STi "Moving Mount" msg Missing

My STi had failed recently and was promptly returned repaired. It connects, images and Simple AutoDark.
It is attached to a QSI 583wsg-8 camera as the guide camera in OAG configuration. Has been working fine for years. Using MaximDL 6.18 for camera control and auto guiding. The ST4 port on the STi is connected to Guide port on an Bisque MyT mount on the saddle. Only 12 inch long ST4 cable.

Upon reinstalling, during Guide tab Calibrate, to get the "L", I get the usual two image captures (image acquire, star capture) but then stops. The usual "Moving Mount" message is missing.

In MDL camera control, Setup, Camera 2, SBIG Universal. Shows ST-I, swap-No, Guide Chip-Internal, Trigger-Off. Options: Guider ABC-OFF, Binning Mode is On-Chip. Options (2), download on stop is checked.
CC Guide tab-Settings, Auto Guide Output control via set to; Guider Relays.
Usually the Observatory feature is active (ASCOM) for the MyT mount.

I believe that this is how it had been set up before.

I am able to control the mount thru STi relays via CC-Guide tab-Move button. I believe that this moves the mount using the guider relays, True?

What does the missing, "moving mount" mean and is this related to my settings?
Any help would be appreciated.
Phillip Marshall

 

This evening I verified that moving the mount from the Camera Control, Guide tab, Move button, showed that MDL is able to control the relays in the STi guide camera in the directions expected and move the mount.

While testing the Calibrate button, I would get only two exposures. Exposure was set to 8 sec. with no "mount in motion" message. I accidently noticed a message about camera 2 info, in the Expose tab. The message was this:
error calibrating guider algorithm
error relocating guide star at step 0
could not relocate star during star sequence
could not find centroid

I had not seen this before, but persevered in trying Calibrate again and pow, "mount moving" and I got my "L".
For the 8 sec. exposure, in the guide camera image field were plenty of stars of 10,000 ADU and more. So I do not know why I was having calibration problems. I was also able to Auto Guide as in the past.

Why since reinstalling the repaired STi and not being able to calibrate the AG feature, noticing the error message and then calibrating and tracking began working? It seemed that seeing the error message, allowed me to proceed. Anything to this?

Late last year I worked on using the TSX camera control and guiding. Some success, but not what I get using MDL.

Phil Marshall

 

Thanks Colin for mentioning about Logs. I have been using MDL for over 8 years and have had such little problem with this product.
Much of my reading and learning occurred over 5 years ago, and I tended to take the easy road and not drill down into the problem.
In this case, using the log features to see what the system was doing.

A couple nights ago I made several attempts at calibrating the guide camera ("L"). One of those attempts worked. Before the STi had failed, I had not calibrated for years. Now I needed to because I reinstalled and refocused the STi. The old XYangle numbers were no longer valid. And any attempt to Track was a not possible. Fortunately, I am now able to Auto Guide.

But I have since tried to Calibrate with no success, even though there are enough stars with ADU over 1000 to 3000.
Following is the log for one of those failed calibrations.

Attempting to Calibrate (many times)
Maybe 20 stars in field with ADU for brighter 4 in the 1200 to 2000 ADU.

03:56:28*5 Started 10.000s 648x486 exposure, binned 1x1, ROI (0, 0)
03:56:39$5 Guider Calibration Started
03:56:39$5 Guider Calibration Error:
03:56:39#5 Error - Error calibrating guider algorithm
Error relocating guide star at step 0
Could not relocate star during calibration sequence
Could not find target star in image
Guide star not found
03:56:39$5 Guider algorithm 'Single Star' ended
03:56:39$5 Guider Calibration Completed
03:56:39#5 Error - Error calibrating guider algorithm
Error relocating guide star at step 0
Could not relocate star during calibration sequence
Could not find target star in image
Guide star not found

Following is the only successful calibration.

04:28:50$5 Guider Calibration Started
04:29:15*5 Started 8.000s 648x486 exposure, binned 1x1, ROI (0, 0)
04:29:48*5 Started 8.000s 648x486 exposure, binned 1x1, ROI (0, 0)
04:30:22*5 Started 8.000s 648x486 exposure, binned 1x1, ROI (0, 0)
04:30:55*5 Started 8.000s 648x486 exposure, binned 1x1, ROI (0, 0)
04:31:03$5 Guider algorithm 'Single Star' ended
04:31:03$5 Guider Calibration Completed

I hope that I provided the correct logs for the failure and success to help you evaluate my problem.
I have tried 20 sec for exposure for calibrating with same failed results.

Thank You ; Phillip Marshall

 

I will pass to you tomorrow the calibration Fit images for the STi.
I think I understand my problem, which is self inflicted.
Instead of calibrating the guide camera with field that it has when the main camera is on the object (M8),
The choice of suitable calibration star may be very limited. This did not work.
After all, this is a calibration star I need. Not the same star to guide on.
Often I have a poor choice for guide stars when the guide camera is an OAG. If the main camera needs to have the subject
centered, you may not have a great selection for the guide camera. (if a rotator is used, one might find a better guide star).
Recalibration would then be reguired.

I slewed the scope around using the hand paddle and found a brighter star. Calibration "L" worked fine.
Some how, I must have thought that if I can guide on a star that has a 1300 ADU, why not use it to calibrate on.
Must be a big NotSo!

When I use CCDCommander, I am able to set the AutoGuide tab settings to match what the ADU is for the better stars. I can even filter out a larger blotted star and only pick stars in a lower range. This has worked okay.

I will be back to you tomorrow.
Phil

 

Hi Colon;
Even though I have seen the error of my ways, you did request several files.
Concerning using TSX camera control and Direct Guide. I have tried some of the TSX guiding features, with little success.
It has been about a year, would be good to revisit this. San Diego has had so few good days so far this year, I am sticking with what works.
Up to this point in 2019, I have only completed 2 projects instead of the usual 6.
These four images are from my recently repaired STi. I have been using this guide camera for about 5 years.

Thanks for your help.
Phillip