ASIAIR-PHD2 - Simple Change to a Setting, Better Guiding!

So I was trying to use my new portable setup with the autoguider for the first time and it was not working. I kept getting an error that the guidestar did not move enough in the RA direction. This system worked in NINA and with other guidescope setups but not this one. I did some research and discovered I had to simply change the Calibration Step value.

[@tomrobbe]

Thanks for your video! I have been all over the internet trying to figure out how to correct this same error. Your KZbin was the only source I have found with this solution. I will try it tonight.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks, Good luck Tom.

[@wzuhl]

This is an excellent explanation. Thank you!

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for the feedback Wayne. Cheers!

[@stephenlast1897]

Thanks for your video for me worked a treat !

[@AstroQuest1]

Great to hear Stephan! Cheers

[@sreeshab4093]

you are doing a good job by sharing videos and knowledge which we dont get easily. thank you. and keep em coming

[@AstroQuest1]

Thank you for the comments. I enjoy doing them, wish I had more time to more. Cheers

[@Microtonal_Cats]

Thank you. And the birds made me smile.

[@AstroQuest1]

Ha ha, Thanks!

[@MrPedalpaddle]

- I followed the advice on an Astroblender KZbin to use the settings that caused you trouble, and they caused me trouble, too. Returning to the ASIair defaults, as you did, fixed it for me, too. - Using a USB3 stick on the ASIair works best for; tethering it to a laptop defeats its purpose.

[@AstroQuest1]

That was was it David. Usually Astroblender's advice is right on but this time it was not. I was wondering if I just stick a USB thumb in there I can transfer the files to it. As you said, tethering to a computer defeats the purpose. Cheers

[@stevenmoore7123]

Hi Kurt , thanks for the helpful videos, keep them coming. We have a robin who has made it's home on the light box just outside the garage.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Steven, Good to know I am not the only one with a bird sanctuary. Cheers.

[@gregerianne3880]

Thanks so much for sharing that experience, Kurt! I'm trying to figure out why my guiding with the ASIAir Plus/SGP/ASI120mm mini is not working after I updated the firmware to 9.97. Weird stuff going on, e.g., during the calibration for guiding, the ASIAir goes West step 1 through x, then keeps going West step x through 1, but all the time the distance from the calibration star is increasing! Of course, if I try to guide I'm getting star trails after a very short time so it's not working at all. I did have the Calibration step set to 2000, though, so I don't think that's my problem.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Greg, That is weird. It sounds like it is not guiding at all? Make sure the correct Focal length of the guidescope. You might want to put this issue on the Forum or Facebook page. Good luck

[@JoesAstrophoto]

Very helpful info Kurt! For some reason I’ve noticed the default step size is almost always smaller than optimal.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Joe, I usually use default settings and it usually works so I don't bother trying to understand what is happening. When problems arise then read up and find out what is going on.

[@physmc1]

Same experience as you, value needs to be reduced for the SCT (@1400mm focal length OAG) and default is about right for 200mm guide scope. Essentially, if not enough step in guider calibration you need to drop the value, and if too many steps you need to increase the value. I had to keep a notebook of settings because the AAP has no quick save for different setups.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for the additional info Charles! I learning something new everyday. Cheers

[@JeffHorne]

Excellent video, Kurt. Very helpful. Also, I too noticed you have to delete files using the tablet. I wish they’d change that back…I liked deleting my files from the computer after I transferred them from the computer.

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Jeff. I am wondering why they did that as well. It does not make any sense to me. Cheers

[@dougiesmart1623]

A great video there, thanks for your advice. I had exactly that problem using my Skywatcher tracker mount last night and my ASIair Plus said that the stars were not moving enough (I was using a 120mm guide scope and ZWO120MC guide camera). I tried changing my settings, but was still having trouble. I set my ASI to ST4 etc as well. The focus on my guide scope was not that great and wonder if that might have also been a contributing factor to the stars not moving enough. Next time I may set my ASI calibration to 3000mS and see if that works, but will also reset my ASIAIR Plus and see if that helps. Thanks again for a great video 👍

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks Dougie, Good luck on getting everything to work. Trying to troubleshoot stuff is such a pain sometimes. Cheers

[@marekgumienny5813]

hey, this makes sense but just a thought: dont you have a backlash problem? do you have mount biased west and north before starting the calibration to make sure calibration steps are not wasted on backlash? I certainly made that mistake a few times😂

[@AstroQuest1]

I haven't noticed any backlash on this newer version EAF, or the ASIAIR has a built in compensator. My old one certainly does though. Cheers

[@Seafox0011]

It makes logical sense that the wider the FOV (shorter the focal length) of the guide scope the longer the sample time needed to register a shift of a star in arc seconds. Also shows why for best results having both the guide scope and main telescope lens focal lengths close in value helps. Also explains why an off axis prism guider works best with the longer focal length telescopes. Also to consider how the pixel density of the guide camera has a direct relationship to the recorded angle of movement across the surface of the sensor chip for the given sample time.

[@AstroQuest1]

All good points. It is good when things make sense, however I am having a hard time comprehending your last point. Cheers

[@Seafox0011]

@@AstroQuest1 Hi Chris, in terms of guide camera - most are named as such 'guide camera' so will have a similar capture chip of a certain pixel density (ZWO/QHY etc) - for example the ASI120MM has the spacial pixel density of 3.75µm compared to an ASI178MM at 2.4µm. The chip's sensitivity is also part of the mix too - signal to noise etc. Great video and helped me think this one through! Thanks!

[@AstroQuest1]

@@Seafox0011 Got it. Thanks for the quick response. Also there is the ASI174 which has the much larger 5.6um pixels. Cheers Kurt

[@boaty1968]

In phd2 you need calibration to do at least 8 steps I found this out recently after receiving an error calibrating , I had swapped guide scopes over from a 400mm fl to 130mm guidescope a shorter guidescope needed more steps , phd2 in brain 🧠 settings can calculate the steps for your setup kurt may be worth looking what phd2 calculates your steps at to compare what your using in Asair

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks, Yeah the brain doesn't not show up on the ASIAIR so I would have to do it on the computer. I have never had it less than 8 steps so I never had that particular issue. Cheers

[@alessandrogaldiero7796]

guys sorry but I got a little lost in your very technical speeches. I have two frames; an eq6r pro on which I use a 125/975 reduced to 790 with full focal length oag (975 mm) And the small az-gti on which I use a Jupiter 200 with svbony 120/30 guide telescope or a 70/478 with 120 guide telescope / 30. How do I figure out / calculate what might be the best values ​​for my setups. thank you

[@AstroQuest1]

I would try setting the calibration at 2000 ms and then see what happens. The optimal movement is 25 arcsec in 4-5 steps. If it takes 15 steps to reach that movement, raise the calibration value, if it does it 2 steps, lower the value. Cheers eastwindastro.blogspot.com/2021/02/how-to-adjust-asiair-guide-aggression.html.

[@oldgazer]

So if he is using the ASI Air Plus autoguider functionality why did he select an On-Camera ST4 mount?

[@AstroQuest1]

Haha, The SkyguiderPro is not a goto mount.

[@scottrk4930]

Does PHD2 not allow you to store/save Profiles based on Main OTA values ? That might be nice . Make a single change to your Scope of Interest for the night and have PHD2 change all your preferences related to that Focal Length . Tell me why this wouldn't work . LOL /SRK

[@AstroQuest1]

Hi Scott, Yeah PHD2 does all that as a stand alone on the computer or when you are using NINA, APT, or some such thing. But in the ASIAIR you are switching stuff around all the time and in addition you are using a PHD2 light version.

[@Cheshire_Astronomy]

Use \\asiair from the PC to use the network to move files from it and delete them

[@AstroQuest1]

Thanks for the info.

[@julio10004]

It is 2000 miliseconds or 2 seconds

[@AstroQuest1]

Yep. the same!