I am using a Lakeside motorfocuser on a WO Star 71 with a QSI 683-WSG. PHD2 is my guide software. I wonder if I am using SGP correctly to autofocus... It works, but it can take quite a while and has occasionally failed me. Currently I manually start an autofocus run before starting my sequence. That way I am in focus, start the sequence and the first target is centred, PHD2 starts guiding and off we go.
The problems occur when a focus run is required later during the sequence. I have the autoguide settings so that guiding continues during autofocus and have 'Settle auto guider before auto focus frames' selected. That way I stay on target and there aren't large jumps in framing after a focus run, which I was getting when I stopped guiding during autofocus. However, it can take quite a while for the guiding to settle, especially at the more out of focus ends of the routine.
What I would like to be able to do when an autofocus run is required is to stop guiding, run the autofocus, re centre on my target, restart guiding and off we go with the next sub.
Is there any way to do that? Or is there a better way to use autofocus and stay well on target?