PS: I usually also check the orientation of my cameras using Sharpcap's reticle and alternating between E and W movements using the Center speed.
I rotate the cameras (if needed) until the star stays on the reticle line when nudging E and W.
I check this on both my main and guiding camera, as well as my EAA camera on my finder.
I know that I don't have to do this for PHD2, etc. But I believe that it makes everything easier when East = East and not East = North East (or worse).

I know that all the major software out there claims they don't care about this orientation and will compensate for it, but all I know is that?I have gotten consistently better results overall after this step...

Astronut Tim

Hi Jeff,

Are you using the Gemini-2 Hand Controller by itself???
You mentioned autoguiding, so can we presume you have a camera(s) and software ?
The best choice options kinda depend on your available camera and software resources...

Like many of the others, I have found that Sharpcap's polar alignment routine is really easy and fast, requiring no hand controller interaction except for a single RA slew (or from the Gemini.Net interface).
If you haven't tried it, you might want to...

It gives you near real-time errors to adjust out in arc seconds for mount adjustments and getter yet, gives you what direction to make the adjustments, can't get much easier than that...
At first, I was using the Polemaster camera with Sharpcap, but found I got better results with my main imaging camera (1.4 arc seconds per pixel).
I'm sure others will either confirm or offer alternatives...

When I start, I do the Sharpcap polar alignment first, then start modeling until I get the PAC option, then switch and build the model for the other side until I get the PAC option.
By then my pointing is more than accurate enough...
I know that I don't have to model at all if plate solving, but I enjoy doing it and it only takes about 5 minutes, and I then have the peace of mind to know everything is right...

I struggled with cone error for awhile, as it really seems to affect polar alignment from my imaging camera's perspective (some slews it was excellent, others not so good),
and my results became much more consistent when I minimized it (with shimming).

Astronut Tim

I very much appreciate your comments, Chip.
Warren

Thanks for all of your comments, Sonny.

My main interest is visual, but I am being drawn toward the Event Horizon of imaging.? After I receive the new mount, I will be on the hunt for a SW180.? In combination with the Canon 200mm f/2.8, RedCat, and SV70T, I will have lunar, planetary, and DSO's fairly well covered.? Still taking baby steps with the modded Canon M50.

Warren

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On Sat, Oct 3, 2020 at 09:21 PM, Bittor Zabalegi wrote:

Even we try to charge the aligment and the Gemini doesn?t permit. Is like hand control suddendly collapsed!!

Bittor

What do ?you mean “collapsed”? ?Do you mean the display went blank?

if so can you please tell me what version Gemini PCB do you have? ?.?

I ask this as some versions had a fuse F2 that has been known to cause HC to go blank. ?These were ”. ? ?Replacing fuse F2 to a new version fixed this ? The fuse is a PTC micro resettable fuse and when too much current is drawn it open circuits temporarily. ?But this causes the Gemini to reset as well

Get back on the PCB version and what type of fuse F2 you have fitted.?

cheers
?
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Brendan

I have connected ?wireless Router (TP-LINK) to the Gemini 2 using Ethernet connection (RJ45)
Trying unsuccessfully to connect stellarium or SkySafari control to the telescope.
I miss something in connection settings.
Please advise.

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I have been getting my new g11t mount out as often as possible and have had some success using it, but it isn’t consistent. The thing I am not sure about is the sequence of polar alignment and pointing accuracy procedures.?If I want to get a good polar alignment, for auto guiding, and have good pointing accuracy, what do I do first? If I am getting these sequences correct, then the pointing accuracy is a four star sequence, starting west for three stars then going east for the last star. Polar alignment is staying west for all four stars, with the last star giving me a PAC option to center the last star with alt/elevation knobs being used instead of the hand controller.?
Should I doing both procedures, one after the other? If I am doing both procedures, then which do I do first? Can I do the pointing accuracy thing first then go to a bright star and center it?

I have watched the videos a number of times and I have not put it all together yet.

On Sun, Oct 4, 2020 at 11:16 AM, E. Brett Waller wrote:

The Earth moving in relation to the stars does NOT require either polar realignment?of the mount or a new pointing model. The stars are sufficiently distant that the Earth's movement in its orbit does not introduce any significant angular displacement.??

?

Brett

My experience has proven otherwise, Brett.
So I run through my routine every time I begin an evening.
To me accuracy counts.
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SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

Hi Stosh, Welcome to the Losmandy Group site.

I decided to ask if I could pick up my mount at the factory, because I live a mere 20 miles away.
I called and talked with Tanya, and she got back to me within the hour with a happy yes.
It was a real treat for me to actually meet Scott, Tanya, and Brian at the Losmandy Factory, on my pick-up day, February 2, 2020.

Tanya had my entire order ready, and she shown me the items before boxing them. Meanwhile I was able to chat with them and watched as Scott assembled a side-by-side for a customer.
I know of no other who takes as much personal interest in his customers to actually be the hands on as Scott Losmandy does. He is the ultimate authority in personally making sure your order is perfect, and Tanya makes sure everything is carefully hand packed in double thick heavy duty boxes for safe shipment. Brian handles the tech questions before and after the sale to help customers settle in with their new mounts, and make sure they are happy.
Tanya is a little gal, so she asked Scott if he would mind putting the HD tripod in the box for her. Scott hopped up and picked up my Tripod, and I steadied the box while he carefully placed my HD tripod in the box and packed it.
Show me any other CEO/Owner that does that. That... is how personally Scott Losmandy takes your business.

I don't think you can find any others that give such personal attention to their customers ultimate happiness and satisfaction with their merchandise.
And I don't think you will ever find any Sales or Deals on such quality. So don't bother looking.
You can probably get some dickering done on a used mount. But you won't get the virgin mount you will get from Losmandy.
In Fact, if Tanya's sealing tape were to be disturbed, I'd find it suspect.
The quality assurance is there before the item is boxed.

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SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

Incidentally Warren, has a Polar Alignment routine in it that works great.
That is what I use now.
Brian advised me of how to adjust it to work with my Atik Infinity Camera, and I can get excellent Polar Alignment.
It saved me a bunch of money, and gives me something I can really zero in with. Literally.
I dial my 811 in to all zero's, beyond excellent alignment. I try an remove ALL human error. It's a challenge I enjoy.

removed all my doubt and answered all my questions.
Sharpcap costs ~$12 USD

To me, I like that it is using the same equipment, my main telescope, to Polar Align. So my Polar Alignment is true to my imaging lens.

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SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

I like Scott's personal advice to me at the time of my Purchase:
"Don't tinker with it, just use it."
As it is, my Losmandy mount works perfectly.

https://www.cloudynights.com/uploads/gallery/album_8062/gallery_252608_8062_305774.jpeg

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SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

Hi Warren, Welcome to the Losmandy Users Group!
Brian answered your questions pretty well.
What are your planned targets? Visual, or Imaging?

I image Deep Space Objects, Nebula specific. That was and still is my passion.
As such, I use an 80 mm ED, triplet refractor. In plain Engrish, my load is light on my GM811GHD mount. 17.5 pounds currently. And not likely to change.
So the GM811GHD is perfect for me. I have no aspirations of trying to mount some monster telescope. (Oh, I do dream of a 4" or 5", but realize that probably won't ever happen.)
So the extra 10 pounds the G11G offers was not something I could see needing, nor can I after 6 months of use and ownership.

My needs were a mount I could make work for me, and not me for it.
I added the AKS and TKS hand knobs, ease of use and easy dismantling are a part of my ideal mount.
I added the EX12, because I could always see the advantage of having a Portable Pier configuration.
I added the RAEXT, because it really aids in sectionalizing my mount into manageable "chunks" for me to carry out, and then back in. (My CFO requires I don't leave my mount outside. I reasoned that the HD tripod has no Motors or electrical stuff in it, so she allows me to cover in place. ;^) )
Scott's bayonet type mounting of the tripod and EX12, and the RAEXT, allowed me to have manageable pre-assemblies that assemble precisely and repeatable night after night.?

Recently I've been exploring the No Meridian Flip advantages of the RA extension. My first try of it turned into a 3.611 hour continuous run of images that yielded 1,300 images, 10 seconds each, for a 13,000 second image of the Lagoon Nebula.
I know of NO other mount, in any price range, that offers the owner so many advantages as the Losmandy line of equipment does.
Like me, you have come to your own conclusions. My advice is to decide your use (visual, imaging, Planetary, other) then determine how much capacity you want, (50 or 60 pounds), and if you want to "chunk" your mount assemblies like I did for easier moving or not. All advantages Scott Losmandy has designed into his mounts over the years of perfecting his products.
Lastly Warren, Your new Losmandy mount is personally checked and perfectly tuned by Scott Losmandy himself. I've witnessed it myself.
And you've come to the right place to ask any and every questions you may have.

No pictures, didn't happen, Right?





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SonnyE


(I suggest viewed in full screen)

Hi all, thank you for the great responses, there is a lot to learn with Astro gear and I have a long way to go, I don't intend to use push to so dont think I need the shaft encoders, if I'm honest I didn't realise the motors had encoders, I assumed they were an upgrade but googling last night realised that the goto system needs them to work.

Thanks again.?

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Hi Warren,

I have a GM8 and G11 and just started getting the ASIAIR-PRO ready to test under a real sky. I had been using the G11 with the usual cooled astro camera and autoguider with a Skull Canyon i& NUC on the dovetail to run everything. But I wanted to switch to a setup that was not run off of utility power so the ASIAIR-PRO was my choice.??

#1)? ?The Gemini has an Ethernet port and it is better than using the USB port for autoguiding. The ASIAIR-PRO just needs a Ethernet cable run to the Ethernet post of the Gemini??
#2)? ?The PoleMaster works great but you do not want the dedicated Losmandy PoleMaster adapter. Buy an ADM PoleMaster dovetail clamp and clamp to a dovetail top or bottom for polar alignment using SharpCap with your PoleMaster to do polar alignments, it works great, better than the native PoleMaster app!?
#3)? ?AFAIK no.?
#4)? ?Maybe, maybe not, depends on how your scopebuggy is configured.?
#5)? ?AFAIK about a week after payment but check with Tanya.?

HTH,

Chip



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Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?

? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?

I have a GM8 with a Gemini 1 which I had kept for the ability to use with shaft encoders. The problem is the Gemini 1 only supports 10K tic encoders and modern encoders as sold by Astro Devices for the Losmandy mounts are 310K tic encoders so they do not work with Gemini but work great with the WiFi enabled NEXUS DSC with a smartphone or tablet. I love to use the GM8 in PUSH-TO mode with the mount balanced and the clutches free for one finger movement. It works very well as the Gemini still moves the RA just fine once I find an object. This is the best way to use a Losmandy mount IMO?
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Chip Louie Chief Daydreamer Imagination Hardware?

? ?Astropheric Weather Forecast - South Pasadena, CA?