ASIair Pro Guiding problems with EQ6-R Pro USB port

franqd2

Hello,

Let's see if someone has experienced the same thing.

I have a recently purchased EQ6-R Pro.
I want to use the USB port to connect it to the ASIair Pro (my tool for the entire workflow for the past 3 years).
Since the ASIair Pro does not detect the USB port, I found in ZWO forums that there is a patched version of the ASIair Pro operating system tested with Skywatcher to use the USB port of the mount. I install the patched OS.
Everything is correct; it detects the mount, and I can move it manually from the ASIair commands.
My second night with it, perfect tracking, maybe too perfect, and this should have caught my attention during the session.
When I go to check how the fits have turned out in the Pixinsight Blink process, the center of the nebula shifts quite a bit as the session progresses.

So that indicates to me that the tracking was far from perfect...

I check the PHD2 log on the ASIair, and at first glance, it shows a good tracking graph with optimal corrections... there are no peaks that go out of the normal range...
So I don't know what could have happened:
Either the tracking data from PHD2 on the ASIair is misleading.
Or the pulses did not reach the EQ6-R Pro correctly from the Asi Air with the USB cable and the software patch.

I have attached several photos and a video (GIF image) of the PHD2 logs (ASIair) showing the movement of the image center during the session, and the PHD2 log.

Other relevant equipment information, in case it's useful for the case:

Tracking camera: 120mm
Imaging camera: 183MC
Telescope: C8
Approximate focal length: 1270 mm.

The only odd thing tha i've seen in the log of PHD is that:

Pixel scale = unspecified, Binning = 1, Focal length = unspecified

phd2-guidelog-2023-09-26-215025.txt

597kB

whatsapp-video-2023-09-28-at-162756.mp4

511kB

andybutt

You are almost certainly guiding on a hot pixel

franqd2

andybutt

Thank you very much for responding Andy : !!!! It never would have occurred to me... However, the HFD of the star I'm tracking is around 4.45 pixels, which might be too large for it to be a hot pixel. I don't know... I will connect the camera and take a photo to see if there's anything around dx = 456 and dy = 180 (which I need to figure out on the sensor, which pixels those are) that could resemble a hot pixel. Thanks...

Calibration Begins at 2023-09-26 21:50:25
Equipment Profile =
Camera = ZWO ASI120MM-S
Exposure = 1000 ms
Pixel scale = unspecified, Binning = 1, Focal length = unspecified
Mount = EQMod Mount, Calibration Step = 2000 ms, Assume orthogonal axes = no
Dec = 68.3 deg, Hour angle = -0.67 hr, Pier side = West, Rotator pos = N/A
Lock position = 456.758, 180.056, Star position = 456.796, 180.091, HFD = 4.45 px

Tech@ZWO

franqd2 Pixel scale = unspecified, Binning = 1, Focal length = unspecified

That is strange the pixel scale are focal length are unspecified, what is your guide camera and guide scope?
Could you share a screenshot of your guide camera settings page? thanks.

andybutt

No point looking around on your guide cam for a hot pixel, you will find lots. You need to take darks for the camera and use those. Not fool proof but it will help.

franqd2

Thank you again, Andy! I've taken a couple of 30-second DARK frames to confirm a pattern of HotPixels, and in those coordinates, there aren't any, as you mentioned earlier. There are many in other areas, though. I find your advice to start using Darks very helpful. For guiding, I suppose the Darks should be the same duration as the guiding exposure, right? If I guide for 2 to 3 seconds of exposure, the Darks should also be of that duration, correct?

I would also like to emphasize that this happened when I installed the patched version of ASI Air to connect the EQ6-R Pro via USB... It seems strange to me that these two parameters, "Pixel scale = unspecified, Focal length = unspecified," were left unspecified in the ASI Air's tracking system... I don't think it's a bug in the patch, but I would like to see if anyone else has experienced this as well... Thanks again, I will try capturing with Darks!!

andybutt

franqd2 if you look under the guide camera tab of the air, you will find a button to build a dark library.
Also when you are guiding make sure you have as many guide stars as possible, up to a maximum of twelve. Increase your gain if necessary.

franqd2

Thanks andybutt !!!!!

Hi,
I've found in the PHD2 log within the ASI air a "Dither" field, and it says "both axes"... but I have the guiding camera configuration set to OFF to prevent Dithering...

Log PHD2 of the ASIair
"...Guiding Begins at 2023-10-05 21:37:07
Dither = both axes, Dither scale = 1.000, Image noise reduction = none, Guide-frame time lapse = 0,
Server enabled, Pixel scale = 3.16 arc-sec/px, Binning = 1, .."

And now the doubt is whether, despite not wanting it to internally, the ASI air may still perform Dithering, as indicated by this field. Since not all Dithering fields are configured, it may attempt to move the image on its own accord.

franqd2

Tech@ZWO Hi, thank you very much for responding! In the past few nights, the "Pixel scale" and "Focal length" parameters have been correctly reported by the ASIair in the PHD2 log. It seems like an isolated event. The ASIair Pro is working correctly!

franqd2

As for the open thread, I've solved it with a ZWOAG. It was a flexure issue with the guide scope, exacerbated by the 1,200 mm focal length I use for DSO imaging.

So, the problem wasn't with guiding! Issue resolved! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has helped me!