G11 woes continue

h0ughy (David) · #1 22-02-2010, 08:03 PM

Well I have to say – so far this G11 has been a challenge, I am almost thinking that I will pull it out and mount up the eq6.
I got a new power cable today – fixed my problem with the power – it works. So I can get the gps working I can manually slew around but for the life of me it wont track – picked the moon drifts out within a few minutes. Now I though it was in sidereal rate? But then the other thing happens – it screams at me about slew limits and stops tracking? It is doing this in areas where it should work and is in no way near the mount motors. Then is started to make the scream when in different positions. So I rebalanced the mount in 3D – perfect. This darn slew limit is bugging the hell out of me. Any pointers fellas?

it is running at 16volts

Octane (Humayun) · #2 22-02-2010, 08:07 PM

Check your mount parameters and make sure it is set to Losmandy G-11 and not Titan.

I have had this happen when I tried connecting to the Gemini via Starry Night Pro Plus.

H

h0ughy (David) · #3 22-02-2010, 08:12 PM

done - that set it to g11 - also set the communications to 4096 for the gps - that worked no worries - it updated on startup

mick pinner · #4 22-02-2010, 08:21 PM

ditch the Gemini and get an A.N. no help l know just a thought.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #5 22-02-2010, 09:11 PM

Dave you should be able to manually slew past the limits. Do that until you have the mount at the right spot to limit it and then use the handpaddle to set the safety limits there. That should take care of that issue.

As for the moon drifting out.

1. That's not unusual because the moon doesn't follow the same path as the stars.
2. if its quite fast are you sure you are accurately polar aligned ( i'm sure you are)
3. do you have the mount turned on

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #6 22-02-2010, 09:18 PM

Ditch the GPS until you get the other things sorted.

Look at your mount safety limits, I have mine 98W 110E, dont set the Goto limit.

Maybe use GCC to check and query all your settings.

Persist with it.

I had the tracking issue on the weekend and couldnt figure it out, then I realised I had been stuffing around in GCC and deleted all the settings and reset of default which was a Titan25 mount. Even though I selected G11 on boot, when I plugged the PC in it then told it it was the other and nothing worked right, tracking at about 1/2 sidereal rate, set it to visual rather than allspeeds etc.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #7 22-02-2010, 09:24 PM

Bring it up here dave and we'll have a play with it and get you sorted out

.

h0ughy (David) · #8 22-02-2010, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Dave you should be able to manually slew past the limits. Do that until you have the mount at the right spot to limit it and then use the handpaddle to set the safety limits there. That should take care of that issue.

As for the moon drifting out.

1. That's not unusual because the moon doesn't follow the same path as the stars.

2. if its quite fast are you sure you are accurately polar aligned ( i'm sure you are)

might not be lol but it wouldnt be far off
3. do you have the mount turned on

h0ughy (David) · #9 22-02-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

Bring it up here dave and we'll have a play with it and get you sorted out

.

if it keeps doing that i will - pull it out of the observatory and install the eq6, then i will bring it up to Astrofest. A weeks worth of therapy

h0ughy (David) · #10 22-02-2010, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

Ditch the GPS until you get the other things sorted.

Look at your mount safety limits, I have mine 98W 110E, dont set the Goto limit.

Maybe use GCC to check and query all your settings.

Persist with it.

I had the tracking issue on the weekend and couldnt figure it out, then I realised I had been stuffing around in GCC and deleted all the settings and reset of default which was a Titan25 mount. Even though I selected G11 on boot, when I plugged the PC in it then told it it was the other and nothing worked right, tracking at about 1/2 sidereal rate, set it to visual rather than allspeeds etc.

ok whats Gcc? it doesnt seam like the gpps is doing anything to the mount apart from the time and location? but will try your suggestion

tlgerdes (Trevor) · #11 22-02-2010, 09:58 PM

GCC is Gemimi Control Centre, it is a Windows app that will let you drive the mount via RS232. I find it a good way to look at all the settings on one page. It is about 4Mb, so I can email it to you. Justr PM me the an address.

You can download it from the web, but I have a better distro version using a VMware product called Thinapp, it lets you package and run apps without installing them, so if you dont like it, you just delete the exe and it never existed on your machine, no registry woes.

h0ughy (David) · #12 22-02-2010, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlgerdes

GCC is Gemimi Control Centre, it is a Windows app that will let you drive the mount via RS232. I find it a good way to look at all the settings on one page. It is about 4Mb, so I can email it to you. Justr PM me the an address.

You can download it from the web, but I have a better distro version using a VMware product called Thinapp, it lets you package and run apps without installing them, so if you dont like it, you just delete the exe and it never existed on your machine, no registry woes.

pm sent

wasyoungonce (Brendan) · #13 23-02-2010, 01:45 PM

I was using the Gemini Beta ASCOM driver to play with.

You can use it to load/save Gemini data, like safety limits. It's like a lite version of GCC.

I think the driver is now fully developed and available as ASCOM Gemini driver here.

h0ughy (David) · #14 23-02-2010, 02:03 PM

thanks

xstream (John) · #15 23-02-2010, 05:24 PM

Dave, you know you really want an AP 1200GTO so just get rid of the G11 and go for it. Paint it black and SWMBO will never know the difference.

multiweb (Marc) · #16 23-02-2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xstream

Dave, you know you really want an AP 1200GTO so just get rid of the G11 and go for it. Paint it black and SWMBO will never know the difference.

So true. I've also found that black contrebande is easier to smuggle past SWMBO in the dark.

Bassnut (Fred) · #17 23-02-2010, 05:59 PM

I can understand yr frustrations Dave, I had similar to start with, but once its sorted the G11 is easy to use. Can I make a wild guess that your not a dedicated-manual-reading kinda guy

?

h0ughy (David) · #18 23-02-2010, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassnut

I can understand yr frustrations Dave, I had similar to start with, but once its sorted the G11 is easy to use. Can I make a wild guess that your not a dedicated-manual-reading kinda guy

?

whats a manual

something i try to avoid

but i might have to

h0ughy (David) · #19 23-02-2010, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xstream

Dave, you know you really want an AP 1200GTO so just get rid of the G11 and go for it. Paint it black and SWMBO will never know the difference.

can you buy me one

spearo (Frank) · #20 23-02-2010, 09:14 PM

Houghy,

I know you must have done this already but the parameters are for your location and not some North-American settings right?

frank