Win 11, Gemini 1.0.84, Ascom 661.3673
East Limit 94, West Limit 94, WGL 3
Successfully imaged with the new mount In October then nothing till this past week.? During an imaging session, the mount failed to flip with the capture software indicating mount still reporting west pointing east ( meridian flip parameters in software -ccdciel - were not changed ). I manipulated all the limits in an attempt to resolve with no luck - mount continues to track to limit then stops. All from cold starts.
I also tried without capture software and just the planetarium program - trying to use the gemini sofware to do the flips at various points from the meridian to the limit - same results.
I am at a loss here.? Any suggestions ?
Frank

Thanks for replying.
The image capture program solves/syncs as part of its target acquisition - unless the sync needs to occur within the gemini software.
I will play with with CWD to check for drift.

Checked CWD and just a tad off -- did not impact problem.? I wonder at what point I need to get a new unit or perhaps a reflashing of firmware? Still hoping its something simple.

Update.
With the scope connected to my imaging laptop ( via usb as usual ), I thought I'd set the home position. When I do that I get 2 errors:? serial port time out, and ascom communication error.?
I tried my backup imaging laptop and got the same error ( same software ).
Does this this mean I have an issue with the Gemini unit? If So, what are my options as it was successfully used for the 1st 2 months I had it ?
Frank

--
Brian

Thanks Brian.
I tried direct ethernet and it too failed the same way regarding meridian flip.? I will try a different usb cable and report back.

--
Brian

Thanks
After trying various cables and laptop usb ports, the meridian flip issues remains.? The settings I used for limits and criteria in the capture software are identical to those used successfully last Oct.
I did review the excellent videos regarding the subject.
Working with the capture software folks, it appears the command for meridian flip is give but the mount takes no action and just continues tracking.
All other aspects of the Gemini seems to work.

My 1st post details the pertinent Gemini settings.? The capture software is set to authorize a flip between 4 & 15 mins. after the flip.
I have varied all the settings to kingdom come and still get a message that the mount reports west pointing east.

I really appreciate any help.

Things have deteriorated. Getting these errors now as shown in attached. From different laptops and trying a variety of usb cables.? The image that is hard to read is regarding an ASCOM/Gemini time out error.
I've only used the setup Last Sept. and Oct. - successfully.
Suggestions appreciated.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2023 at 06:36 PM, Frank Wielgus wrote:

Things have deteriorated. Getting these errors now as shown in attached. From different laptops and trying a variety of usb cables.? The image that is hard to read is regarding an ASCOM/Gemini time out error.
I've only used the setup Last Sept. and Oct. - successfully.
Suggestions appreciated.

Frank, you reported two different problems, each likely unrelated. Communications error and mount failing to flip are two different things and are better diagnosed separately.

Do you get the the communications error with an Ethernet connection between the PC and Gemini? When does the error occur? Randomly, or when the mount is slewing? It seems that you've gone back to using USB instead of Ethernet. Why?

Regards,

? ? -Paul

I have always used the usb method. I set up the ethernet option to troubleshoot the problem.? The communication errors only seem to occur with usb.? The failure to meridian flip happens with either method. However, with no capture software involved, I cannot generate a meridian flip from the HC or from gemini.net software.
Tonight, I going to uninstall ASCOM and Gemini.net then reinstall and retest.

开云体育

Frank,

--
Paul

On Fri, Feb 17, 2023 at 09:06 PM, Frank Wielgus wrote:

have always used the usb method. I set up the ethernet option to troubleshoot the problem.? The communication errors only seem to occur with usb.

That would mean the USB connection is poor. Maybe it's on the Gemini side, if you had tried multiple USB cords and different laptops. Probably easiest and best solution is to use Ethernet, as that's a better connection and protocol, anyway.

On Fri, Feb 17, 2023 at 09:06 PM, Frank Wielgus wrote:

The failure to meridian flip happens with either method. However, with no capture software involved, I cannot generate a meridian flip from the HC or from gemini.net software.
Tonight, I going to uninstall ASCOM and Gemini.net then reinstall and retest.

Reinstalling ASCOM and driver isn't likely to help with the flips. It is most likely related to your safety and goto limits and whether or not the same coordinate can be pointed to from both sides of the pier without violating safety limits.

Regards,

? ? -Paul

Thanks.
WSL=94,?? ESL= 94,?? WSL=3? these are my settings.? Assuming use of only the HC and a planetarium connected to gemini, I interpret this as permitting a meridian flip between 91 and 93 degrees. Is this correct ?
Since the Gemini is new and was only used 2 months, and I cannot use the usb method at all, what are my options for replacement/repair ?

correction between 91 and 94 degrees

Frank, I don't work for Losmandy, so you're better off contacting their support directly about any repair/replacement.

Your? safety limits are very conservative, so there will be a very limited area where a flip is even possible. One thing to realize with Gemini L5 is that if you use a Goto to force a flip, the destination coordinates for such a goto must be sufficiently far from the current position, otherwise Gemini might decide that it's easier to reach this destination by staying on the same side of the meridian (as long as the safety limit is not violated.) If you must have such strict safety limits, you may want to try to increase the western goto limit and make it larger. That will increase the area where a goto destination will likely cause a flip. L6 beta is changing some of this logic to improve the reliability of automated meridian flips.

Regards,

? -Paul

?

WSL=94,?? ESL= 94,?? WSL=3? these are my settings.? Assuming use of only the HC and a planetarium connected to gemini, I interpret this as permitting a meridian flip between 91 and 93 degrees. Is this correct ?
Since the Gemini is new and was only used 2 months, and I cannot use the usb method at all, what are my options for replacement/repair ?

Hi Frank,

the math is correct. As it stands your window of opportunity for a flip runs from 1 degree past meridian all the way to your safety limit of 4 degrees past meridian. That is 4 minutes to 16 minutes past meridian. Not a whole lot of wiggle room but manageable, just need to pay close attention to where your target is.?

As Paul suggested, you may want to increase your WGL to something like 6 to give you more room to work. That will let you flip from 2 degrees before the meridian. Also, if those limits are not hard set for your equipment, you may want to increase them a bit (but only if your scope allows).?

Finally, the software you use for imaging needs to have the correct values as well, and they all work slightly differently. Some require time instead of degrees so be careful with that too.

As for the comms error my only suggestion would be to make sure the com ports are setup properly in your gemini.net driver. Maybe even check the usb config on device manager to make sure it’s all correctly set (I assuming windows?).

good luck

Jonathan

Thanks for the tips. The key factors are in the screen shot attached.
The way is interpret this is as follows:
1. the gemini limits permit meridian flip between 8 mins. before the meridian to 16 mins. after
2. the capture software was set to meridian flip between 7 mins. before meridian to 15 mins. after ( a 1 min. cushion on each end )
When run ( cold stars CWD ), the command to flip was given between 7-6 mins. before the meridian ( doing an inside imaging sequence ).
After the command for the flip, the mount reported back that it is west pointing east - the flip failed
The capture software retried after 5 mins. - the flip failed
Hopefully the screen shot helps.

Could you try changing the settings in CCDciel? Use “can track past meridian” for 12 minutes and “no flip until past meridian” at 0. This should be comfortably within the gemini limits. I think the settings as they are now are a bit too close to the physical limits and any error in setting CWD when starting can skew the results.

You can try this during daylight so you don’t waste a perfectly good imaging night ;)

hope this helps