Resolved Maxim autoguiding "error of less than 5 pixels"

Hello All,

For the first time, I'm trying to incorporate the self-guided functionality into the 10 Micron mount GM3000HPS but it seems that the mount ignores the autoguiding function.

The guide camera is a SBIG ST-8300M and the guide cable is an RJ 11 (6 wires) connected directly to the control box guider mount connector. If I'm not wrong, this camera use guider relays protocol (ST-4 output)? The guidance software is the Maxim DL 6.26. Attached to this post is an screen image of the Maxim DL guidance settings. Maxim is also controling via Toggle Observatory: Telescope (ASCOM telescope driver for
theSky), Fouser (Lakeside) and Dome (MaxDomeII)

The mount does not appear to react to the self-guided orders because the mount does not moves during the initial calibration test (error of less than 5 pixels). Are the Maxim guider parameters correct?

If any colleague is using Maxim DL software with this mount, I would be grateful if any help or alternative option is available.


Thank you!

Joan Genebriera

 

For the setting: Auto Guider Output Control Via :
Please try "Telescope"

I use that setting on a AP900 mount and the guider commands are sent via software directly to the mount. The guider cable is not needed in this case.

If a guide cable is needed it has to be swapped from end to end (at least that is what the old SBIG STL11K cable shows). That is to say, looking at the wire colors of each connector end, the Blue wire is on the left hand side on one connector and the right hand side on the other connector. Hope that is clear as it's rather confusing w/o a picture.

Regards,
Tim

 

Hi Tim.

Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately changing the "Control Via = Telescope" setting, don't fix the problem.

As you point out, the guider camera has to be a reversed wire cable hence I suspect the problem could be the RJ11
cable or may be any Maxim DL settings?

In fact the 10 Micron Autoguider Input is very simple and only are dependent of which E, W, N, S of the RJ12
female connector (6/6) port has to be put in contact with the ground pin. The magnitude of the correction
is of course, proportional to the duration of the contact. The autoguider 10 Micron port input pinout is as follow:
1. not connected
2. ground
3. east
4. south
5. north
6. west


The ST-8300M telescope jack is used to provide tracking signals to the telescope drive. Viewed from outside the camera,
looking in, it has the following pin-out:



The Left, Down, Up and Right signals are driven from optically isolated photo transistors that conduct when telescope
movement is desired.

Please I have a doubt about the above concept. It means that some voltage signal could be send to the telescope input guider
or just some pins are put in ground contact? Thank you



Regards

Joan

 

In my last post, please instead of read "or just some pins are put in ground contact?" please read "or just some pins: +RA, -RA, +DEC, -DEC are put in Common contact inside the camera? Thank you

 

Hi Doug,
Thanks for your replay and excuse this so long answer, I'm still waiting for some accessories in order
to verify if the mount accept autoguiding signals.

Regards

 

Problem solved!

As Tim Povlick indicated in his post, the problem was that the cable RJ12, 6 cables, has to be of the reversed type, but sometimes local suppliers do not have this type of cable and the equipment suppliers do not mention it either? The ST-8300 now works perfectly as a self-guide camera. Thank you for your advice.

Best regards
Joan