Roger,
When you do additional aligns after a cold start and one star sync, do you see the A and E numbers vary after each alignment? I've seen this and believe it is particularly common on a SCT due to very slight changes in the primary mirror movement. It doesn't have to move much especially if your using a 9mm guide eyepeice. This is utimately what the Gemini pointing model is trying to determine i.e, mirror flop and flexure in the set up. This is generally a good thing as it will improve goto slew accuracy, however when it comes to PAC the accuracy isn't the same. If you have a refractor (such as your Megrez 80) or a decent finder scope, then I'd highly recommend using this compared to the SCT. Also when centering the star, I usually go to photo mode and ensure the alignment is dead centre with the eyepeice cross-hairs. I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the refractor and if the accuracy changes.
Indeed PAC can get you close. I'm impressed with the capabilities of the Titan mount. Big payload capacity and superb tracking. I will admit that the mount does take some tweaking though. Fine adjustments of the worm block with an automotive feeler gauge was need to minimise backlash in both Dec and RA. A few other tweaks also. Works a GEM now (no pun intended).
