago #60547

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Replied by Gonzothegreat on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

I do not know which firmware version you are running, but take a look at this thread www.cloudynights.com/topic/586532-new-sk...fi-mount/?p=10441991
3 years 6 months ago #60548

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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

OK, I'll read this thread.

The firmware is a recent one, because I bought the mount on august.

But I think that the problem is not that, because using the same configuration, only changing to windows, the guiding is perfect. The problem only occurs using Linux (INDI + PHD2), using Windows (ASCOM + PHD2), everything is OK.

Thanks again.
3 years 6 months ago #60550

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Replied by Jean-Luc on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

HI,
I checked the guiding pulse in the INDI logs: the DEC axis has 2073600 steps, which is roughly 24 steps per second for sidereal rate, and the 1.250 North guiding pulse at 0.5x shows a difference of 13 steps which seems correct. From the driver point of view, it can't do more.
I noticed in your first PHD2 logs some problems while calibrating. In the RA case, East/West moves seems ok (8 west moves, 4 east moves:
01:04:15.864 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:21.199 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:26.560 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:31.903 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:37.187 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:42.493 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:47.788 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:53.049 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(W, 1250, -)
01:04:58.320 00.001 3015503888 WEST calibration completes with steps=8 angle=-178.7 rate=2.618 parity=1
01:04:58.344 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(E, 2500, -)
01:05:04.945 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(E, 2500, -)
01:05:11.547 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(E, 2500, -)
01:05:18.100 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(E, 2500, -)
For the DEC axis, North/South moves are problematic (22 North, 6 south):
01:05:24.634 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:29.857 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 0.7 px
01:05:29.858 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:29.886 00.028 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   2, Last Delta = 0.72 px, CumDistance = 0.72 px
01:05:35.109 00.001 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 0.8 px
01:05:35.109 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:35.136 00.027 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   3, Last Delta = 0.83 px, CumDistance = 1.53 px
01:05:40.438 00.001 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 0.8 px
01:05:40.442 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:40.470 00.028 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   4, Last Delta = 0.77 px, CumDistance = 2.08 px
01:05:45.789 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 0.6 px
01:05:45.790 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:45.820 00.030 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   5, Last Delta = 0.58 px, CumDistance = 2.66 px
01:05:51.144 00.001 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 0.7 px
01:05:51.144 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:51.169 00.025 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   6, Last Delta = 0.74 px, CumDistance = 3.32 px
01:05:56.380 00.001 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 0.8 px
01:05:56.380 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:05:56.407 00.027 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   7, Last Delta = 0.84 px, CumDistance = 4.08 px
01:06:01.720 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 1.4 px
01:06:01.721 00.001 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:01.750 00.029 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   8, Last Delta = 1.39 px, CumDistance = 5.46 px
01:06:07.013 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Accepted clearing move of 4.5
01:06:07.014 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:07.040 00.026 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash   9, Last Delta = 4.49 px, CumDistance = 9.62 px
01:06:12.339 00.001 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 1.4 px
01:06:12.340 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:12.365 00.025 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash  10, Last Delta = 1.43 px, CumDistance = 11.05 px
01:06:17.627 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Accepted clearing move of 2.3
01:06:17.628 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:17.653 00.025 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash  11, Last Delta = 2.28 px, CumDistance = 13.26 px
01:06:22.931 00.001 3015503888 Backlash: Rejected small move of 1.8 px
01:06:22.931 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:22.959 00.028 3015503888 Backlash: Limpiando paso de backlash  12, Last Delta = 1.81 px, CumDistance = 15.07 px
01:06:28.229 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Accepted clearing move of 3.0
01:06:28.229 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Got 3 acceptable moves, using last move as step 1 of N calibration
01:06:28.229 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: North calibration moves starting at {1986.6,1533.0}, Offset = 18.7 px
01:06:28.229 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Total distance moved = 21.2
01:06:28.229 00.000 3015503888 Backlash: Falling Through to state GO_NORTH
01:06:28.254 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:33.642 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:38.988 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:44.318 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:49.648 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:06:54.989 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:07:00.329 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:07:05.650 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:07:10.961 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:07:16.247 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(N, 1250, -)
01:07:21.530 00.001 3015503888 NORTH calibration completes with angle=87.4 rate=1.822 parity=-1
01:07:21.563 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(S, 2500, -)
01:07:28.130 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(S, 2500, -)
01:07:34.708 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(S, 2500, -)
01:07:41.267 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(S, 2500, -)
01:07:47.803 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(S, 2500, -)
01:07:54.360 00.000 3013644336 MoveAxis(S, 1250, -)
01:07:59.615 00.001 3015503888 Omitted calibration alert: Advisory: Calibration successful but little south movement was measured, 
so guiding may be impaired.
Afterwards, there are many North guide pulses before the DEC axis starts to diverge, that does not occur at the first North guide pulse (even if they don't seem to be very effective). I will try to look what happens when the DEC starts diverging.
At first sight, I would think of a weight balance issue, or a loosen axis clutch. Or there may be a bug in the motor controller firmware as suggested by @Gonzothegreat, which the ASCOM driver is aware of ?
Maybe a log from an Ascom/PHD2 session would be helpful here. I'm also thinking to the SideofPier property, which seems to be used by some guiding software to use the correct axis direction.
3 years 6 months ago #60620

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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

Hi again.

Thank you very much.

I attach here PHD2 logs of the photo from the first post.

Here is a capture of the Synscan app showing the firmware version. It is 3.22.A5.


I think I can downgrade it to v3.20 to test it, but... I don't have the problem in windows. Is so frustrating :S. It seems like the bug only affects in linux. Ascom driver is from Skywatcher. Perhaps they solved or ignore the bug in their driver, don't you think so?

Thank you again.
3 years 6 months ago #60630
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Replied by Carlos Martínez on topic Problems with AZ-GTI mount and PHD2

It seems that there is a newer firmware version from Skywatcher. v3.26.



It's a shame that no changelog is included :-(.

I'll try it as soon as possible. Perhaps there is the solution.

Bye.
3 years 6 months ago #60631
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