开云体育

Hello Group

Looking for advice on setting up Automated Meridian Fiip on my Gemini 1/G11/APT setup.

After watching Brian's various videos on automating the Meridian Flip I applied the the priciples to my own Gemini 1 and G11 setup.
Here are my derived measurements which I input to the Gemini 1 controller:-
Eastern Safety Limit = 88 deg, Western Safety Limit = 114 deg, Western GOTO Limit = 23 deg.

Last night we had our first brief spell of clear weather so thought I would try an Automated MF. Chose the star Regulus which was
about 1.25 hrs from transiting the Meridian. I also configured my aquisition software, APT, to automate the MF. Not sure I interpretted
APT's instructions correctly but set this up as "Flip Moment (mins)" to = 5 mins, "Delay Flip Move (mins)" = 8 mins and checked "Delay is counted
after Meridian passing".

I Cold Started Gemin1 and selected Regulus from the Bright Star List in the Hand Controller but the mount did not move and the Hand Controller
displayed "Interrupted'. Lots of double checking everything and reading the Gemini 1 Manual (should have done that earlier) and it would seem
that I have a problem with my Safety Limits. Following a statement in the G1 Manual I changed my 1Western GOTO Limit' from my calculated value of
23 deg to 95 deg and the mount went straight to Regulus.

APT seemed to behave as I concluded it should of by stopping 5 mins before the Meridian, taking a 10 sec image then attempting to Plate Solve it and use these coordinates after the flip to recentre but by this time the conditions had deteriated and the plate solve failed so APT left the mount with tracking off . I thouhgt I would try and get something from the evening so I tried a Manual Flip using the Gemini net ascom driver which was successful.? I then called it a night and read some more of the Gemini 1 Manual on the topics of
Safety Limits and Meridien Flips.

I am confused by what I read in the Gemini Manual which mentions possible problems with setting your Western GOT Limit between 1 - 89 deg. It also talks about Western GOTO Limits with values of 2.5 and 95 deg which I find hard to equate with Brian's videos. I am starting to believe that Gemin 1 and Gemini 2, for which the videos were produced I believe, might handle the Meridian Flip differently, for example having to set the Weastern GOTO limit referenced from the CWD position hence angle such as 95 deg etc.

Any assistance or guidance on how to apply Brians AMF videos to a Gemini 1 setup would be very welcome and appreciated as would any APT users who have successfully configured APT's Automated Meridian Flip instructions.

Regards

Terry (uk)