Re: Purchasing a G11 with last version of the Gemini-1 controller
Tom I think there are workarounds for the camera to get it working.?
Check the mount boots, you don¡¯t get SRAM reset or off things on boot. ? The Gemini 1 keeps settings saved in SRAM that are saved with a replaceable backup battery. ? So if you do get ¡°SRAM RESET¡±, it¡¯s probably a just a dead battery! ?If it is dead it¡¯ll default to a Titan mount. ?You can still run it like this but not near the mount limits. ?
?
After boot your mount will now be moving the Ra axes at sidereal rate, very slow. ? The DEC shouldn¡¯t be moving.
?
if you press one of the HC diamond buttons let¡¯s say right one press and hold and now press the left diamond button ¡..it¡¯ll put the mount into faster slew rate ¡.check it does this that the Ra axes moves ok. ? Release buttons to stop this.
Do the same with DEC, the up/dwn diamond buttons ?check it moves ok.?
?
Press the ¡°menu button¡± and diamond buttons to scroll up down and right to select! ? Check that works and display is all ok.
?
Open the case (remove plugs, remember these plugs are keyed so don¡¯t insert them wrong way), you need small Allen or hex keys to remove the case screws. ? Inspect inside that there isn¡¯t corrosion on the board specifically around the base.
?
Yes it¡¯ll connect to any laptop via RS232 port. ?I use a Bluetooth module in Serial Port Protocol Mode ¡°SPP¡±.
?
As for the guider camera. ? I read some users had trouble getting them working but there does appear methods to do so.?
Check out and the for more info specifically how to set mount to Counterweight Down for cold boot!
?
if necessary take pics and post them. ?Owners usually fussed over their mounts and kept them fastidiously in good Nick.?
cheers
?
--
Brendan
|
Purchasing a G11 with last version of the Gemini-1 controller
Hello,
?
I'm looking at purchasing a G11 this weekend. The drive is about 3 hours and I have limited knowledge of this mount - it will be my first equatorial mount. From the photos sent, it is last version of the Gemini-1 controller. What should I look for? Is the mount compatible with new laptops? The motors are untucked. Thank you for any ideas and pointers. The present owner does not have any knowledge either - estate sale. Included is an Explore Scientific ED127 with guide Orion Starshoot autoguider - which I understand is not compatible with newer versions of Windows.
?
Regards,
Tom
|
Re: ASI Air Pro on Gemini 1 how to make USB to Serial?
I just want to be clear synchronizing each target is on the Air Object screen not on the G1 hand controller.?
|
Re: ASI Air Pro on Gemini 1 how to make USB to Serial?
1) Goto no RA-Dec update I think I figured something out I had this happen last week. For some reason I got to thinking about this and went back to last target. I had been synchronizing each target and last one I didn¡¯t. After plate solved and ¡°sync¡± the target went home and that worked. So after each plate solve and centered I go back a sync each time. Maybe it helps build a model??
2) I haven¡¯t used the Meridian flip. I will report what results I get.?
3) I had the ZWO serial cable fail what a pain to figure that out. The Air Mini same on Pro has USB port pins down and that makes the cable pins up so they are being pulled away. I have an added USB hub on top the Air as I load DSLR images to flash drive and needed an added USB port. DSLR, guider, mount, focuser, flash drive. Will the mount started to be issue with Air not connecting or loss during a run. So I plugged it into the hub and it was working better the pins were reversed for contact. I noticed the ZWO cable had a lot up down play. Sure enough it would lose connection. So I got a new 6¡¯ FTDI CHIP cable and also made new 6¡± short serial cable. The old serial was like 10¡¯ to get to PC but not using PC it was all rolled up just made sense to have a short one. The difference in fit on new USB was amazing the old cable had its end cut off never to be used again. 6¡¯ cable gets the serial end down near G1 controller. I have a spare because plate solving centering and guiding commands by serial makes the Air system useful. Sitting in house watching TV and seeing images down load on iPad is cool.?
Tera Grand Premium USB 2.0 to RS232 Serial DB9 Adapter Cable 6 Ft.
?
?
|
Re: Losmandy G11 -2 and NINA
On Sun, Oct 20, 2024 at 08:13 PM, Trevor wrote:
HC firmware V1,10 2014 mainboard v5.21 2017
Hi Trevor, thanks, that's what I wanted to find out. Initial L6 release did have some issues with Southern hemisphere that were fixed in L6.02. Since you're on L5 still, these are not relevant at this point.
?
There is another thread here that might help, even though it's? about Gemini-1 and L4. You're actually posting in the group mostly dedicated to Gemini-1 / L4. Gemini-II user group is where you can find more folks with the same version of Gemini that you're using, and possibly using NINA in the Southern hemisphere :) Maybe worth a search and asking your question in that group, also. ?
Regards,
?
? -Paul
?
?
|
Re: Losmandy G11 -2 and NINA
Thanks for all that but I don't actually feel comfortable with the prospect of doing all this for an upgrade when my current system works OK - as I asked are there any special requirements with my version of G2 setup for meridian flip - thanks
|
Re: Meridian flip and N.I.N.A - Only giving 1 minute to perform a flip
Hi Neil,
?
Goto limit was indeed introduced in Gemini-1. It defines an zone (in degrees) prior to the safety limit where a Goto to a target will result in a meridian flip. Default is 2.5 degrees or 10 minutes.
?
A few things to try:
?
1. Try setting Flip using Goto in the Configure Telescope window:
?
?
2. Your mount swaps the safety limits to account for pointing to the opposite celestial pole.
?
3. Assuming your mount is tracking towards the 123 degree limit, you have NINA set to flip between 2 and 35 minutes. That's between 0.5 degrees and 8.75 degrees from the meridian (90.5 to 98.75deg from CWD). Your Goto limit (the flip zone) starts at 120.5 degrees, or way past where NINA will try to flip. You can try one of these things:
? ?a. Move the NINA flip zone to be within the Goto limit zone. That would make it a minimum of 30.5 degrees, and maximum of 33 degrees. I'd try 31 and 32.5 degrees, just to be sure. Converting to minutes, that would make min minutes after meridian 124, and max minutes after meridian 130.
? ?b. Increase Goto limit to extend to the area where NINA will try to flip. This would require the Goto limit to be set to around 33 degrees.?
? ?c. You can adjust both, the goto limit and the NINA settings to move the flip area to wherever you like before the safety limit. Just make sure the Goto limit overlaps the start of NINA start of flip zone.
Regards,
?
? ? -Paul
|
Re: Meridian flip and N.I.N.A - Only giving 1 minute to perform a flip
Hi Paul
Sorry, I forgot to answer your question on the ASCOM driver in use -- Thanks and Best Regards Neil
Hi Paul
Safety limits in Gemini are: - West 123 East 98
Is a goto limit different to a safety limit? I don't see any goto limit settings anywhere. Maybe it wasn't a thing in Gemini-1
I'm in the southern?hemisphere but east is still east and west is still west so I can't see that the northern/southern hemisphere makes a difference.
- ?- Thanks and Best Regards Neil
Hey Neil,
?
What version of the ASCOM driver are you using? Also, what are your Eastern safety limit and Western Goto limit settings? These all play a part in the meridian flip calculations.
?
Regards,
?
? ?-Paul
?
On Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 05:14 AM, Neil Allison wrote:
Hi All
?
So I'm doing some testing with N.I.N.A and focusing (no pun intended) on the Meridian flip.
I've watched the Losmandy podcast where Edward Plumer covers this topic in wonderful detail and I'm also making use of the spreadsheet Edward has kindly made available to make the whole process easier.
I'm using Gemini1 (Level 4, Version 1.04) and N.I.N.A v3.1 (HF2)
?
My Western limit in Gemini is set to 99 degrees
?
This is what the spreadsheet looks like
And using those values, this is what N.I.N.A looks like
?
So, I picked a target that was going to be crossing the meridian fairly soon (I.E the next hour) and set up a sequence to do the following: -
?- Wait until the target is above a certain altitude
?- Slew to the target
?- Start tracking
?
I have a trigger defined to do a Smart Meridian flip (I also tried the simple "Meridian flip" trigger, too).
?
However, the meridian flip is giving me just a 1 minute window of opportunity to perform the flip (which I'm sure can't be right).
Also, it's NOT performing a flip during that small window, either.
?
If anybody can shed some light on this, I will be forever in your debt :)
Don't worry about the time. It's daytime here and I'm just testing the meridian flip (or should I say, tring to get it working !!!)
?
Edward, if you're on this forum, thank you for sharing your knowledge and spreadsheet with us all.
?
--
Thanks and Best Regards
Neil
|
Re: Meridian flip and N.I.N.A - Only giving 1 minute to perform a flip
Hi Paul
Safety limits in Gemini are: - West 123 East 98
Is a goto limit different to a safety limit? I don't see any goto limit settings anywhere. Maybe it wasn't a thing in Gemini-1
I'm in the southern?hemisphere but east is still east and west is still west so I can't see that the northern/southern hemisphere makes a difference.
- ?- Thanks and Best Regards Neil
Hey Neil,
?
What version of the ASCOM driver are you using? Also, what are your Eastern safety limit and Western Goto limit settings? These all play a part in the meridian flip calculations.
?
Regards,
?
? ?-Paul
?
On Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 05:14 AM, Neil Allison wrote:
Hi All
?
So I'm doing some testing with N.I.N.A and focusing (no pun intended) on the Meridian flip.
I've watched the Losmandy podcast where Edward Plumer covers this topic in wonderful detail and I'm also making use of the spreadsheet Edward has kindly made available to make the whole process easier.
I'm using Gemini1 (Level 4, Version 1.04) and N.I.N.A v3.1 (HF2)
?
My Western limit in Gemini is set to 99 degrees
?
This is what the spreadsheet looks like
And using those values, this is what N.I.N.A looks like
?
So, I picked a target that was going to be crossing the meridian fairly soon (I.E the next hour) and set up a sequence to do the following: -
?- Wait until the target is above a certain altitude
?- Slew to the target
?- Start tracking
?
I have a trigger defined to do a Smart Meridian flip (I also tried the simple "Meridian flip" trigger, too).
?
However, the meridian flip is giving me just a 1 minute window of opportunity to perform the flip (which I'm sure can't be right).
Also, it's NOT performing a flip during that small window, either.
?
If anybody can shed some light on this, I will be forever in your debt :)
Don't worry about the time. It's daytime here and I'm just testing the meridian flip (or should I say, tring to get it working !!!)
?
Edward, if you're on this forum, thank you for sharing your knowledge and spreadsheet with us all.
?
--
Thanks and Best Regards
Neil
|
Re: Meridian flip and N.I.N.A - Only giving 1 minute to perform a flip
Hey Neil,
?
What version of the ASCOM driver are you using? Also, what are your Eastern safety limit and Western Goto limit settings? These all play a part in the meridian flip calculations.
?
Regards,
?
? ?-Paul
?
On Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 05:14 AM, Neil Allison wrote:
Hi All
?
So I'm doing some testing with N.I.N.A and focusing (no pun intended) on the Meridian flip.
I've watched the Losmandy podcast where Edward Plumer covers this topic in wonderful detail and I'm also making use of the spreadsheet Edward has kindly made available to make the whole process easier.
I'm using Gemini1 (Level 4, Version 1.04) and N.I.N.A v3.1 (HF2)
?
My Western limit in Gemini is set to 99 degrees
?
This is what the spreadsheet looks like
And using those values, this is what N.I.N.A looks like
?
So, I picked a target that was going to be crossing the meridian fairly soon (I.E the next hour) and set up a sequence to do the following: -
?- Wait until the target is above a certain altitude
?- Slew to the target
?- Start tracking
?
I have a trigger defined to do a Smart Meridian flip (I also tried the simple "Meridian flip" trigger, too).
?
However, the meridian flip is giving me just a 1 minute window of opportunity to perform the flip (which I'm sure can't be right).
Also, it's NOT performing a flip during that small window, either.
?
If anybody can shed some light on this, I will be forever in your debt :)
Don't worry about the time. It's daytime here and I'm just testing the meridian flip (or should I say, tring to get it working !!!)
?
Edward, if you're on this forum, thank you for sharing your knowledge and spreadsheet with us all.
?
--
Thanks and Best Regards
Neil
|
Re: Meridian flip and N.I.N.A - Only giving 1 minute to perform a flip
Neil,
?
Interested in this too as I just (last week) found this video.
?
- Jerry
|
Meridian flip and N.I.N.A - Only giving 1 minute to perform a flip
Hi All
So I'm doing some testing with N.I.N.A and focusing (no pun intended) on the Meridian flip. I've watched the Losmandy podcast where Edward Plumer covers this topic in wonderful detail and I'm also making use of the spreadsheet Edward has kindly made available to make the whole process easier. I'm using Gemini1 (Level 4, Version 1.04) and N.I.N.A v3.1 (HF2)
My Western limit in Gemini is set to 99 degrees
This is what the spreadsheet looks like And using those values, this is what N.I.N.A looks like
So, I picked a target that was going to be crossing the meridian fairly soon (I.E the next hour) and set up a sequence to do the following: - ?- Wait until the target is above a certain altitude ?- Slew to the target ?- Start tracking
I have a trigger defined to do a Smart Meridian flip (I also tried the simple "Meridian flip" trigger, too).
However, the meridian flip is giving me just a 1 minute window of opportunity to perform the flip (which I'm sure can't be right). Also, it's NOT performing a flip during that small window, either.
If anybody can shed some light on this, I will be forever in your debt :) Don't worry about the time. It's daytime here and I'm just testing the meridian flip (or should I say, tring to get it working !!!)
Edward, if you're on this forum, thank you for sharing your knowledge and spreadsheet with us all.
-- Thanks and Best Regards Neil
|
Re: North Dec button not working
Thanks for feedback Bill.?
well done, cheers
--
Brendan
|
Re: North Dec button not working
Yes, it turned out to be a bad cable.?
|
Re: North Dec button not working
My question is if you¡¯re in the menu and using Object entry like M??? ?can you move move the cursor forward back up and down ? I had an issue where I couldn¡¯t move or change number or letter with up button. At times it worked and other times not. It was the hand control 15 pin cable. Replaced cable and gone was issue. A test of cable pinouts found a bad wire.?
Eugene
|
Re: Gemini 1 Site information
Thank you, sir :)
All sorted. -- Thanks and Best Regards Neil
On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 07:58 PM, Neil Allison wrote:
Hi All
?
Is it possible to rename and reconfigure the sites stored in "Site Information"?
I have updated the "Hollywood" coordinates to my home coordinates but it now just shows as "User Site"
The remaining?3 preset sites are less than useless so I'd like to update them with site info that I can use.
?
--
Thanks and Best Regards
Neil
?
Yes, 100%? Do you have a copy of the Gemini manual?? Look at .? Rene is the genius behind the Gemini main board firmware.? ?
?
?
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astrospheric - South Pasadena?
|
Re: Gemini 1 Site information
On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 07:58 PM, Neil Allison wrote:
Hi All
?
Is it possible to rename and reconfigure the sites stored in "Site Information"?
I have updated the "Hollywood" coordinates to my home coordinates but it now just shows as "User Site"
The remaining?3 preset sites are less than useless so I'd like to update them with site info that I can use.
?
--
Thanks and Best Regards
Neil
?
Yes, 100%? Do you have a copy of the Gemini manual?? Look at .? Rene is the genius behind the Gemini main board firmware.? ?
?
Also there is all the information you need on the website under Gemin 1.? The manuals are there also as well as a ton of other info you apparently will need to read.??
?
?
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astrospheric - South Pasadena?
|
Gemini 1 Site information
Hi All
Is it possible to rename and reconfigure the sites stored in "Site Information"? I have updated the "Hollywood" coordinates to my home coordinates but it now just shows as "User Site" The remaining?3 preset sites are less than useless so I'd like to update them with site info that I can use.
-- Thanks and Best Regards Neil
|
Re: Losmandy G11 -2 and NINA
?
?
Some additional links for you.?
?
Here is the ??
?
Here are the files you need if you have an Ethernet connection to the Gemini 2 and know how to transfer them directly to the Gemini 2 mSD card Gemini L6.02 files? ?
Here is how to use the , it's old but is still correct.?
?
?
?
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astrospheric - South Pasadena?
|
Re: Losmandy G11 -2 and NINA
On Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 05:02 PM, Trevor wrote:
Do I need all three files ??? and what is the process for updating, any particular order, thanks :)
?
Hi Trevor,
?
It's not just three files.? You need to download the latest GFU program which will automatically update to the new L6.0x firmware for the Gemini 2 main processor and Hand Controller files.? There is an inexpensive piece of hardware called a PIC Kit programmer that you will also need to update the PIC chip servo controller code.? These are the two (2) controller chips on the main board that have their own programming but cannot be accessed by the GFU program, they are accessed by a hardware interface and are normally programmed at the factory during assembly.? Well the big improvement that is L6 took a complete top to bottom look at how Gemini 2 does things and they committed to improving the Gemini 2 to a whole new level including the PIC chip code.? This is a large part of the L6 firmware upgrade secret sauce and how the new L6.0x firmware got the big 4x resolution boost.? Trust me as an imager you want the full update.? ? ?
?
Go to Amazon and order this.? There are directions in the Gemin 2 users group that will explain step by step how to do ALL of this. It's easy, many people with no experience have done it no problem.? Let us know if you have any questions or need any other help.?
??
?
 ? ?
?
?
--
Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?
? ?Astrospheric - South Pasadena?
|
Paul Kanevsky
Bill Tschumy
Chip Louie