GENERAL QUESTION ABOUT LEV 6 UPGRADE
Good morning and thanks to all of the posters and responders both professional and amateur! It has been interesting reading and trying to keep pace with the questions and comments.
My G-11 and Gemini II are quite old but works well with Phd2 and my set up - I'm very happy with my AP results and I know you can't help me with Maryland weather, the Moon, and family obligations.
So where do I find the overall changes/improvements that I should see after upgrade to Level 6?
I have been wanting to replace motors for years but they keep working... most of the time. Will new motors and LEV6 be an improvement?
ISS tracking with SkyTrack is very exciting and I would like to try that and understand LEV6 will enable that.
Sorry if this is obvious to many of you but I just can't seem to find the big picture.
Best regards and clear skies
Bob
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Re: HC Start Up Screen Question
Interesting.? My L5 always went from the "start modes" and, after a start mode selection, directly to the screen with the 4 buttons which is what prompted my question.
No matter.? L5 is history for me.? Thanks for the clarification.
Chris
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Re: HC Start Up Screen Question
HI Chris
This is correct and hasn't changed from L5
On Thu, Jul 6, 2023 at 6:35?AM Rene Goerlich < Rene@...> wrote:
Yes, Chris, it is intended - Guiding the user thru
the process, but this is there for a long time already...
¸é±ð²Ô¨¦
Am 06.07.23 um 15:13 schrieb
criscopenneys via :
This is more of a "Is it supposed to do this?" question.? On L6
after selecting "Warm Restart" from the HC, this is the next
screen that appears:
I hit the "back button then this screen appears:
I hit the "Back" button again then I get what I thought was the
defacto HC "Home" screen.
With L5, this was the first screen after selecting a start mode.?
Did L6 change this?? Just wondering not complaining. Maybe I
missed something in the L6 documentation.
Chris N
Cedar, MN
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astronomy portfolio?? nature portfolio? other astronomy??
--
Brian
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Re: HC Start Up Screen Question
Yes, Chris, it is intended - Guiding the user thru
the process, but this is there for a long time already...
¸é±ð²Ô¨¦
Am 06.07.23 um 15:13 schrieb
criscopenneys via groups.io:
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This is more of a "Is it supposed to do this?" question.? On L6
after selecting "Warm Restart" from the HC, this is the next
screen that appears:
I hit the "back button then this screen appears:
I hit the "Back" button again then I get what I thought was the
defacto HC "Home" screen.
With L5, this was the first screen after selecting a start mode.?
Did L6 change this?? Just wondering not complaining. Maybe I
missed something in the L6 documentation.
Chris N
Cedar, MN
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HC Start Up Screen Question
This is more of a "Is it supposed to do this?" question.? On L6 after selecting "Warm Restart" from the HC, this is the next screen that appears:  I hit the "back button then this screen appears:  I hit the "Back" button again then I get what I thought was the defacto HC "Home" screen.  With L5, this was the first screen after selecting a start mode.? Did L6 change this?? Just wondering not complaining. Maybe I missed something in the L6 documentation. Chris N Cedar, MN
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Re: Level 6 firmware instructions Page 7 question
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Re: Level 6 firmware instructions Page 7 question
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Re: How to track ISS with new Leve 6
Thanks Paul, yes that was the situation (I remember that feature was added when we ran into that problem) ? Okay, carry on and ignore my suggestion J ? ? ? Thanks ? Brian ? Brian Valente Losmandy Astronomical ? Losmandy.com Tutorials and vids at ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Paul Kanevsky
Sent: Wednesday, July 5, 2023 4:01 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Gemini-II_io] How to track ISS with new Leve 6? Hi Brian,
No, what you're recalling is that when using the NEO + Small object tracking, Gemini is sometimes reporting as slewing when the tracking rate is high (when tracking ISS, for example). This doesn't happen with just the Variable Axis rate option turned on, as long as the mount is still tracking at Sidereal.
Regards,
? ? -Paul
On Wed, Jul 5, 2023 at 12:31 AM, Brian Valente wrote: >>> do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses? Personally I would disable it unless doing satellite work.? In my testing (Paul, remind me here) i seem to recall it could at times give an indication it was slewing when it was just tracking. We added the auto-correct RA/Dec option in the Minor Planets/Small Objects feature that needed to be enabled if guiding while tracking comet, etc. ? On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 8:10?AM <CUME91@...> wrote: Once you enable Variable MoveAxis Rate in Gemini Telescope Setup to use with SkyTrack, can you leave that enabled all the time for typical Visual or Astrophotography or do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses? ? ?
--
--
Brian
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Michael,
I don't expect the mount to perfectly center an object on the first GOTO. I have done a decent setup and used a Polemaster or other camera polar alignment tool the mount usually has the object roughly centered within a 2 degree FOV.?
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?
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Re: Level 6 firmware instructions Page 7 question
At first I had taken a "say what?" on this as well, but on Step 10 you loop back to Step 4 for the other servo. Thus, want to be sure Gemini is turned on and that you had not turned it off for some reason. You would not repeat Steps 1-3 for the 2nd servo.
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Re: How to track ISS with new Leve 6
Hi Brian, No, what you're recalling is that when using the NEO + Small object tracking, Gemini is sometimes reporting as slewing when the tracking rate is high (when tracking ISS, for example). This doesn't happen with just the Variable Axis rate option turned on, as long as the mount is still tracking at Sidereal.  Regards, ? ? -Paul
On Wed, Jul 5, 2023 at 12:31 AM, Brian Valente wrote:
>>> do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses?
?
Personally I would disable it unless doing satellite work.?
?
In my testing (Paul, remind me here) i seem to recall it could at times give an indication it was slewing when it was just tracking. We added the auto-correct RA/Dec option in the Minor Planets/Small Objects feature that needed to be enabled if guiding while tracking comet, etc.
?
On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 8:10?AM < CUME91@...> wrote: Once you enable Variable MoveAxis Rate in Gemini Telescope Setup to use with SkyTrack, can you leave that enabled all the time for typical Visual or Astrophotography or do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses?
?
?
?
--
Brian?
?
?
?
Brian Valente
astronomy portfolio??
nature portfolio?
other astronomy??
--
Brian
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Level 6 firmware instructions Page 7 question
I received my upgrade kit today and while reading the instructions I have a question
regarding: STEP TWO: 'Program the servos' section of the level 6 update instructions.
Steps
1. Power ON the Gemini 2
2. Launch PICKit2 software...
3. Power target VDD set to auto...
4. Next turn ON your Gemini 2 via the power switch on the Gemini unit.
We seem to be powering on the Gemini twice (step 1 and 4) or am I missing something here?
Thanks Dave down in NZ
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Re: How to track ISS with new Leve 6
>>>
do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses?
Personally I would disable it unless doing satellite work.?
In my testing (Paul, remind me here) i seem to recall it could at times give an indication it was slewing when it was just tracking. We added the auto-correct RA/Dec option in the Minor Planets/Small Objects feature that needed to be enabled if guiding while tracking comet, etc.
On Tue, Jul 4, 2023 at 8:10?AM < CUME91@...> wrote: Once you enable Variable MoveAxis Rate in Gemini Telescope Setup to use with SkyTrack, can you leave that enabled all the time for typical Visual or Astrophotography or do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses?
-- Brian?
Brian Valente astronomy portfolio?? nature portfolio? other astronomy??
--
Brian
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And don't expect perfection when it goes to the first star.? No mount can find stars "blind."? That would require impossibly accurate polar alignment and initial position.? That is why you are going to align or sync on stars. ? Then it will know those errors and compensate for them.
But if the first star is grossly off (like more than 5 degrees), tell us the direction and distance and we'll help troubleshoot.
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On 2023-07-04 16:48, Clayton Cramer wrote: It sounds like I need to verify that I am on due north, use the levels on both RA and Dec to get in CWD position, then do a Cold Start before first GOTO bright star.
--
Michael A. Covington, Ph.D.
Consultant, Covington Innovations, Athens, Georgia, USA
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Correct.? As my mount is older and doesn't have levels, I've always done exactly as in Scott's video on the YouTube channel.
Keith
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It sounds like I need to verify that I am on due north, use the levels on both RA and Dec to get in CWD position, then do a Cold Start before first GOTO bright star.
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Re: How to track ISS with new Leve 6
You can leave it on for other uses. This does increase the load on Gemini since it also makes all Gemini status requests real-time. Normally Gemini.NET asks Gemini for status every few seconds. With variable tracking, this is not sufficient when chasing fast moving satellites. Depending on the software you use, Gemini might be asked for updates as frequently as every few milliseconds.
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Re: How to track ISS with new Leve 6
Once you enable Variable MoveAxis Rate in Gemini Telescope Setup to use with SkyTrack, can you leave that enabled all the time for typical Visual or Astrophotography or do you need to enable only when using the features in SkyTrack and then disable for other uses?
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Palomar Globular Cluster Catalog
All,
I just uploaded a new Gemini catalog in the "Files" section, "User_Catalog_submissions", "English", "Palomar Globulars" for those interested in these faint clusters.? I tested this catalog on my L6, G2 and seemed to work fine (I originally used this on my old G1 unit). I can see the catalog on both the Main Unit and the Hand Controller.? Follow the instructions on the G2 website on how to load new catalogs.? Instructions for updating the HC to see the new catalog, go to (from the website) Gemini 2>Updating Gemini Firmware>Adding Catalogs to the Hand Controller.? ?Very easy and straightforward.
Chris N
Cedar, MN
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Thank you, Brian. That's very helpful to know. Keep up the great work. I'm starting to get more comfortable with the Level 6 update.
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Chip Louie
Paul Kanevsky
Brian Hiatt