Gemini autoguider wiring

[rogerg (Roger)]

G'day all,

I'm trying to create the wire to connect my Gemini to my QGuider. I have tried once and it's not working, so think I have mis-interpreted the Gemini diagram.

The diagram from the QGuider is easy enough to understand, I can see exactly what pins go to what, it's here: http://web.aanet.com.au/gama/QHY%20Cmos.html

But the diagram for the Gemini is a little less clear. It's not clear to me what direction the diagram is looking at the plug. Could anyone translate it in to a more pictorial/verbose representaion?

The attached image shows the wiring diagram from the gemini manual, the wiring diagram for the QGuider, and my (apparently incorrect) interpretation of how the two connect.

This is how I wired the current one, in words (matches my diagram in the pic):

1:black to 1:black
2range to 2range
3:green to 3:white
4:brown to 4:blue
5:blue to 5:brown
6:white to 6:green

Thanks,
Roger.

[Peter Ward]

Just use a one to one RJ11 cable. The main thing not to stuff up is the common pin.

The Gemini diagram is a pictorial representation of the CPU's autoguider socket. Top is top, left is left etc. Sorry I couldn't make it any simpler than that when I drew it

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

This seems odd. I would have thought that the Q guider comes with the hardware to connect to standard mounts.
Geoff

[rogerg (Roger)]

Originally Posted by ghsmith45

This seems odd. I would have thought that the Q guider comes with the hardware to connect to standard mounts.
Geoff

No cables come with the camera. However I'm not so surprised that no autoguider cable comes with it, I imagine every mount has different wiring requirements? I suppose a standard ST4 one would be nice, seeing as it's ST4 compatible.

Roger.

[Kal (Andrew)]

I just chopped a RJ12 crossover cable today and crimped on a straight through connector for my QHY5. Couldn't find a straight through cable at Jaycar or dick smith (all the cables are crossover) so I just chopped one of the crossover cables that came with my DSI camera.

Crossing over the X+ and X- or Y+ and Y- is irrelevant, depending on the type of guidescope (refractor or cat) and wether you use a diagonal will mix up all your left and rights anyway. The only important thing is getting the null and common to the correct two pins.

[rogerg (Roger)]

Thanks to Andrew and Peter, seems obvious now. The thought occurred to me earlier but wasn't sure so didn't take it further.

I haven't tried it again yet, but I have a feeling my only problem may be that I had the Gemini in Visual Mode, not Photographic or All Speeds.

[Gama]

Originally Posted by rogerg

No cables come with the camera. However I'm not so surprised that no autoguider cable comes with it, I imagine every mount has different wiring requirements? I suppose a standard ST4 one would be nice, seeing as it's ST4 compatible.

Roger.

Your dead right Roger, i once upon a time did include a cable, but what a heap of headaches and grief it caused the users. Some mounts were not even ST4 compatible !, others had different pinouts etc. Not all mounts are the latest release Losmandy. Theres an odd brew out there...

But i do give an option to add a cable with either a pin to pin cable, or your own pinouts. This way when i supply you with the cable it is for YOUR scope/mount.
Of course, its dependant on that you supply the right pinouts to me.
Plus because i now make up the cables for my customers, you only need to speak to me or email me, and not be left hanging with a odd cable in your hands with no where to go.

Theo

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by rogerg

I haven't tried it again yet, but I have a feeling my only problem may be that I had the Gemini in Visual Mode, not Photographic or All Speeds.

Been there, done that and wondered why the "guiding" was crap--stupid isn't it?
Geoff

[rogerg (Roger)]

I ended up cutting the wire and re-doing an end. I had the wires mixed up a bit I hope that I haven't caused any permenant damage by having the common in the wrong place.

NS seem to be working but EW doesn't seem to be. Yet to give it a full test and any test at night.

Also, CCDSoft, in it's calibration, seems to only want to move the mount for about 1 second then takes the photo like it'd done 15 seconds it was supposed to. I suspect it's related to RA not appearing to move

Will post more when I know more.

Hopefully I haven't fried something in the RA circuit. The gemini seems to run fine otherwise.

And yeah, that all speeds/photo mode thing did get me.

Roger.

[Gama]

The Guide port is opto isolated, and there is no power on the Qguider, so you should no frying going on...
Make sure you have selected both R.A and Dec for guiding. It may just be set for R.A adjustments.
When calibration is performed, the software needs to know how far its travelled, in which direction its travelled, what inclination, etc. So if there is no movement, it thinks it has a problem.