|
Graham,
My understanding of the Gemini 2 controller is that the local time and timezone is not used in the calculation for slewing etc. Ignore daylight saving for now. Gemini 2 uses UT so this must be set accurately. For me being in WA, I am UT +8hours. So when it is 6PM in Perth where Perth is UT + 8hrs, UT therefore = 10AM the same day. This is the same time in the UK where the UK is UT +0 (ignoring daylight saving). If Perth had daylight saving, then it's time would be UT +9hrs.
This means Gemini (to my understanding) can calculate where it is based on the UT and your longitude.
The civil time is more for convenience if this understanding is correct as it looks more "normal" I suppose to see a local time displayed on the lower right corner of the Gemini 2 controller than the UT. Some people prefer to use UT only and don't worry about the timezone because many charts and references are in UT so it makes it easier to use UT as your local or civil time from that point of view.
As for your slewing problem. Please check the following esp after a cold start.
1. Your mount type is set to G11. I find after a cold start, it defaults to a Titan.
2. If I forget step 1 but I have placed my mount in the polar home position (before powering up), I find the DEC reading on handcontroller immediately after booting up shows -45:00. This is obviously wrong. And this will be one possible explanation for the incorrect slewing. Make sure the DEC is reading -90:00 after boot up when your scope in the polar home position.
3. Make sure the UT is correct. It is the time in the UK (without daylight saving). A GPS connected to Gemini 2 will assist with this.
Ensuring the above has meant a trouble free start to a night with my G11 but it took me a few weeks to see these simple little features like the mount default and polar home co-ordinates.
I hope someone can confirm the above or correct me as this has been my experience. Good luck but remember Gemini 2 needs a little time to understand the way it does things. Coming from Autostar, I found Gemini 2 frustrating at start but now understand more about it.
Good luck Graz!
Darrin...
|