Tracking is getting turned off when guiding

[Dean Salman]

I get large guiding errors when the image starts
Everything is working find until guiding start

In maxim I calibrated at 0 degree with DEC set correctly in the east with pier flip off, In maxim guiding is perfect

When I abort, in Sky X it says tracking is off, I am not turning it off


So a couple of other problems which I am sure are there but I have not found it. Even though guiding has failed, ACP takes the image anyway. That is not going to work so I assume there is something that says don't start the image until tracking is ok or give up after a while.

Here is the log

Looking for stars between mags 6 and 9
Found mag 6.0 star, USNOB1 1265-0238778; nothing within 385 arcsec.
Star J2000 coordinates RA=16:43:04 Dec=36° 30' 35"
Using star at mag 6.0. Slew to star.
Start slew to AutoFocus...
(wait for slew to complete)
(slew complete)
Updating pointing...
** Internal/OAG guider, cannot guide pointing exposures!
(taking 15 sec. exposure, Red filter, binning = 4)
(using Image Quality readout mode)
(starting exposure)
(exposure complete and image downloaded)
Image finished
Plate-solve pointing image.
149 image stars found
3689 catalog stars found
Solved! 93 stars matched.
Average residual is 0.63 arcsec.
Pointing error is 0.108 arcmin @ angle 40.71
True focal length is 1996.4 mm.
True binned plate scales (arcsec/pix): H = 2.23 V = 2.23
True image center (J2000): 16h 43m 04.6s 36° 30' 39.74"
Imager sky position angle is 181.0 deg.
Image FWHM is 7.6 arcsec (3.42 pixels)
(avg FWHM = 9.65 arcsec)
[sync] telescope synced
Within max error tolerance, no re-slew needed.
Target is now centered.
(AF will use Image Quality readout mode)
Starting Autofocus...
**AutoFocus failed. Check FocusMax log for details.
Slewing back to original position...
Start slew to AF return...
(wait for slew to complete)
(slew complete)
Autofocus finished.
(no slew, scope already within max error of target)
(doing post-focus pointing update...)
Pointing update: Wait and flip if within 120 sec of flip point
[flip check: Tn=420s HAc=-9462s GW=F HAz=-9042s DWz=F WF=no]
Updating pointing...
** Internal/OAG guider, cannot guide pointing exposures!
(taking 15 sec. exposure, Red filter, binning = 4)
(using Image Quality readout mode)
(starting exposure)
(exposure complete and image downloaded)
Image finished
Plate-solve pointing image.
337 image stars found
3800 catalog stars found
Solved! 150 stars matched.
Average residual is 0.61 arcsec.
Pointing error is 0.101 arcmin @ angle 66.00
True focal length is 1994.4 mm.
True binned plate scales (arcsec/pix): H = 2.23 V = 2.23
True image center (J2000): 16h 41m 42.5s 36° 28' 03.66"
Imager sky position angle is 181.1 deg.
Image FWHM is 4.3 arcsec (1.94 pixels)
(avg FWHM = 8.15 arcsec)
[sync] telescope synced
Within max error tolerance, no re-slew needed.
Target is now centered.
[flip check: Tn=360s HAc=-9434s GW=F HAz=-9074s DWz=F WF=no]
(long exp(s) or requested, no orbital tracking, trying to autoguide)
(guide star SNR=60.3 X=204 Y=43)
(initial exposure interval 1)
(guide star SNR=12.5 X=204 Y=43)
(final exposure interval 1)
(guide star SNR=13.5 X=203 Y=43)
No rotator - assuming manual rotation of camera
PA=181 (off-axis guider @ 0.0 deg)
(autoguiding at 1.00 sec.)
=== Place in plan ===
Set 1 of 1
Target is "M 13" (1 of 1)
Repeat 1 of 1 for this target
Filter Red (1 of 1)
Image 1 of 1 for this filter
Imaging to M 13-S001-R001-C001-Red
(taking 60 sec. exposure, Red filter, binning = 1)
(using Image Quality readout mode)
(ex=0.51 ey=2.44)
(guider error n/a or too high, try #1)
(ex=0.48 ey=4.05)
(guider error n/a or too high, try #2)
(ex=1.34 ey=5.30)
(guider error n/a or too high, try #3)
(ex=5.46 ey=0.45)
(guider error n/a or too high, try #4)
**Guider waited for 10 sec and never got a measurement
**Imaging error: **Guider stopped or lost star just before image acquisition
Will try image again, this time unguided.
(taking 60 sec. exposure, Red filter, binning = 1)
(using Image Quality readout mode)
(starting exposure)
**Script Error (Tracking has been stopped)**
Source: ACP Observatory Control Software
Message: The script was interrupted before completion. at line 1770 column 29.

[Dean Salman]

so it turns out the guiding was not working, but I still don't know what turned off the main tracking drive, is it because I aborted the run, if so I don't want that to happen. The why did the light frames take anyway since guiding failed

[Dean Salman]

So here is what is happening, maxim is calibrated and works well. I calibrate in the east correctly with pier flip off and auto pier flip off. When acp guides it works for only 30 seconds and makes large jumps in ra until guide fade. . I abort run and now maxim does the same thing until I recalibrate, then maxim works great. So why am I doing wrong. I have read the help in this area

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[Bob Denny]

I need to know more. What is your guiding configuration (external guide scope, internal/SBIG, off-axis pickoff, do you have a rotator). Then I need to know what you have set in ACP Preferences, Guiding, as well as how you have the guide signals going to your mount (guiding relays, PulseGuide/ASCOM Direct), do you have MaxIm connected to the scope/mount, and finally what kind of mount do you have.

If the above doesn't yield an obvious answer, I can get on with you and work through it.

[Dean Salman]

I have a qsi 583 so off axis6,I do not use maxim telescope control. No rotator, using guiding relays, mount is ap 1200 using ascom to connect. I will have to send you screen shot of preference setup

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[Dean Salman]

uploadfromtaptalk1401209856610.jpg

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[Bob Denny]

Ah, with no rotator select "External Guide Scope". I apologize for this confusion, I tried to make some changes to make this less of a trap, but I went up a blind alley and had to reverse out the changes, then I just had to get 7.1 out. I will make this more clear in the next release and not depend on just the documentation.

[Dean Salman]

so what goes into the guide rotation angle

[Bob Denny]

You don't worry about that until you have a rotator and ACP needs to do the calculations. 0 is fine.