Focus Max/ACP Error:MeasureFieldStars (More FM than ACP but I need help)

[Jerry Yesavage]

Hi,

Have this post up with Steve Brady for a couple nights with no resolution. SB says never seen this error.

https://ccdware.infopop.cc/topic/err...55398244363317

All my focus runs now show this error: Error MeasureFieldStars

It shows up in single star and multistar; simple and advanced (2 sides V-curve).

The camera, mount and focuser seem to work.

Here are come ACP logs and then some FM logs...

Am going to try NINA tonight and see if that works, if not must be some subtle mechanical thing....

Again, any help appreciated... dead in the water...

Jerry Y

[Bob Denny]

The ACP logs contain logging info from FocusMax:

K1-15_20240408@040143.log

11:02:51 04:02:51 Moving to 7729 to verify side of focus
11:03:05 04:03:05 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_040257.fts
11:03:06 04:03:06 ...Measuring field stars
11:03:07 04:03:07 Error MeasureFieldStars
11:03:07 04:03:07 Error MeasureFieldStars
11:03:07 04:03:07 Moving to previous position of 7824
11:03:09 04:03:08 Focus failed

This info from FocusMax has the "Error MeasureFieldStars" entry. The other one you posted shows a successful MeasureFieldStars phase

K1-15_20240408@024506.log

09:48:41 02:48:41 Moving to 7770 to verify side of focus
09:48:56 02:48:56 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_024847.fts
09:48:56 02:48:56 ...Measuring field stars
09:48:57 02:48:57 ...Stars: 34
09:48:57 02:48:57 Field Mean HFD: 18.20 Std Dev: 2.423
09:48:57 02:48:57 ...on correct side of focus

but later

09:50:03 02:50:03 Outlier detection pass 1 of 2
09:50:03 02:50:03 ...no suspect points
09:50:03 02:50:03 Focus position: 8064
09:50:03 02:50:03 Moving to focus position: 8064
09:50:05 02:50:04 ** Taking images at focus position **
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Binning: 2
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Exposure: 7.15
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Sample size: 3
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Outlier detection: False
09:50:14 02:50:14 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025005.fts
09:50:24 02:50:24 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025015.fts
09:50:34 02:50:34 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025025.fts
09:50:45 02:50:44 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025035.fts
09:50:46 02:50:45 Too many errors
09:50:46 02:50:46 Moving to previous position of 7824
09:50:52 02:50:52 Focus failed

I don't know anything about the innards of FocusMax. The info is from FocusMax. SB will need to analyze this and give reasons. I'll guess this is a flaky camera or camera connection. Did this "just start happening"? If so then it's not likely to be software since software doesn't rust ha ha. Just joking.

https://ccdware.infopop.cc/topic/722...55398560138384

[Jerry Yesavage]

The ACP logs contain logging info from FocusMax:

K1-15_20240408@040143.log

11:02:51 04:02:51 Moving to 7729 to verify side of focus
11:03:05 04:03:05 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_040257.fts
11:03:06 04:03:06 ...Measuring field stars
11:03:07 04:03:07 Error MeasureFieldStars
11:03:07 04:03:07 Error MeasureFieldStars
11:03:07 04:03:07 Moving to previous position of 7824
11:03:09 04:03:08 Focus failed

This info from FocusMax has the "Error MeasureFieldStars" entry. The other one you posted shows a successful MeasureFieldStars phase

K1-15_20240408@024506.log

09:48:41 02:48:41 Moving to 7770 to verify side of focus
09:48:56 02:48:56 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_024847.fts
09:48:56 02:48:56 ...Measuring field stars
09:48:57 02:48:57 ...Stars: 34
09:48:57 02:48:57 Field Mean HFD: 18.20 Std Dev: 2.423
09:48:57 02:48:57 ...on correct side of focus

but later

09:50:03 02:50:03 Outlier detection pass 1 of 2
09:50:03 02:50:03 ...no suspect points
09:50:03 02:50:03 Focus position: 8064
09:50:03 02:50:03 Moving to focus position: 8064
09:50:05 02:50:04 ** Taking images at focus position **
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Binning: 2
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Exposure: 7.15
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Sample size: 3
09:50:05 02:50:05 ...Outlier detection: False
09:50:14 02:50:14 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025005.fts
09:50:24 02:50:24 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025015.fts
09:50:34 02:50:34 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025025.fts
09:50:45 02:50:44 ...Image: Autofocus_20240408_025035.fts
09:50:46 02:50:45 Too many errors
09:50:46 02:50:46 Moving to previous position of 7824
09:50:52 02:50:52 Focus failed

I don't know anything about the innards of FocusMax. The info is from FocusMax. SB will need to analyze this and give reasons. I'll guess this is a flaky camera or camera connection. Did this "just start happening"? If so then it's not likely to be software since software doesn't rust ha ha. Just joking.

https://ccdware.infopop.cc/topic/722...55398560138384

Yeah, but the sucker produces normal looking images and then poof always at the same point.... if it fails in NINA then I need to very carefully look at the system mechanics and the camera, but the camera works fine on all the other images...

[Jerry Yesavage]

Was the camera. Known issue with the 6200. Check in on the FM forum for the full story... eventually turn to a checkerboard.

[Bob Denny]

Was the camera. Known issue with the 6200. Check in on the FM forum for the full story... eventually turn to a checkerboard.

Thanks for letting us know! I suspected that was the case. I'm glad you got to the root of it.

[Jerry Yesavage]

Thanks for letting us know! I suspected that was the case. I'm glad you got to the root of it.

Yes, thanks. Many people at ACP have different cameras etc.. so cross-posted here...

For the record:


This was very bad because it started intermittently with a bad fan then overheating. I think the fan is designed to keep the board dry... will tear apart this AM and see if I can see any problems on the board. Others have had corrosion that jumps contacts and was cured with cleaning... I can always hope. I had the same thing with my SBIG 8300. Had to replace 3 times!


I learned that there is a spray that waterproofs such boards.


Bad for me as a lot of humidity near San Fran.


Case is open with ZWO. I have a friend with a Morovian version with the same SONY chip.... twice the price.