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First Time Set-up and Use

[email protected] All Messages By This Member #28466 Hi Folks, My name is Kevin, and this is my first time posting to the Group. I took delivery of the Retro-fit kit for my G-ll on Monday and am planning on doing the basic set-up before installation onto my mount. I've been watching all the tutorials on Gemini that Brian has posted to You-tube, and am slowly wrapping my head around it. My goal is for visual at this time, but I'll be doing some imaging later. I've found through watching the vids that it is pretty straight forward with Lat/Lon, but when entering the time I have a question about Daylight Savings Time(pita). I am in the EST zone so my off set is -5, but we are in DST so the offset is -4, right? Also, when in the Fall, do I have to do a Cold Start and change the offset back to -5 again? Basically, I'm just asking for clarification that my thinking about the offset is correct and setting it for DST is correct? Everytime the time changes I will have to change the offset. BTW, any tips you might have for installing the hardware, or first time start-up and use are appreciated. ? Thanks, Kevin
David C. Partridge Member Profile All Messages By This Member #28467 开云体育 Stick with UTC and set the clock accordingly (using an offset of 0).? Never need to change it again. ? toggle quoted message Show quoted text From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of fishonkevin via groups.io Sent: 02 April 2025 14:03 To: [email protected] Subject: [Gemini-II_io] First Time Set-up and Use ? Hi Folks, My name is Kevin, and this is my first time posting to the Group. I took delivery of the Retro-fit kit for my G-ll on Monday and am planning on doing the basic set-up before installation onto my mount. I've been watching all the tutorials on Gemini that Brian has posted to You-tube, and am slowly wrapping my head around it. My goal is for visual at this time, but I'll be doing some imaging later. I've found through watching the vids that it is pretty straight forward with Lat/Lon, but when entering the time I have a question about Daylight Savings Time(pita). I am in the EST zone so my off set is -5, but we are in DST so the offset is -4, right? Also, when in the Fall, do I have to do a Cold Start and change the offset back to -5 again? Basically, I'm just asking for clarification that my thinking about the offset is correct and setting it for DST is correct? Everytime the time changes I will have to change the offset. BTW, any tips you might have for installing the hardware, or first time start-up and use are appreciated. ? Thanks, Kevin
Paul Kanevsky All Messages By This Member #28468 On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 09:03 AM, <fishonkevin@...> wrote: Hi Folks, My name is Kevin, and this is my first time posting to the Group. I took delivery of the Retro-fit kit for my G-ll on Monday and am planning on doing the basic set-up before installation onto my mount. I've been watching all the tutorials on Gemini that Brian has posted to You-tube, and am slowly wrapping my head around it. My goal is for visual at this time, but I'll be doing some imaging later. I've found through watching the vids that it is pretty straight forward with Lat/Lon, but when entering the time I have a question about Daylight Savings Time(pita). I am in the EST zone so my off set is -5, but we are in DST so the offset is -4, right? Also, when in the Fall, do I have to do a Cold Start and change the offset back to -5 again? Basically, I'm just asking for clarification that my thinking about the offset is correct and setting it for DST is correct? Everytime the time changes I will have to change the offset. BTW, any tips you might have for installing the hardware, or first time start-up and use are appreciated. ? Thanks, Kevin Hi Kevin, welcome to the group! ? You are right, the current EDT offset is -4, and that's what you'd want to set in Gemini. This will change to -5 in the Fall. Note that if you are not using your PC to set the Gemini time, it's really not that important what offset you use, other than for the display of the current civil date/time. Pointing accuracy will not be affected as long as the UTC time is correct. And if you are setting Gemini time from your PC using ASCOM, starting with Gemini L6 the time zone offset has also become unimportant -- the ASCOM driver now always sets Gemini time using UTC timezone, so this not in any way affected by what offset you enter in Gemini. ?
Paul Kanevsky All Messages By This Member #28469 On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 09:22 AM, David C. Partridge wrote: Stick with UTC and set the clock accordingly (using an offset of 0).? Never need to change it again. ? Personally, I never liked that recommendation. I like to see my local date and time displayed on Gemini. Living many hours away from UTC, I don't think in UTC time, and rarely know what it is without doing some computations in my head... which requires me to remember the offset, anyway ;)?
Rene Goerlich All Messages By This Member #28470 开云体育 Paul, David is privileged somehow, in Merry Old England near the prime meridian ;) 搁别苍é Am 02.04.25 um 15:32 schrieb Paul Kanevsky: toggle quoted message Show quoted text On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 09:22 AM, David C. Partridge wrote: Stick with UTC and set the clock accordingly (using an offset of 0).? Never need to change it again. ? Personally, I never liked that recommendation. I like to see my local date and time displayed on Gemini. Living many hours away from UTC, I don't think in UTC time, and rarely know what it is without doing some computations in my head... which requires me to remember the offset, anyway ;)?
[email protected] All Messages By This Member #28471 Paul, I don't think in UTC either. So I'll use my regular time/-4 offset. In the Fall I'll have to go into the handset and change it back to -5 via the cold start routine. No problem.? I have another question. Brian's vids about setting my Park position and safety limits are easy to follow. But I'm wondering if I need to slew/move the mount with the hand controller so that Gemini can read the motors/encoders for the positions. Will the motors/clutches disengage to allow push-to these positions and still read where they are set at? I'm coming from using my G-11 w DSC' and Sky Commander and push-to was always faster than my Observing Buddies mounts with Go-To.
Sonny Edmonds All Messages By This Member #28472 My Gemini and other things are set to UTC, which I ignore. I have my other timekeeping set to 24-hour time and can readily compute that in my head. But UTC eliminates DST bother. Whether we like it or not, UTC just plods along with the stars. ? DST was some basterdization of daylight to give Farmers extra daylight. I've done a little farmin and worked at farmin and ranchin. Clocks don't matter there. You work when the work needs done. ? Congress still takes their Planting and Harvesting vacations. -- Sonny Edmonds GM811G HD
Paul Kanevsky All Messages By This Member #28473 On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 12:11 PM, <fishonkevin@...> wrote: Paul, I don't think in UTC either. So I'll use my regular time/-4 offset. In the Fall I'll have to go into the handset and change it back to -5 via the cold start routine. No problem.? I have another question. Brian's vids about setting my Park position and safety limits are easy to follow. But I'm wondering if I need to slew/move the mount with the hand controller so that Gemini can read the motors/encoders for the positions. Will the motors/clutches disengage to allow push-to these positions and still read where they are set at? I'm coming from using my G-11 w DSC' and Sky Commander and push-to was always faster than my Observing Buddies mounts with Go-To. ? Kevin, you'll need to use the HC or PC software to move your mount to the desired safety limit position and then set it there. If you use push-to (loosening the clutches), Gemini will not be aware of the new position since the encoders are in the servo motors and not on mount axis. For Gemini to be aware of the new position, the movement must occur through the motors. ? You can use the HC or your PC to set the desired safety limit by entering number of degrees from CWD position, directly. In this case, you don't need to move the mount there at all, but just be sure that's the correct angular distance, or you might risk your precious hardware.
Chip Louie All Messages By This Member #28474 On Wed, Apr 2, 2025 at 09:11 AM, <fishonkevin@...> wrote: Paul, I don't think in UTC either. So I'll use my regular time/-4 offset. In the Fall I'll have to go into the handset and change it back to -5 via the cold start routine. No problem.? I have another question. Brian's vids about setting my Park position and safety limits are easy to follow. But I'm wondering if I need to slew/move the mount with the hand controller so that Gemini can read the motors/encoders for the positions. Will the motors/clutches disengage to allow push-to these positions and still read where they are set at? I'm coming from using my G-11 w DSC' and Sky Commander and push-to was always faster than my Observing Buddies mounts with Go-To. ? When using the Gemini 2 in the usual GOTO mode once you are polar aligned and have shot a couple of stars for the model you can only use the hand controller to move the scope.? If you push the scope the Gemini 2 will lose your scope's position.? IME it is best to just use the DSC or use the Gemini and stick to that mode until you are willing to do another 2-3 star alignment.? ? -- Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware? Astrospheric - South Pasadena, CA?
[email protected] All Messages By This Member #28475 Thanks Guys for all the help. I successfully got my HC configured today, and I'll install the hardware this weekend. If skies clear I'll set limits and Home/Park positions "Using the HC". Like in Brian's vid my Home/park position is not at CWD due to the roof of the observatory. Can't have the roof bang the scope when closing up. When I have questions again, which I'm sure I will, I'll be back. ? Kevin ?

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