On Wed, Dec 20, 2023 at 01:31 PM, Ted Dobosz wrote:

Hi All
I am wanting to do the L6 upgrade on my two GT11 mounts. The kit from Losmandy has an 8gb MicroSD card. I am wanting to use a spare 16gb MicroSD and copy the upgrade contents from the 8gb card for use in the second mount.

Does anyone know what maximum size the Gemini 2 MicroSd slot will accept?

Thanks

Ted?

AFAIK the Gemini 2 requires FAT32 formatted micro SD cards. FAT32 is a single 32GB partition. You can use larger capacity media but Windows cannot natively access more than 32GB and has a 4GB file limit under FAT32. That said there are utilities but why not just buy 32GB micro SD cards, they are cheap and readily available.? ?
?
--

Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?

? ?Astrospheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?

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I apologize, this question does not deal with weight, this scope is less than half the mounts capacity.? My question deals with 40 pounds at 48 inches long.? I realize this scope is new and I intend to wait for legitimate reviews.

It is just that weight, physical size and focal length all work against pointing and tracking.?? Looking at Astrobin, I don't see anyone with a G11T doing anything beyond a 130 - 140mm refractor.? TEC for their 180, recommends 10 micron and AP 1100.? Machines with 7.2 RA and Dec gears.?? Both the Askar 185APO and the TEC 180FL are similar in size and weight.

I'm not expecting the Askar 185 to even come close to the TEC 180 optically.

Joe

On Fri, Dec 22, 2023 at 09:05 PM, joe kuhl wrote:

I have a G11T mount, considering the Askar 185APO scope, for viewing and imaging.? Can the G11T do the job so I can image with no problem.? Image camera would be a 533MC, 2600MC or a 2400MC all with an OAG.

Thank you,? Joe

https://agenaastro.com/askar-185-apo-triplet-refractor-telescope.html

Hi Joe,

The mount side of things I would not worry about. Your G11T should handle the weight. My concern would be what quality you might be getting for a new scope not yet on the market. The specs seem great, but will the manufacturer really deliver? Personally, I am not an early adopter anymore as I have been sorely disappointed before with a hole in my wallet. I'd let somebody else be the tester and read some reviews before placing an order, but that just me.?

Good luck.

John
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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Losmandy G11G2 on pier; refurbed Losmandy G11 with OnStep controller; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED with field flattener; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user

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Hello everyone,

I have a G11T mount, considering the Askar 185APO scope, for viewing and imaging.? Can the G11T do the job so I can image with no problem.? Image camera would be a 533MC, 2600MC or a 2400MC all with an OAG.

Thank you,? Joe

https://agenaastro.com/askar-185-apo-triplet-refractor-telescope.html

开云体育

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Eric
nwdiver1@...
Scottsdale, AZ

On Thu, Dec 21, 2023 at 07:55 PM, Ted Dobosz wrote:

I am from the good old days :)

I was always amazed at what could be achieved with rope core memory. Coding had to be efficient. From Wikipedia: The Apollo Guidance computer?software was written in AGC?assembly language?and stored on?rope memory.?The bulk of the software was on read-only rope memory and thus could not be changed in operation.

I'm from the days that came later, but I did spend some time writing the early video games that had to fit into an 8K ROM cartridge, and yet contained 3D animated graphics, sound effects and music, and multiple levels of interactive play. Talk about having to be code-efficient ;)?

I am from the good old days :)

I was always amazed at what could be achieved with rope core memory. Coding had to be efficient. From Wikipedia: The Apollo Guidance computer?software was written in AGC?assembly language?and stored on?rope memory.?The bulk of the software was on read-only rope memory and thus could not be changed in operation.

Thanks Brendan.

I think the original one in my Gemini II is only 2gb!

The one Losmandy sent was 8gb and contains about 100mb of data.

I my understanding is that various upgrades will be much simplified with this upgrade.

Ted

Really not sure I have used 32Gb just fine in HC and MU. ? ?As these were cheaper and easier to obtain than trying to get 4 to 8 Gb cards.?

But that is overkill, 4 Gb should be plenty. ? has more info on this ? Just remember format them fat 32?

I have often wondered what will happen when microSD under32Gb become rare or uneconomic to buy. ?Maybe buy some smaller spare micro SD cards now as this will happen?

FWIW
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Brendan

Hi All
I am wanting to do the L6 upgrade on my two GT11 mounts. The kit from Losmandy has an 8gb MicroSD card. I am wanting to use a spare 16gb MicroSD and copy the upgrade contents from the 8gb card for use in the second mount.

Does anyone know what maximum size the Gemini 2 MicroSd slot will accept?

Thanks

Ted?

Like most people, I put the counterweight bar horizontal and the tube horizontal, and balance in RA first, then in Dec. But then I put the tube vertical and balance in the 3rd dimension.?

To aid in this, I made a ‘lateral’ counterweight, that lets me correct any mis-balance when the tube is vertical. The photo below shows this extra ‘lateral’ counterweight being used on an old CG5T. The block is made from poplar, which tends to be impervious to moisture and temperature. I bored a 20 mm hole for the Celestron counterweight bar and ?3/4” hole for the 12” x 3/4” stainless steel rod. A few collar clamps add extra moment-arm to whichever side needs it.
With this extra ‘lateral’ counterweight I can balance the scope on the mount in all 3 directions.

On Fri, Dec 15, 2023 at 09:24 AM, Paul Goelz wrote:

As a result, adjusting the 3rd axis also affects the DEC balance, making achieving balance an iterative affair.

I know the feeling though this should not be the case, each axis just requires centering in turn.? ?I have this ADM item, the rail weight extends the mass along the Z direction (screw rod).? Similar to the counterweights moving in the X direction.? Once placed on the end past the saddle it does not move in the Y direction to the changing OTA position in the saddle.? The weight requires attaching before balancing but so does the OTA and every other part.? ? Each balance adjustment then influences just one direction.?

If the rail exists allowing use, I found this idea a good and reliable solution for the Z axis adjustment.? Assuming a Z imbalance was not correctable in another way.? (My current OTA does not need the added weight.)

Doug

On 12/15/2023 8:14 AM, Michael Hundley wrote:

ADM offers a dovetail counterweight that can solve 3rd-axis imbalance. It clamps to the bottom of a Vixen or Losmandy dovetail, so requires
a long dovetail bar to work. It isn't cheap ($89) but what is in this hobby?

Only trouble with this solution is that by design, the weight has to be offset from the DEC center of rotation because that is where the saddle is.? As a result, adjusting the 3rd axis also affects the DEC balance, making achieving balance an iterative affair.

Paul G.

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Paul Goelz
Rochester Hills, MI USA
pgoelz@...
www.pgoelz.com

ADM offers a dovetail counterweight that can solve 3rd-axis imbalance. It clamps to the bottom of a Vixen or Losmandy dovetail, so requires
a long dovetail bar to work. It isn't cheap ($89) but what is in this hobby?

That's the same power supply I have. The LED meters are handy for seeing the proper voltage, and if you're pulling too many amps. Typical I see less than half an amp during tracking, and maybe just over an amp when slewing with both motors. Any greater numbers may mean you are not balanced or have worms too tight.

Michael just wrote me back and prefers requests via email:

mherman346@...

He has a few units ready to go.

John
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_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Losmandy G11G2 on pier; refurbed Losmandy G11 with OnStep controller; SkyShed design roll-off observatory; ZWO ASI2600MM-P; ZWO ASI071MC; Sky-Watcher Esprit 100 ED with field flattener; Celestron C925 Edge HD with 0.7XFR, William Optics Zenithstar 61 APO; PHD2, Sequence Generator Pro and PixInsight user

On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 05:33 AM, Will Taylor wrote:

I tried using a usb-c to barrel jack 15v adapter, and it seems to work with my gm811g.?
I have a small power bank that supports 15v at 3 amps (edited: I had written 3w.) It seems pretty convenient for my visual use, but I haven't heard anyone mention these before.
Any thoughts?

This is probably going to be a marginal setup. Get a larger higher capacity battery and a higher current regulated DC-DC step-up converter. While the Gemini 2 when slewing or tracking at a steady rate only pulls maybe 2A+ the peak draw will be higher even ramping up servo motor speed. You need to have some additional current capacity - 5A seems to be a good number for reliable operation IME.??

--

Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?

? ?Astrospheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?