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Hi Folks, René, as usual, has been busy with Gemini improvements. The new Bootloader is an update to the original one that was created when 2GB SD cards were all that was available :) The new bootloader isn't required if your Gemini is working fine. You can skip it if you don't care about the benefits listed below, or if you feel uncomfortable performing the update. The update process itself is about as complicated as the L6 upgrade to the new servo firmware, and requires: A 20 pin ULINK2 emulator/programmer -- about $30 from Amazon Keil ULink-2 software (runs on Windows) MB_BL_2024.uvproj bootloader project file Detailed Instructions can be found here: /g/Gemini-II/files/Latest%20Firmware%20Files/Bootloader%20Update%20Instructions%20-%20April%202025/Gemini%20Bootloader%20Installation%20Instructions%20-%20Apr%202025.pdf The new bootloader is based on a modern version of Keil middleware and helps with the following: Faster boot-up time for Gemini Better compatibility with different types and larger size SD cards Resolves the issue with the dreaded M:Curr_Gem.bin file for those who have experienced it Be careful if you decide to update your Gemini. Follow instructions! Regards, -Paul

When this new Bootloader was announced, I immediately followed the link to Amazon and placed my order. That was April 8. As of this morning, it still has not shipped. I am wondering if this item is somehow caught up in the "tariff wars". I know this is not a critical Gemini update but I am one of the "M:" drive people and would like to not be one of those people. I sure would like to be able to use the GFU for updates. I did go to eBay and found this one. Looks to be identical with the exception of the "RealView Tools by ARM" logo. I compared the specs of both and they are identical so I did order one. At least this one has already shipped and should be here by the weekend. Has anyone else had this issue with availability? Hopefully the unit that is en route from eBay will work. That one was only $22 (their price went up after I placed my order). Just curious. Chris

I have been operating my Losmandy G11 using the original Level 6 release in since about mid-2023 without any issues that I'm aware. But after upgrading to telescope to a longer focal length, I determine that it may be beneficial to upgrade to a version that supported the latest PEC enhancements. So, I jumped all in upgrading the firmware to Level 6.12. I also generated a PEC curve using PEMPro Version 3.10.14. Since the telescope was already Polar Aligned and the PHD2 was already calibrated, I tried running Guiding Assistant but observed that the DEC axis would shift like it was not getting any guiding pulses. I checked for cables snag but found none. I then thought that maybe the firmware update had enabled TVC but found that is was still set to Zero on the HC and Gemini Telescope. I was also unable to re-run the PHD2 calibration. So I reinstalled Level 6.0 and was able to perform my Guiding Assistance and imaging for the remainder of the night. So I than tried to just upgrade to the Level 6.02 but had the same issue that I observed with Level 6.12, so I once again downgraded to Level 6 and was able to do guiding assistance and imaging for the remainder of the night. After reviewing most of the feedback about the firmware upgrades to Level 6.02 and 6.1; I was unable to determine anybody having similar issue, so I'm at a lost to the solution. Does anybody have any ideas as to what could be causing this issue? Thanks, Michael

I have a new G11/Gemini-2 that I bought last summer. I've set up a Home park location of due west, and park it when I'm done each evening. I've noticed that if I leave it unpowered for more than a couple of days, when I turn it back on and do a warm restart, Gemini reports that it is pointing East, not West. I thought this might be that the battery in Gemini was low (although I had just bought it), so I bought and installed a fresh one recently. However the problem is still happening. After power up and warm restart, with scope physically pointing west, it reports that it is pointing east: If I then tell it to a Park CWD (when it is parked at the Home position pointing west), it actually moves to the correct location at the pole, but as the mount is physically slewing from West to North, it reports that it is slewing from East to North: Even if I tell it to park at my Home location (which I defined as west), the mount will physically move to point west, but reporting that it is moving east. However, if I tell it to slew to some target that is up in the sky from the Home location, it starts to slew the telescope down into the ground. So although it knows where CWD and Home are physically, its coordinates are treated differently. From the CWD position, I turn off the power to Gemini and then do a cold boot, and everything is fine for a few days. The position it reports matches the way the telescope is pointing. If I tell it to slew to a target, the target is usually in my guide scope even before I build an alignment model. Scope again parked at Home position (west) (after cold boot at CWD fixed the problem): FYI, this is my second Gemini unit. I have a G11/Gemini-1 that is 20 years old so I'm familiar with settings like date/time, mount type, etc. This is just my first experience with a Gemini-2. I know that Gemini-1 can act strangely when its battery gets low, so I wasn't especially worried about my new Gemini-2 until I replaced its battery and see it continuing to have the same problem intermittently. Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks, -Joe

Greetings everyone! Apologies if this has been discussed already (I did a quick but not exhaustive search through past posts), but I am looking for suggestions for a good entry level autoguiding system to go along with our G11 mount and Gemini II system. Autoguiding is something I’m completely new to, so I’m looking for something simple to set up and learn to use, and any advice or guidance would be appreciated. The ioptron iguider is one I’ve been looking at. We have an ioptron polar scope and I love it, so theirs was one of the first I’ve checked out. Thanks in advance! Jeremy Benson Keeper of Keys and Labs NIU Department of Physics NASA Solar System Ambassador La Tourette 202A 815.753.1953 www.niu.edu/clas/physics From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Paul Kanevsky via groups.io Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2025 1:09 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Gemini-II_io] Starlight Xpress AO Connections On Sun, Mar 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM, Rick Scott wrote: I have the original large Losmandy Gemini 2 controller and have been using the Ethernat port for pulse guiding with PHD2. I’m adding Starlight Xpress AO unit to my system and need to know which Gemini port to use for the bump command from the AO and how to set it up. Thanks in advance, Rick Hi Rick, I think that will depend on the software you use to control the autoguider. I see that SX AO unit has an autoguider output, so I assume the native SX software can use that port to bump the mount. You'll then want to connect the RJ11 port on the AO to the Autoguider input on Gemini-2 and calibrate it using SX software. Alternatively, if you use some other software that can control SX AO and that supports ASCOM telescope interface for guiding, then you can use the Ethernet port to bump using theASCOM pulse guiding commands, just like you do today with PHD2. Regards, -Paul

Hello all, A particular binary was recommended for viewing this month namely Tegmine in Cancer (Zeta Cancri A) and my app Sky Guide provided the following catalogue designations which I wasn't able to find under the catalogue menu on the HC. Am I missing something?

Hi, Last weekend got my G-11 Retro-kit installed but rain kept me from doing Cold Start. Did Quick Start got the Time/Location all set. Last night I was back out, rolled the roof and got ready for Cold Start. Set CWD using level, flipped on Gemini and my 1st chore was to set my Custom Home Park position. Slewed to my custom position, Pier Side W, Set Home Here. No problems so far. My next chore was to set my limits. My mount is in my custom home, so I press Park At CWD. The mount slews fine in RA all the way to CWD, but the Dec starts and stops, giving me a Dec Stall message. I tried manually pressing the Dec buttons, the Dec moves to the W, but when I press the East it beeps and says Dec Stall. I did not try and set the Custom Home to Pier Side E to see if I get the same behavior. One thing, while installing the Retro-fit kit I lost one of the grub/set screws for the Dec Worm Cover. Could this be the problem? Anyone know what size it is so I can get one from the hardware store?

I woke up to my telescope as shown in this picture. Somewhere around 11PM the mount disconnected - second time this has happened recently. But what troubles me is that the mount continues to track and ignores the safety limit. Shouldn't it stop tracking if it reaches the limit? This is an ethernet connected mount, and it's worked fine except for the occasional disconnect like this. Luckily I don't think it hit the pier (this time). Any idea why this is happening?

Hi all, My Reverse RA & DEC options are enabled, causing my mount to slew to the opposite side of the pier than my target. Ive tried to reset the HGM parameters and then re-setup the Gemini II with latest firmware, but after connecting my INDI driver to it and I check the hand controller, I see the two checkboxes are enabled. Im not sure about when they get enabled, but the INDI developers tell me it is not the driver because the Reverse function is internal to the Gemini II. I took pictures to illustrate the situation. My goal is to never have the checkboxes enabled. I dont know if is related, but often I see in INDI my longitude displayed as approximately 260, not -119, as is the standard format. Clear Skies, Paul

Hi, Now that I am here I have a curiosity question. Those who knew from the times before 2018 back to >2008 when I still had my Losmandy G11-RS, know that I like to tinker, and improve?? (maybe make things worse :-0 ), everything I have. I have two mounts, big mounts with 52kg capacity(counterweights not included), with stepper motors and encoder discs (big glass discs glued on the worm gear) on the RA and DEC axis Worm gear with 360 teeth and 216mm ?. According to the producer the resolution of the encoder is 0.035" (arcseconds). Is it possible to use Gemini 2 with Stepper motors and the encoder discs? Rainer NHSA Observatory Mexico (in order to not create confusion) :-)