ASIair Pro Guiding problems with EQ6-R Pro USB port ZWO ASIAIR · FRANCISCO JAVIER QUINTANA · ... · 8 · 393 · 4

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 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

Video Blink - Nebulae moving during the night :  WhatsApp Video 2023-09-28 at 16.27.56.mp4

Perfect guiding it seems....


Log of the guiding:  PHD2_GuideLog_2023-09-26_215025.txt

I would be interested in seeing some subs.

Gary JONES:
Hi Francisco,
That is good guiding indeed -  but I suspect you are correct - it looks too good, particularly for a telescope as large as a C8.

I think the clue is the reference by PHD to pixel scale and focal length ...

I'm not certain whether you are using an OAG or a separate guide scope ?

If using an OAG, be sure to set Focal Length to 1270 in the guide camera settings - otherwise the focal length of your guide scope, and the pixel size of your guide camera - which will be different to that of your main imaging camera.

I suspect that these might not have been specified correctly during setup - meaning that the guide accuracy is not being calculated correctly.

I hope that helps

Thanks a lot Gary !!! 

I need more nights to keep testing, but it coincides with the night I installed the patched and validated operating system for the ASI Air Pro by both ZWO and Skywatcher, in order to connect the EQ6-R Pro through the USB port with ASIair.

I've been using it for 3 years, the ASI air and guiding system, and the configuration of the guiding camera hasn't changed much, if at all, with the typical 120mm ZWO guide scope that's quite common.

I also opened a question on the ASI air forums to see if there might be an issue with the patched operating system version, but I doubt I'm the first one to encounter this. It would be unfortunate for me to start using the EQ6 and, while adapting to it, encounter an issue connected to ASI Air.

Thank a lot !!!!

Gary JONES:
You're very welcome

One thing for sure - addressing the issue with unspecified pixel scale and focal length with certainly help

Gary

In the end, all the people who recommended that I switch to an OAG (Off-Axis Guider) system were right. It was a flexure problem between the guide scope and the main scope, exacerbated by the 1,200 mm focal length, and it was resolved with an OAG! Many, many thanks!!!

Hi Francisco,
Ah - if you were using a guide scope that is a completely different scenario. I'm sure you'll find an OAG much better, particularly with a long focal length.

But Brian is absolutely right - you must enter the correct numbers into PHD, otherwise your guiding charts will be completely wrong - and your guiding will suffer.

Follow the PHD setup wizard - and make sure you enter the FL of your main scope in the PHD settings for focal length.