Question m-due: guiding parameters with phd2

Are the proposed phd2 parameters also suitable for a m-due mount. Do I have to pay attention to something special with the m-due, when guiding with phd2? I use a heavy RC (17kg total) with OAG. With the default parameters, phd2 guiding was not very good, so I changed it to the proposed parameters for 2000 focal length. But now the guiding star was lost every 3-5 minutes. The scope pointed more than 10 arc seconds away from previous position after 'star lost' error. Seeing at that night was ok.

I am also interested in this question. My guiding is ok but not great and I occasionally lose guide stars.

Hello Stefano

I installed version 1.5 as suggested and set 'use encoder correction' to off. I try guiding again this night with the updated parameters.

I will also use fix IP adresses and try binning 2.

Here is my setup:

m-due
10" RC with focal length of 2032
New zwo 2" OAG
Zwo 2" filter wheel
Zwo ASI 174mm for guiding

phd2 on a intel i7 (nuc)

speed ratio guiding: 0.2 as suggested in the 'phd2 guide parameters' article on your support webpage

Other parameters of phd: see attached picture


Regards
Chris

Hello Stefano

Please find attached a phd-log where you can see all the 'Star lost' events.

Regards
Chris

Hello zubajohn

I got my m-due running last week. Even phd2 worked. I think that using fix IP addresses and no more WiFi connection helped a lot. I also changed Mx RA and DEC back to its default=2500 and used binning=2 with my asi 174. I was pointing to Navi where PhD found 5-6 guiding stars. The guiding stars at the edge of the tube appeared more like potatoes than points, but I thinks this is normal at this focal length with 2inch OAG (hope so).

I use a 10inch RC with focal length of 2032.

Please note that I installed version 1.5.2.. where Sync home position is disabled!

This week will be very cloudy in Switzerland so I give it another try with different parameters maybe next week.

My parameters / Suggested parameters
Max duration: 2500/200-300
Aggressiveness: 30/70
Min move: 0/0
Algorithm: Lowpass2/Lowpass2
Exposures: 1s/1s
Autoguide speed: 0.2/0.15-0.25

Multistars in phd enabled.

Regards
Christian Granwehr

Hello, I setup my M-Due for the first time tonight. Lots to learn and figure out. My guiding was also not good, but I suspect I need better balance. Where is version 1.5.2 available (EDIT: Found it! Thanks Luciano! Look for the link in the thread in Mounts and Accessories titled "M-due keypad hangs")? I'm assuming that's the StarGo control software (EDIT: Indeed it is!)? Is Encoder Correction suppose to be off (EDIT: Only for guiding with PHD2 so that the pulse commands and the encoders are not fighting each other)? Does that disable the encoders (EDIT: I don't believe so, they just aren't being used to maintain tracking position, but the mount should still know where it is)? Why do that (EDIT: for guiding with PHD2)? And finally I didn't see any option in PHD2 to change the algorithm, the dropdown boxes were greyed out and not selectable (EDIT: I think I need to make a new profile, I was reusing at previous one).

New Question: Is the RA/DEC Autoguide Speed listed in the PHD2 guiding parameters something that is set in PHD2, or in the StarGO2 configuration?