stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2637
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Folks;
I am at my wits end. I have tried two different Orion Solitare Autoguider and I can't get either to work. I am using them with a TV 102 as the guider and I am taking piggyback images with a DSLR. My mount is a Celestron CGEM and it does guide and move manually with no trouble. The system is balanced on both axes.
I put in a star in the included 9mm Plossl, usuall around 4th magnitude or so. The system does find the star, but when it start to do a calibration by moving the motors it gives me an error "Motors not Moving" and falls out to the start up screen.
I have changed the anti-backlash settings until my fingers are sore. I moved to different parts of the sky and chose different stars and no joy. I don't have any other idea.
Orion has sent me a second system and it does the same thing. I am about to say that this set up does not work with my mount, return the autoguiders and give up.
Any input?
Steve Coe
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TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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bardo
member
Reged: 09/13/09
Posts: 51
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maybe theres a problem with the mounts st-4 port.
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Rankinstudio
sage
Reged: 04/05/08
Posts: 411
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT, Lake Powel...
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Which guide program are you using? Have you tried PHD guiding? Made sure all the drivers were installed and setup right? Can you send commands from the computer to the mount? I am not familiar with those auto-guiders as I use a webcam and PHD with a laptop....just things that came to mind.
David
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David Rankin
http://www.rankinstudio.com
Astro Gallery
Orion 254mm F4.7 (imaging scope)
Baader MPCC
Quickcam pro 9000 (guider, imager)
Canon Rebel XSi (self modified)
Atlas EQ-G (EQ MOD)
Canon 50mm F1.8 II Lens
Canon 28-200 F3.2 Lens
DSLR peltier cooler
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Nils_Lars
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/04/08
Posts: 3410
Loc: Santa Cruz Mountains , CA
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The solitare is the one that doesnt use a laptop , it has its own little computer box.
I remember someone in here having the same issue a few weeks ago and they gave up I believe so hopefully they notice this thread and have some insight.
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Erik
Orion Atlas Self Hypertuned (EQMOD)
Orion ED 80
Williams Optics VII reducer
Celestron 8" SCT
Orion Starshoot Autoguider
PHD guide
Canon 400D Hap Griffin Mod w/Baader filter
Astronomik clip-in LP filter and 12nm Ha
Stilleto CVF and Bahtinov mask
Tamron 75-300mm&28-80mm lenses
NexImage webcam
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31986095@N05/
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Rankinstudio
sage
Reged: 04/05/08
Posts: 411
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT, Lake Powel...
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That is probably why they call it the "solitare autoguider"
Wish I could help. Not familiar at all with those.
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David Rankin
http://www.rankinstudio.com
Astro Gallery
Orion 254mm F4.7 (imaging scope)
Baader MPCC
Quickcam pro 9000 (guider, imager)
Canon Rebel XSi (self modified)
Atlas EQ-G (EQ MOD)
Canon 50mm F1.8 II Lens
Canon 28-200 F3.2 Lens
DSLR peltier cooler
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MaxTheHitman
sage
Reged: 12/11/07
Posts: 260
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According to Orion's catalog online :
3. Troubleshooting
The StarShoot Solitaire is very simple and intuitive to use. However, as with any imaging setup, you may encounter difficulty while autoguiding and taking long exposure astro-images. The following are some error messages which
could potentially occur during setup or while autoguiding.
Error Messages
> STAR LOST! – This message is also accompanied with an audible beep
once per second, for up to 30 seconds until the star is found again. This message
may occur if:
• Clouds are rolling in (during AUTOGUIDING READY and GUIDING).
• Dew forms on the guidescope objective (during AUTOGUIDING
READY and GUIDING).
• The guiding speed is too fast (during MOVING MOTORS…).
• The mount does not move (during MOVING MOTORS…).
If the mount is not moving, check the autoguider cable connection to your
mount. If the autoguiding corrections appear to be too large, decrease the
autoguide speed in your mount’s settings.
> STAR NOT FOUND! – This message may occur when the StarShoot Solitaire
camera cannot find a suitable star after STAR SEARCH… command.
> COMMUNICATION ERROR! – The following message is displayed if the
cable connecting the CPU and the camera head gets accidentally disconnected,
or in case of problems with the electrical connections or the power
supply.
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CG5-GT
canon eos 300D modified!
88mm f/5.6 scope imager
60mm guiding winner! with QHY5 all the way
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Footbag
sage
Reged: 04/13/09
Posts: 462
Loc: Scranton, PA
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Psyire had a very similar problem. You may want to give him a PM.
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Adam
Celestron CPC 800, Celestron HD Wedge
Hyperion 17mm, Celestron 40mm Plossl, TMB 9mm
WO 66, SSAG
Modded Canon XS
Lackawanna Astronomical Society
My Gallery
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BlueGrass
member
Reged: 07/25/09
Posts: 77
Loc: Wasatch Front, UT
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Steve, I posted this in the Mounts forum. It may help in trouble shooting your problem. I have a CGEM, SSAG and use Phd. I know this is not the same setup as yours, but it explains how to use the mount utilities to see the relative movement commands being sent to the mount from the autoguider. I don't know if Phd will connect to the Solitaire but if it can, then you can see if the ST4 pulses are being seen by the CGEM. Good luck.
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/3381123/page/6/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/fpart/1
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C8 / EON 80 APO
CGEM / CG5
ST80 with SS AG setup
Canon 1000d
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Psyire
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/24/07
Posts: 979
Loc: 55* North
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I did have the exact same problem...
What are your autoguide rates set at in your NexStar hand controller? If they are the 50/50 default you have to lower them. The system is giving you the motors not moving but in reality it should say 'star lost'. I'd try 25/25 and then go from there. Hope this helps.
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Celestron CPC 1100 XLT, Sky-Watcher Equinox 80ED
TV 31T5-Nagler, 8&13mm-Ethos
EarthWin Binoviewers w/ 24mm Panoptics
Elusive Photons.com
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stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2637
Loc: Arizona, USA
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Thanks folks, I will try moving the autoguider rates to 25 on each and see how that works. While I have you, what did you set the anti-backlash settings to? I have them at 25 on all four choices.
I will get back to you after I try it all out this evening;
Steve Coe
--------------------
TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
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Psyire
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 06/24/07
Posts: 979
Loc: 55* North
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I believe the backlash settings in the HC are 0. The autoguider should detect any backlash during calibration and it shouldn't be an issue.
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Celestron CPC 1100 XLT, Sky-Watcher Equinox 80ED
TV 31T5-Nagler, 8&13mm-Ethos
EarthWin Binoviewers w/ 24mm Panoptics
Elusive Photons.com
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David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 8652
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.22 X 90....
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I had one for a short time and the first time I used it, it was fine. I was using it on an MI250/Gemini with the default settings. The only thing I found was that it didn't find guide stars as easy as I would have liked. So you have to ensure that the star you get in the 9mm ep is centered very well.
David
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Proud Member; PAS NOLA,
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research..."
A. Einstein
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stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2637
Loc: Arizona, USA
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David;
I will do that, seeing as how I am doing piggybacking with a DSLR and lenses, I will have plenty of room to move the scope and get a good guide star in the 9mm.
Thanks;
Steve Coe
--------------------
TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
|
Rankinstudio
sage
Reged: 04/05/08
Posts: 411
Loc: Salt Lake City, UT, Lake Powel...
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Are you guiding the mount with the auto-guider through a 9mm eyepiece? That seems like it would give a very very small fov.
--------------------
David Rankin
http://www.rankinstudio.com
Astro Gallery
Orion 254mm F4.7 (imaging scope)
Baader MPCC
Quickcam pro 9000 (guider, imager)
Canon Rebel XSi (self modified)
Atlas EQ-G (EQ MOD)
Canon 50mm F1.8 II Lens
Canon 28-200 F3.2 Lens
DSLR peltier cooler
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David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 8652
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.22 X 90....
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Quote:
David;
I will do that, seeing as how I am doing piggybacking with a DSLR and lenses, I will have plenty of room to move the scope and get a good guide star in the 9mm.
Thanks;
Steve Coe
Had I kept it, I would have purchased an X/Y axis addition to allow the camera to me moved a bit to allow finding a guide star easier. My guider is solid mounted, not in guide rings, so moving the scope was not possible.
David
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Proud Member; PAS NOLA,
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research..."
A. Einstein
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stevecoe
"Astronomical Tourist"
Reged: 04/24/04
Posts: 2637
Loc: Arizona, USA
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David Rankin;
Look at the image I posted in the first post. The camera goes directing into the diagonal. The 9mm eyepiece is used to get the star within the field of the camera and then removed and the camera is inserted.
I Got it to Work!! Hooray....
I set the CGEM to 20 for Autoguider action and set anti-backlash at 07. This way the scope moves very quickly and accurately with the handpaddle, very little backlash. Also, the autoguider works just fine. The Moon is a little thick to try shots, I will do that once the Moon is out of the sky. But, I am very pleased that I have a set up that works and will autoguide the CGEM with the TV 102.
Lots of fun;
Steve Coe
--------------------
TeleVue 102 refractor on CGEM mount
10 inch f/4.7 Newtonian
Author "Deep Sky Observing" Springer-Verlag
Author "Nebulae and How to Observe Them" Springer
Canon Xt astrocamera with Hutech modification
|
David Pavlich
Postmaster
Reged: 05/18/05
Posts: 8652
Loc: Mandeville, LA USA 30.22 X 90....
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Congratulations! It's always fun when a plan comes together.
David
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Proud Member; PAS NOLA,
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research..."
A. Einstein
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