Feature Tracking Calibration "Failed due to inconsistent scales from Axis X"

[c_future81]

https://youtu.be/qAd7eyljgEU

here is the video. with 16x speed the calibration worked because the steps where bigger and quick enough

I started the video right after the calibration with 16x slew speed succeeded and you see how sharpcap is trying hard to keep the point of interests centered.

ofc it makes no sense with that big of a drift and 16x speed as you have crazy ammount of mechanical shaking due to the pulses.

towards the end of the video I stopped the guiding and you see the moon drifting again quickly.
this was my normal scenario with Lunar tracking enabled - 100% sure - I also witched between all tracking modes to be 100% sure about that.

It only worked later - after getting to the home position, restarting the mount and only connecting it via WIFI and Android APP.

did no one else have issues with the Windows Skywatcher synscan app // ( + Driver + Sharpcap) ?

Screenshot 2025-02-10 205456.png (458.67 KiB) Viewed 2381 times

[admin]

Hi,

Ok, interesting - if the underlying problem is that the mount is not tracking in RA when in AltAz mode then I guess the real question is...

Is that a problem that the mount can exhibit on its own (no SharpCap calibration/guiding involved), or is the attempt to calibrate/guide somehow turning off/breaking/disabling the tracking?

If it's the first option then the resolution needs to be from skywatcher - if it's the second then there might be stuff that can be done inside SharpCap. Right now, SharpCap goes through a fair bit of complexity trying to make sure that the mount resumes tracking after feature tracking moves one axis or another - some mounts do this automatically, and some need to be told, and the exact details can depend on the mount ASCOM driver. I spent some time getting this working for EQMOD, but maybe Synscan works differently (or maybe works differently in AltAz mode).

Let me know if you can narrow down the tracking stopping/failing to something that SharpCap asks the mount to do and then that would give us something to investigate.

cheers,

Robin

[c_future81]

Hey Robin

Thanks a lot for your feedback.
What is the "best" way to connect Sharpcap to skywatcher mounts? Through their desktop app and ascom driver or eqmod?

Deventely I have the drift all the time, also before the calibration.(After go-to an object).
The calibration, guiding, turning it off and resuming "normal" Operations did not change anything in the behavior.

Thinking back to when I imaged Jupiter a few days ago in Equatorial Mode, if I remember correctly I also had image drift there and difficulties but in the end successful guide calibration in Sharpcap

But constant corrections to keep it framed.


In short, RA tracking is acting really strange with my wave 150i.
Defentily no hardware issue as it can do it right when it does finally (like guiding deep sky via eqmod or yesterday alt az via Smartphone initialisation)

I already wrote the same text to skywatcher USA via Mail (at least I don't know any ticket Portal otherwise)

Let's see :/

[admin]

Hi,

I used to use EQMOD, but have now switched to GreenSwampServer (GSS) and it seems to be robust/reliable for my NEQ6. I have seen enough errors with Synscan with things like the synscan software not responding in time to requests from the ASCOM driver that I'm reluctant to try using it.

I'm not sure if GSS or EQMOD support your newer mount, or if they support AltAz mode , but I expect the internet will know...

cheers,

Robin

[RichNH]

I'm running into the same issue with my Wave 150i mount. Alt/Az configuration, trying to image the sun. I think I'll try setting it up in EQ config tomorrow and see how it does with that.

Clear skies

Rich

[admin]

Hi Rich,

a lot of the time, this sort of issue is caused by backlash in the movement of the mount (or by over-keen backlash compensation).

Try using the 'Continuous Movement' option in calibration - that may help by removing the stop/start during the calibration movements and giving less chance for backlash to be an issue.

cheers,

Robin

[RichNH]

Thank you Robin. I did have continuous movement selected. It may be because of something with the mount. In any case I restarted the mount into EQ mode and that seems to be working fine. Just need to figure out what the best settings are for my mount now which means that after lunch I'll be hitting the manual again to read about that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Rich

Clear skies!

[RichNH]

Not to beat a dead horse but I also asked this question in CloudyNights. One of the resident experts commented that EQMOD (which is what I was using) is simply not designed to be used in AltAz mode, only EQ mode. The poster commented that the Syn Scan Pro app IS designed to work in both modes and he has no problems with it on his Wave 100i in AltAz mode, even when tracking satellites (except when the satellites are around zenith because the motors can't keep up with them). I haven't checked this yet, but do plan on doing so at some point.

Rich

Clear skies.

PS: this is the link to the CN thread I started, hope it's OK to reference here.
https://www.cloudynights.com/topic/9756 ... ry14319061

[admin]

Hi Rich,

ah, I hadn't really thought about using EQMOD in AltAz mode - my EQ6 is the older one without the option of AltAz, so when I used EQMOD it was really 'EQ' mod... Good to post the link with the other info, no problem about that.

If you have trouble with the Synscan App driver (and there have been problems, although I suspect a lot of them are from wireless connections), you could also investigate 'Green Swamp Server' - think of it as a modern version of EQMOD. It does have at least some support for AltAz mode.

cheers,

Robin