autoguide with synscan AZ

[admin]

Ok,

this will not work in the current version of SC4.0 (due to a small bug), but I have just fixed that, so in next Monday's version please try the following method to set the guide rate using the scripting console.

Code: Select all

>>> print SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount.AscomMount.GuideRateDeclination
0.00417807461655
>>> print SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount.AscomMount.GuideRateRightAscension
0.00417807461655
>>> SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount.AscomMount.GuideRateRightAscension = 0.003
>>> print SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount.AscomMount.GuideRateRightAscension
0.003
>>> 

The values are in degrees per second, so sidereal rate is the 0.004178 that my mount starts out at. Setting the RA rate to a smaller value before using any functionality that uses the pulse guiding may help.

cheers,

Robin

[MikeHuerto]

ok - thanks - though I haven't used the scripting console before and I do not know python (yet) , I assume this means that when I want to use the tracking function, I just paste the script you provide into the console and then edit the GuideRateRightAscension to a lower value? Is there a way to toggle this script on and off, for when I'm not doing pulse guiding?

By the way, I was wondering if this reluctance for Synscan to accept reverse movement commands might explain why plate solve and sync does not always move the mount. Sometimes I need to press the GOTO button on the Synscan app to move the mount after doing a plate-solves and sync. . So perhaps if the first move command from plate-solves happens to be in the opposite direction of the mount movement, it will fail to move?

Thanks for your help

Best

Mike

[admin]

Hi Mike,

hopefully just the line

Code: Select all

SharpCap.Mounts.SelectedMount.AscomMount.GuideRateRightAscension = 0.003

will do the trick to reduce the rate enough to make it work. If it does then let me know and I will put an easier to use way to set this up into SharpCap.
You can always put it back by setting the value to 0.004178, but I don't think you will notice much difference?

Anyway, I think the goto after sync will be separate to this - it uses completely different commands to the driver. If you see the problem, grab the log from SharpCap and share it here - hopefully it will reveal what is going on.

cheers,

Robin