Well, let me confirm, on the hand controller the left and right are slewing the Dec (i.e. the CW bar "spins") while the up and down are slewing the RA (i.e. the CW bar moves to the left or right when looking south-to-north at the mount).
Is that correct or does that confirm the cables are reversed?
Sounds like the DEC and RA motor cables might be swapped. Mount rotated in DEC instead of in RA if RA position didn't change.
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On Sun, Dec 15, 2024 at 01:23 PM, John Dias wrote:
Thanks Daniel, the reverse RA/Dec are indeed unchecked but this is weird. I had left the mount on overnight, but in the home/CWD position. When I checked just now, it's still there, but the virtual hand controller shows "LIMIT!" ![image.png]()
I just picked up a new G11T direct from Losmandy yesterday with the latest firmware loaded up. I was getting this same result with 4 second exposures. Turned out RA reverse and DEC reverse were enabled for some reason by default. Unchecked those and all is well. Worth a look.
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Sounds like the DEC and RA motor cables might be swapped. Mount rotated in DEC instead of in RA if RA position didn't change.
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On Sun, Dec 15, 2024 at 01:23 PM, John Dias wrote:
Thanks Daniel, the reverse RA/Dec are indeed unchecked but this is weird. I had left the mount on overnight, but in the home/CWD position. When I checked just now, it's still there, but the virtual hand controller shows "LIMIT!"
I just picked up a new G11T direct from Losmandy yesterday with the latest firmware loaded up. I was getting this same result with 4 second exposures. Turned out RA reverse and DEC reverse were enabled for some reason by default. Unchecked those and all is well. Worth a look.
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Woah! So, on a whim I decided to park it at CWD to see what would happen.. The dec started spinning! I stopped it but here's the result.
Thanks Daniel, the reverse RA/Dec are indeed unchecked but this is weird. I had left the mount on overnight, but in the home/CWD position. When I checked just now, it's still there, but the virtual hand controller shows "LIMIT!" 
I just picked up a new G11T direct from Losmandy yesterday with the latest firmware loaded up. I was getting this same result with 4 second exposures. Turned out RA reverse and DEC reverse were enabled for some reason by default. Unchecked those and all is well. Worth a look.
|
Thanks Daniel, the reverse RA/Dec are indeed unchecked but this is weird. I had left the mount on overnight, but in the home/CWD position. When I checked just now, it's still there, but the virtual hand controller shows "LIMIT!" 
I just picked up a new G11T direct from Losmandy yesterday with the latest firmware loaded up. I was getting this same result with 4 second exposures. Turned out RA reverse and DEC reverse were enabled for some reason by default. Unchecked those and all is well. Worth a look.
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Re: Star Trails/No Tracking in RA
Hi Paul,
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I don’t know how to read the logs so I can’t help with that. However, the mount pointing in the wrong direction when commanded to goto makes me think a setting is not properly set. Make sure your lat/lon are correct and pay special attention to the signs. Maybe you set it up for southern hemisphere? That would explain the mount going in the opposite direction and star trails as the mount is also tracking in the opposite direction? A wild guess but worth a quick check
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Also make sure your motors are connected correctly. I believe everyone in these forums has made that mistake at least once :)
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other than that, if the problems persist maybe try reloading your firmware or, even load the previous one just to test the outcome. But this is mostly a last resort option
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good luck
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I just picked up a new G11T direct from Losmandy yesterday with the latest firmware loaded up. I was getting this same result with 4 second exposures. Turned out RA reverse and DEC reverse were enabled for some reason by default. Unchecked those and all is well. Worth a look.
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John,
If entering the Site latitude make sure you include the negative if you are in the southern hemisphere.
Also, check the mount type to make sure it knows which way the motors operate.
There is also a Design button that sets equatorial or alt/az.
Finally, make sure the cables are plugged into the correct sockets.
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On 15 Dec 2024, at 5:30?pm, John Dias via groups.io <jddias@...> wrote:
Paul, yes it's set to sidereal rate.
John,
Is it tracking at sidereal rate?
Just got my G811 back from Losmandy with the L6 update. Tonight it is giving me star trails when tracking on short exposures (5 seconds). I have no idea what's going on, any advice? ? <Screenshot 2024-12-14 191544.png>
--?
Paul
--
Paul
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Re: Star Trails/No Tracking in RA
Hi all,
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The clouds cleared tonight, and I was able to test the ASCOM driver (with the tracking button selected on in virtual handcontroller) and an indi driver to my Gemini 2. Both PCs were connected via ethernet, so they were able to connect at the same time. Both exhibited the same behavior, which is the same as what I observed when I started the thread:
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1) Mount slewed to wrong side of the meridian (told it to go to Pollux, but it went West). I tried reversing RA on both virtual handcontrol in ASCOM and indi, but this did not change anything.
2) Star Trails evident in all instances and exposures from 2 to 5 seconds. Unable to plate solve, except at pole.
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I'm thinking perhaps the new firmware, since both indi and ASCOM connected PCs did exact same thing?
I have uploaded the logs from tonight in the files, under Romero.
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Let me know, and I'll upload the previous firmware using the GFU and test tomorrow night.
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Clear Skies,
Paul
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While possible, that would have to be a dramatic change from the last time I used the mount, which was just prior to sending the computer and hand controller off to Losmandy for update.
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Polar alignment, tracking rate, unbalanced payload??
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A mount in good.mechanial.condition will never slip.? I've never had any clutch slippage while imaging, if you have clutch slippage while imaging the mount is very out of balance and/or has oil contaminated clutches.?
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--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
Astrospheric - South Pasadena, CA?
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Paul, yes it's set to sidereal rate.
John,
Is it tracking at sidereal rate?
Just got my G811 back from Losmandy with the L6 update. Tonight it is giving me star trails when tracking on short exposures (5 seconds). I have no idea what's going on, any advice?
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<Screenshot 2024-12-14 191544.png>
--
Paul
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Polar alignment, tracking rate, unbalanced payload??
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A mount in good.mechanial.condition will never slip.? I've never had any clutch slippage while imaging, if you have clutch slippage while imaging the mount is very out of balance and/or has oil contaminated clutches.?
?
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
Astrospheric - South Pasadena, CA?
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John,
Is it tracking at sidereal rate?
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On 15 Dec 2024, at 12:18?pm, John Dias via groups.io <jddias@...> wrote:
Just got my G811 back from Losmandy with the L6 update. Tonight it is giving me star trails when tracking on short exposures (5 seconds). I have no idea what's going on, any advice?
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<Screenshot 2024-12-14 191544.png>
--
Paul
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Mine readily change w/ temperature; recheck throughout evening as temps fall.?
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On Dec 14, 2024, at 7:11?PM, John Dias via groups.io <jddias@...> wrote:
? Maybe? Shouldn't have moved, but I'll ask the staff to check the clutches.
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Maybe? Shouldn't have moved, but I'll ask the staff to check the clutches.
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Loose clutches; axis slipping?
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Show quoted text
On Dec 14, 2024, at 6:18?PM, John Dias via groups.io <jddias@...> wrote:
? Just got my G811 back from Losmandy with the L6 update. Tonight it is giving me star trails when tracking on short exposures (5 seconds). I have no idea what's going on, any advice?
?
<Screenshot 2024-12-14 191544.png>
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Sorry, I should have mentioned, this is happening at CWD, so I don't think it's a cable snag.
I also reconfigured the mount back to my settings before using it. I have restarted the mount a few times as well.
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Just got my G811 back from Losmandy with the L6 update. Tonight it is giving me star trails when tracking on short exposures (5 seconds). I have no idea what's going on, any advice?
?
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Re: New Gemini L6.1 and Hand Controller v1.63 firmware available!
On Wed, Dec 11, 2024 at 10:25 AM, Paul Kanevsky wrote:
1. Flip points are set relative to the meridian, not safety limit
Paul,
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Could you confirm this, relative to which meridian?
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I still see the mount responding using Flip Point by using the uncorrected or Limit based meridian position.? Not the Meridian used by the scheduling software (that Meridian in the sky) once synchronization of the mount on the first star occurs and an RA Index value exists.? This then requires the insertion of a delay to use Flip Go-To modification not required using the WGL method.
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(I'm at 6.10 / 1.63 / 3.0 checking this.)
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Re: New Gemini L6.1 and Hand Controller v1.63 firmware available!
Anand,
The “Use flip command if supported” is still there but it seems it has moved. ?Bring up the Options for the Capture tab and you will see it. ?Not clear why it was moved. ?I think they also lost the previous setting. ?I used to have this enabled, but when I when searching for it in 3.7.4 it was no longer set. ?I haven’t tried a meridian flip since this new release came out.
Bill
![]() On Dec 14, 2024, at 8:10?AM, Anand Narwani via groups.io <seaseadee@...> wrote:
There is a nuance that I wasn't aware of.? In prior versions on KStars, there was an option to "Use flip command if mount supports it".? I cannot find that in the current version, so now I am left guessing as to whether it will issue a flip or a Goto.? As a result, I need to make sure that the flip will work correctly regardless of the command issued.? Please clarify "For FW ?6.x and Flip Points enabled, and both, East and West flip points set to 1°, then a Goto to past 1° would result in a flip."? Does this mean that regardless of flip command or Goto past 1°, the flip will succeed??
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Thanks Again,
Anand
--? Bill Tschumy Otherwise -- Longmont, CO www.otherwise.com
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Re: New CR2354 Battery Is At 2.066V by HC and Gemini2 Web Server
On Sat, Dec 14, 2024 at 09:47 AM, Michael A. Covington wrote:
I? have had a lot of experience testing coin cells, and I don't think
the open-circuit voltage is deceptive.? It is higher than the voltage
under load, of course, but if it's reading 3.2 V open circuit, the coin
cell is good and the problem lies elsewhere. You could substitute
another one just in case -- easier than getting a new tester.
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Agreed.? No load coin cell voltage is the standard used by the battery manufacturer associations.? A new manufacturer small lithium coin cell can read over 3.3v out of the package, typically 3.2v on the shelf and after 6 to 12 months in my Gemini 2 minis 3.0v in a warm room.
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Once the hit 2.9v in a warm room I toss them due to having and seeing too many experiences with bad behavior at this voltage level with Gemini 2 controllers. The industry standards say that once the unloaded voltage falls 10% of nominal new voltage it is worn out.?
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This is not to say they don't still mostly work just that this is considered an exhausted cell. But this checks out with my experiences in the field in the cold.? Some people report not having issues with voltage readings below 2.9v in a warm room but if there is anything that can ruin a night in the field it is strange Gemini 2 behavior.? If you have to do an HSM default? reset or replacing the battery solved the problem it can be traced back to a marginal battery and most folks don't recognize it.??
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Believe me, 2.9v unloaded on a warm room is a marginal battery in the field on a cold night. It may not happen that night but the low voltage battery caused data corruption will eventually disrupt your night.??
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The other major bummer is an old power pack battery.? This can also cause issues with Gemini 2 data corruption and can look like a bad internal battery. Most lead acid chemistry batteries unless very fresh and freshly charged are marginal in the cold.? Modern LiFePo4 chemistry batteries with onboard battery management and regulation do not display this problem.??
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--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
Astrospheric - South Pasadena, CA?
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John Dias
Paul Kanevsky
Chip Louie
Bill Tschumy