Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Questions about hardware and software obtained directly from Shoestring Astronomy
Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:53 pm

Hi I bought the EQ autoguider kit to modify my dual axis motor drive for my eq5 mount all seemed to go well and the controller worked on both ra and dec axis. But I am really stuck with the LVI autoguider that I am using now attatched to the st4 port that I have modded on to the controll pad for the dual axis motors. It finds a star ok but when it comes to the calibration it just keeps telling me the motors not moving. I have checked the LVI websites trouble shooting page and the layout for the wiring looks the same as the shoestring astronomys pin lay out for the st4 port. Im really stuck with this can any one help me please?
Attachments
lvi pin lay out.JPG
lvi pin lay out.JPG (142.81 KiB) Viewed 16434 times

dpanderson
Site Admin
Posts: 1047
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:34 pm
Location: central Iowa
Contact:

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by dpanderson » Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:10 am

I assume you have an RJ12 cable going between the LVI and the guide port you added to your mount. If you bought this cable from a local electronics store, it is most likely connected pin 1 to pin 6 (i.e. pin 1 at one end goes to pin 6 at the other end, etc.). Given the pinout of the LVI that you show and the pinout of the port you added to your mount, you would need a cable wired pin 1 to pin 1.

See this document for more information:
http://store.shoestringastronomy.com/gu ... cables.pdf
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:59 am

Hi
Im not quite sure what you mean I am dyslexic and have trouble understanding wiring so to be clear. The kit was from shoe string astronomy from a uk supplier but the rj12 cable was supplied with my LVI autoguider it is this that plugs into the adapter. Also I heard back from LVI regarding an error message I keep getting with the auto guider it keeps saying motors not moving when trying to calibrate. Its very very depressing as what he says means that no autoguider is going to work with this modification. Heres what he emailed me, does this mean I have wasted my money?


Hello Mark,

Thank you for explaining your problem so much in detail!

The Shoestring mod with EQ5 dual axis drive just allows the autoguider "virtually pushing" the buttons on the keypad through the ST4 port.
The problem you are having with your Smartguider while calibrating is a too fast guiding rate causing the star running out the image sensor in a few seconds.
I guess the slowest speed is 1x with your EQ5 drive, that is just too much for all the autoguiders in the market!
Although you were able to calibrate, the autoguiding would have been rough with growing overcorrection.

I suggest to buy the Synscan kit for your mount replacing the EQ5 modded drive, so you can flawlessly use your Smartguider and have also a goto system as a bonus!

I don't know any other valid solution, hope this helps.

Regards.

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:21 am

Just took a close look at the LVI cable and the wire colours are correct following your advice so the wires are all correct. If what the LVI autoguider customer service man is telling me correct I am not going to be able to use and autoguider because the gear speed on the eq5 dual axis motor kit is not suitable and can not be made to go slow enough for an auto guider to calibrate. Well if thats true then how come others on the stargazers lounge forum(where I go under the name of Quatermass) are guiding with this modification using laptops and the QHY6 camera attatched to there guide scope? Im finding my whole journey into the murky world of guiding becoming a night mare world can you please help me :cry:

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:28 am

Wait a minute just took another look at the Lvi cable the wires are pin 1 white pin 2 black pin 3 red pin 4 green pin 5 yellow pin 6 blue. But on my modification I did not connect the white wire but trimmed it back. Does that white wire need to be soldered on to one of the controllers circuit points and if so which one? As you can tell I am no electrician :D

dpanderson
Site Admin
Posts: 1047
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:34 pm
Location: central Iowa
Contact:

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by dpanderson » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:37 am

The white wire does not need to be connected.

The rate at which a star would move across the imager in the LVI is dependent upon the focal length of the guide scope it is attached to. I would think that a shorter focal length guide scope would help. You might run this idea past your LVI contact and see what they say.

I don't know of any way to slow down the EQ5 mount.

Yes, it can be frustrating. I've been through it myself.
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:39 am

one other thing on the lvi pin lay out the white wire is un-used so does it need to be connected if there is a white wire on pin one of the lvi cable?? :roll:

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sat Jan 28, 2012 10:44 am

dpanderson wrote:The white wire does not need to be connected.

The rate at which a star would move across the imager in the LVI is dependent upon the focal length of the guide scope it is attached to. I would think that a shorter focal length guide scope would help. You might run this idea past your LVI contact and see what they say.

I don't know of any way to slow down the EQ5 mount.

Yes, it can be frustrating. I've been through it myself.
Thank you. Your right about it being frustrating lol

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:41 am

Ok I have ditched the LVI autoguider as an option having just read this post from the guy who gave it to me..

I used to own an LVI but changed to a QHY5 with PHP because the LVI just didn't cut it when it came to serious guiding. It was OK but very temperamental and had quite limited control options. After months and months of stressful semi-guiding I switched to the PHP setup and now I can guide without many issues. Just my experience - it could be that I'm just useless at driving an LVI!

I thought about using the camera with PHP but the connectors are non-standard so I couldn't get it connected.

Hope it helps
Mark

Well when I read that I thought now I know why you gave it to me sigh.. any ways another guy on the stargazers lounge forum is using your GPINT-PT adapter and a cheap webcam plus he had done the same EQ ST$ port mod that I have just done and getting good results guiding using PHD software on a laptop. SO I have decided to ditch the LVI as it is fussy and a pain to use and go for this proven method of guiding. Im not sure if my laptop has the right connection for the GPINT-PT or if I need to buy the GPUSB to plug the st4 port cable into can you advise please then I will order the adapter from you. Hopefully because the other chap had got his working with the same mod as I have done I should be able to have a guiding system soon. Thank god for Shoestring Astronomy I say :D
Kind regards
Mark.

dpanderson
Site Admin
Posts: 1047
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:34 pm
Location: central Iowa
Contact:

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by dpanderson » Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:21 am

I'd highly recommend the GPUSB. Even if your present computer has a parallel port and you could use the GPINT-PT, the next computer you get most likely would not. We sell very few GPINT-PT any more.

Thanks for your kind words,
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sun Jan 29, 2012 10:41 am

Thank you Doug, most laptops dont have that 24 pin connection any more so the other adapter makes sense. Let me just make sure if I order that one and get a cheap webcam plugged into the usb port all I then need to do is plug the st4 cable that came with my shoestring eq mod into the adapter and I can use phd to control my mount? Just not very good with wiring and such things and want to make sure I get the right things.

dpanderson
Site Admin
Posts: 1047
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:34 pm
Location: central Iowa
Contact:

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by dpanderson » Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:51 pm

That should work.

This document might help:
http://store.shoestringastronomy.com/Es ... uiding.pdf
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Sun Jan 29, 2012 7:29 pm

Cheers Doug much appreciated :D I will let you know how I get on.

Quatermass
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 7:02 pm
Anti-spam question: Astronomy

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by Quatermass » Wed Feb 01, 2012 9:00 am

Hi Doug
Ok I need some help regarding the dual axis kit. The problem I am having is that when it is all plugged in I can move the gears with the RA buttons on the 8x speed both back and forward using the left and right RA buttons on the control pad and also with the 4x speed BUT..

When I use the 2x speed the gears will only move with the right ra button and when I press the left button the gears just stop moving. In all cases with all buttons that control the RA axis when not pressed the gear are slowly moving and tracking. SO I dont seem to have any movement when I press the left hand button of the RA axis on 2x speed. The left RA button will move the gears on 4x and 8x settings but not on 2x ??

This may be why the LVI is not responding when selecting the lowest gear speed maybe not but my question is this a fault with my wiring or the control pad as I am sure the 2x speed when selected should be able to move the RA gears when pressing the left hand RA button on 2x speed. It will move with the RA button on the right but not the left. I have ordered the GPUSB adapter from you so just need to make sure that I have not messed up anything with my wiring I'm sure I haven't as I double checked it all and its identical to the instructions in the manual for the ST4 port kit.
Mark

dpanderson
Site Admin
Posts: 1047
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:34 pm
Location: central Iowa
Contact:

Re: Trouble with EQ5 autoguider port mod and LVI auto guider

Post by dpanderson » Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:21 pm

I believe that is how it should operate. Remember, when you have the telescope aimed at the sky, your target is moving relative to the ground. So, to "get ahead" of the target you speed up the motor. But, to "get behind" the target, you can slow down the motor or stop it as the target keeps moving.
Doug Anderson
Shoestring Astronomy
http://www.ShoestringAstronomy.com

Post Reply