ASIAIR and iOptron SkyGuider Pro

tedswanson

Hello. I have an ASIAIR (latest firmware) and an iOptron SkyGuider Pro with an ASI120MM-S guide camera attached to a ZWO Mini Guide Scope. I have the ASI120MM-S plugged into the USB port of the ASIAIR and the ST-4 cable connected from the ASI120MM-S to the ST-4 port on the iOptron SkyGuider Pro. Everything basically works and I “think” the SkyGuider is guiding because the tracking light blinks steadily when the ASIAIR starts guiding. Everything else works the same as it does on my Celestron AVX mount. I see the guide star and it locks on.

However, the SkyGuider only has an RA motor – no DEC motor – so the guiding program won’t settle down or it will time out waiting for the guider to settle. If it does settle down I’m getting VERY high RMS errors – hundred of arcseconds. So, my questions are:

What mount should I choose in the mount setup screen? I’m using “On-Camera-ST4” right now, since there’s no SkyGuider Pro option.

What settings should I use in the guiding setup? I haven’t changed anything from the default.

Should I turn DEC mode to off?

I have the focal length of the guide camera set to 55mm. Is that correct for an ASI120MM-S attached to a Mini Guide Scope?

Thank you very much for your help. I love the products so far and I just bought an ASI294MC Pro for my larger telescope!

Tech@ZWO

Thanks for using ZWO products.

What mount should I choose in the mount setup screen? I’m using “On-Camera-ST4” right now, since there’s no SkyGuider Pro option.

What settings should I use in the guiding setup? I haven’t changed anything from the default.

Should I turn DEC mode to off?"

Yes,choose ST4 and turn off the DEC.

"I have the focal length of the guide camera set to 55mm. Is that correct for an ASI120MM-S attached to a Mini Guide Scope?"

the focal length should be input 120 if the "mini guide scope" is 30F4

hfhenrichs

Hello, I have a problem with guiding with ASIair and the iOptron Skyguider Pro. I successfully connected the ASIair to the guide port of the Skyguider Pro, and used On-camera ST-4 as Telescope setting. I use a ASI294MC cool as main, and ASI224MC as guide camera.

The manual v 1.1 on page 24 (called "Guider Setting") shows the option "DEC guide mode Off", which I presume is needed for this mount, but this is not available on the app version 1.2.1, with firmware 2.64, which was automatically installed.

This page on my screen is called differently: "Guiding Settings" on which also the options Display corrections, and RA and DEC aggressiveness are missing. Could you clarify, please?

w7ay

The manual you refer to is unfortunately very old, and still not yet updated.

The DEC Mode has now moved to the Guiding window (the window where you calibrate PHD2, and set RA and DEC aggressiveness) and is no longer in the Guiding Setup window.

When you open the Guiding window, with the guiding Graph showing at the bottom of the window, you should see a row of text just above the graph that starts with "DEC Mode".

"DEC Mode" is defaulted to "Auto" (shown in green; indicating that it is an item that can be changed by the user). If you click on the "Auto" caption, it will cycle to "North," "South," "Off," and then back to "Auto."

HTH,

Chen

w7ay

Oops, I meant "None" instead of "Off."

My memory is going... :-)

Clear skies,

Chen