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All,?
Joined this group a while back when I was trying to decide on my next mount. You¡¯ve helped me decide on getting a G11.?
I have started ordering it ¡°in reverse¡±. Getting all the small stuff first (knobs, power supply, etc).
Will order the G11 next month.?
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Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
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Welcome aboard Rick ? G11 is a great mount, and there¡¯s lots of great people here to answer any questions you may have ? Thanks ? Brian ? portfolio https://www.brianvalentephotography.com/ ?
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Richard Paul via Groups.Io
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2019 11:07 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Losmandy_users_io] New Losmandy Owner ? All,?
Joined this group a while back when I was trying to decide on my next mount. You¡¯ve helped me decide on getting a G11.?
I have started ordering it ¡°in reverse¡±. Getting all the small stuff first (knobs, power supply, etc).
Will order the G11 next month.?
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Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
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You will love it, as it makes you astronomy hobby much easier. As a non-engineer I can offer a piece of advice, for what it is worth. Many people love to tinker with the G11, it just seems to invite that. Don¡¯t. The factory has it adjusted perfectly snd unless a literal train wreck occurred during shipping, it is great right out of the box. I have also been able to control it remotely with TheSkyX, SGP, and now the ASIair without complaint. Enjoy it, and post here for great expert advice.
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And if you do want to tinker with worm, OPW etc.....ensure you record raw PE data prior to tinkering. ?You have to have a reference point. ?
As for G11....I love it but if you have a big load ....I wish I got a titan! ? But still happy with my G11
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Brendan
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well there's always the G11T. I think i may be overloading it right now, but it is still performing wonderfully
a nice upgrade for G11 owners
[Edited Message Follows]
And if you do want to tinker with worm, OPW etc.....ensure you record raw PE data prior to tinkering.? You have to have a reference point. ?
As for G11....I love it but if you have a big load ....I wish I got a titan! ? But still happy with my G11
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Brendan
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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I haven¡¯t gotten it yet. But I¡¯ve been buying the little stuff first!?
Would appreciate knowing how to setup the ASIair to work with the Gemini. Any special settings on either side? I love my ASIAir. I¡¯m actually a beta tester for it.?
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Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
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For ASIair, connect a USB cable from the Raspberry Pi to the USB port on the Gemini. ?If my memory is working, it shows up as /dev/ttyACM0 (that's the 'device' you tell the ASIair to use to control the Gemini) and ASIair does support Losmandy mounts (just make sure you pick it as the mount type).
Clear Skies,
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On Sep 21, 2019, at 10:17 AM, Richard Paul via Groups.Io < rickpaul@...> wrote: I haven¡¯t gotten it yet. But I¡¯ve been buying the little stuff first!?
Would appreciate knowing how to setup the ASIair to work with the Gemini. Any special settings on either side? I love my ASIAir. I¡¯m actually a beta tester for it.?
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Rick Paul
Tucson, AZ
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Tim is correct. Connect a standard USB to the ASIair, then into the larger square USB port on the Gemini. The thin USB port does not have input/output, only supplies power. Boot up the Gemini first and choose Warm Start from the CWD position. After you start the ASIair and connect it to the mount, use either the ASIair or the HC to slew the mount to a bright star position. Take a Preview image 1 to 5 seconds, and Plate Solve. When the plate solve results come, sel3ct ¡°Sync & Goto¡± and the ASIair corrects the mount model coordinates then centers the bright star. Although I have been able to shift back and forth between the HC and the App to find objects, I always check with plate solve whenever I am going to image. So far works without a hitch.
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So does the mount have to have a model in before using the ASIAir, achieved by warm starting? If you cold started, as I have to set up each night, would I have to get a mount model made before connecting the air? Or, would any previous model work, hence the warm start?
I¡¯ve just moved from an AVX to a GM-8 with Gemini 1, so am still very much feeling my way around. I¡¯m currently making up a serial to RJ22 lead to connect the Air to the mount
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If you are having to set up your mount each night, then I wouldn't bother with building a model. ?
Keep in mind the model only improves go-to accuracy. ?Once it arrives at the target, the model does nothing for the performance of the mount (it doesn't improve tracking, etc.). ?
You can use ASIair to plate-solve on go-to, it will sync, and then repeat the go-to. ? If you're imaging, you probably are sticking with very few targets per night, and the amount of time to plate-solve and sync on them is probably far less time than the time needed to completely rebuild a model each time you setup.
Clear Skies,
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On Aug 2, 2020, at 10:19 AM, brynevans2000 via groups.io <brynevans2000@...> wrote:
?So does the mount have to have a model in before using the ASIAir, achieved by warm starting? If you cold started, as I have to set up each night, would I have to get a mount model made before connecting the air? Or, would any previous model work, hence the warm start?
I¡¯ve just moved from an AVX to a GM-8 with Gemini 1, so am still very much feeling my way around. I¡¯m currently making up a serial to RJ22 lead to connect the Air to the mount
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Hi,
I often do a Warm Start, using the prior night's model which is always saved in the SRAM.??
Or I may choose Cold start, skip the "Align to 1st bright star" step, and just use Stellarium with Stellarium-scope and Ascom/Gemini.net to go-to [Ctl-1 in Stellariim] all kinds of targets.??
Targets can be anything with a distinct center, like any star in the star chart, or any planet.? The sky chart is telling Gemini the location so Gemini does not even need it in its own database.?
Once I recenter at any target from the sky chart, I can use the Synch [Ctl-3] (only does a local Align at that point, not changing the existing Model) or "Add Align Point"? in the Gemini.net applet to build or improve a model.? (That latter Add Align Point at current position is hidden in the diamond top menu panel, under the left side lower drop down menu. )
If you are well polar aligned, and shooting only a few targets a night, you might skip building a model at all.??
It also depends on your scope field of view.? If you have a wide field of view you likely won't need a model.??
If shooting a narrow field of view I find this: Gemini will sleep to a target, but stop when it feels "close enough". I can see the scope is still off center looking at the Stellarium sky chart. If my field of view is small, I'll use hand centering commands or the Gemini net applet to precisely center the object...and usually there it is centered in the image.??
I know Gemini has an entry for Telescope FL, (in Gemini.net too in the Telescope panel) and maybe I have that info wrong...not sure how Gemini uses this info.? Perhaps it centers the object closer for a long FL scope??
Anyway....sorry for such a long winded answer to your question!
Best, Michael
On Sun, Aug 2, 2020, 7:18 AM brynevans2000 via <brynevans2000= [email protected]> wrote: So does the mount have to have a model in before using the ASIAir, achieved by warm starting? If you cold started, as I have to set up each night, would I have to get a mount model made before connecting the air? Or, would any previous model work, hence the warm start?
I¡¯ve just moved from an AVX to a GM-8 with Gemini 1, so am still very much feeling my way around. I¡¯m currently making up a serial to RJ22 lead to connect the Air to the mount
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>>>So does the mount have to have a model in before using the ASIAir, achieved by warm starting? If you cold started, as I have to set up each night, would I have to get a mount model made before connecting the air? Or, would any previous model work, hence the warm start?
No. I think there's some confusion about exactly what the model is and does, and how it relates to programs that plate solve
If you are using an imaging application that provides plate solving, you don't need a model at all. you can cold start every night and the pointing will be as good as your plate solver (mine is set to center targets within 50 pixels and usually achieves this within 2-3 solves).?
The first plate solve after cold start may go to a blind solve, which isn't unusual. After that the plate solve should work quickly and easily. A lot of people mistakenly see the first plate solve fail and failover to the blind and think it isn't working correctly.
Brian
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Thanks for the replies. With the AVX I had to do an align in the mount before connecting the Air.?
from the responses, it sounds like this is not necessary with Gemini. I¡¯ll hopefully have the serial cable made up in the next couple of days (waiting for parts!) then I¡¯ll update on my progress and see what works.
Thanks again
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>>>Thanks for the replies. With the AVX I had to do an align in the mount before connecting the Air.?
just curious why you had to do that? I would assume ASIAir does plate solve and supports blind solving?
On Sun, Aug 2, 2020 at 10:25 AM Bryn Evans via <brynevans2000= [email protected]> wrote: Thanks for the replies. With the AVX I had to do an align in the mount before connecting the Air.?
from the responses, it sounds like this is not necessary with Gemini. I¡¯ll hopefully have the serial cable made up in the next couple of days (waiting for parts!) then I¡¯ll update on my progress and see what works.
Thanks again
-- Brian?
Brian Valente portfolio
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Thanks Michael. I¡¯ll be giving it a go with the Air once I¡¯ve got the cable made up and some clear sky!
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Hi Bryn,
I just sent you a private message with a ton of documents and improvement ideas.? I did not mean to bomb you with all that stuff!? Hope it helps you hit the ground running.??
Since you are in the UK (from your email address anyway!) , your best resource for cables and Gemini1 cables, or repair issues, is David Partridge, an expert member of this great group, who lives in the UK.
Have fun!
Michael
On Sun, Aug 2, 2020, 10:33 AM Bryn Evans via <brynevans2000= [email protected]> wrote: Thanks Michael. I¡¯ll be giving it a go with the Air once I¡¯ve got the cable made up and some clear sky!
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Welcome! I also upgraded from an AVX, I'm so happy I did. Nowadays I'm always imaging. I cold boot the losmandy, and the first thing I do is slew to the meridian, south intersection and platesolve / calibrate / drift align. Then I'm off to the races. The AVX required some sort of alignment before really starting, the losmandy / Gemini does not need that.?
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You can't go wrong with the G11.
But doing it backwards? Sounds like getting the butter on the knife before you put the bread in the toaster. LOL!
I have a new GM811G HD, Gemini II Mini. I have my routine down and get really good slews with it.
Great mounts!
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SonnyE
(I suggest viewed in full screen)
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Thanks Jamie. Still waiting for parts for the serial cable, which should arrive today. Now for clear skies?
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Richard Paul
Timothy Campbell
Michael Herman
Jamie Amendolagine