15 May
2012
15 May
'12
3:49 p.m.
Hi all, I have an older Losmandy G11, but it has the pre-Gemini Digital Setting Circles package. Was your G11 purchased with the Gemini package, or did the owner add it. I'm going to buy the Gemini upgrade someday and wonder how difficult the installation is. The G11 mount is a machining masterpiece and it is rock solid, even with my C11 at high magnification. I agree that it does take some effort to set up. To me, it's the absolute largest equatorial mount that I would consider as portable. Fred -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Don J. Colton Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 2:10 PM To: 'Utah Astronomy' Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] ...Losmandy G11 Dan, It was supposed to have the higher precision gearing when I bought it. They later advertised high precision gears as an upgrade so I don't if my high precision is the same as the upgrade or the upgrade was even better. Clear Skies, Don -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Holmes Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:38 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] ...Losmandy G11 I'm the new owner of the below mentioned G11. A few thoughts: Don is right, it takes some planning to setup. Plan on at least a half hour to an hour minimum before you are able to look through an eyepiece. It's not difficult, but there's a lot to it, lots of cables, plenty of individual parts, etc. Double that time if you are attaching a guidescope and computer. One thing--it's easy to setup in the dark without light. There are only two cables that aren't keyed, and you'll know right away if you get them backwards. The polar scope has to be updated, there are new reticules for better pointing--don't know if the new mounts have the updated reticules, but they are around $100. I have to guess a bit and then drift align. Once setup, it's a very stable mount. I've got an 8" f4.7 Newtonian mounted on mine, and there's hardly any vibration. I've mounted a 3" refractor piggy back as a guidescope, and it's completely stable. The pointing model is quite good, but like Don said, it does take time to align, but that is rewarded with solid accuracy. I've updated the firmware from what Don had, and if I put the mount back in the chalk lines I have in my driveway, it's pretty repeatable. It does a good job of learning PEC. I've run into a few issues with meridian flips, but I think that's more due to leveling and pointing than any issues with it. Each star you add helps the pointing model. Online support is pretty good--there's a good mailing list. However, parts are starting to dry up for the Gemini 1 computer--several of the chips are no longer manufactured. The Gemini 2 has been out for a while, adds quite a few features, but I don't have that one (and probably won't for a while, at least until the G1 dies). From what I hear, Losmandy is a little slow to get stuff shipped, so buy from a dealer instead. It's heavy. I have it in my basement, and hauling all the parts out to my driveway and setting it up is a bit of a workout. I need to get a case or something to put some of the parts in so I can carry it easier. It does break down into plenty of component parts, so if you break it down completely it's not too bad, but that's more trips up and down the stairs for me, so I leave a few things together. The hand controls can get confusing, but once you know what the system is telling you, it's very usable. It's developed by a guy in Germany, he's very responsive to questions, but sometimes his syntax for menus is a little strange. Nothing I didn't get used to after a few times with it though. As an example--you have a single line display that tells you what mode the mount is in--it doesn't display the mode, you have to go into the menus and query the system to find out what mode it's using (visual, photographic, etc), and the menus change depending on the mode. One nice thing--the menu display is on the hand control, as well as the mount itself. Frankly, I've started just controlling it with my laptop and not worrying about it. Next step is to try and control it with my iPad. There is a second hand control (don't know if this was something Don bought as an extra, or if it comes with it) that controls the motors only. Handy if you are just doing visual stuff, you don't need to fire up and align the computer. Balancing and leveling the tripod is really easy, but time consuming. Although the legs are not keyed to go in one direction, and the legs are only flat if they go in a specific way (they are tubes, not points at the end), so I have to adjust the legs after I get the tripod built. Not difficult, just another step you have to do. I've broken it down and regreased it completely. Not a process for the faint of heart, but I documented and took pictures of what I was doing each step of the way so I was able to get it back together. I try to clean and regrease my mounts every couple of years, and this was easier to do than my Orion Skyview Pro. More involved of course, but easier to get to things. (that reminds me, been meaning to ask Don if this has the high precision worm gear in it) Am I happy with it? Ecstatic. I love it. I'll admit I haven't been out many times with it lately, but that's more because I have a newborn in the house than anything else. With the way this mount is built, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one used, assuming the G1 works (or if it comes with a G2). Good luck, Dan On May 15, 2012, at 10:29 AM, Don J. Colton wrote: > Hi Steve, > > I had one and sold it. If you plan to do imaging it is a better > platform than the Celestron CGEM. However, for visual work only, I > would get the CGEM since it is much less expensive, easier to use and > has better pointing accuracy without the need for precise polar > alignment - good for quick > viewing or public star parties. Unless you do a very careful polar > alignment with the G-11, its pointing accuracy is not that good. The > Hand control interface on the G-11 is more difficult to master than > the Celestron hand control. > > Clear Skies, > > Don Colton -- Daniel Holmes, danielh@holmesonics.com "Laugh while you can, monkey boy!" -- Lord John Whorfin _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. To unsubscribe go to: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Then enter your email address in the space provided and click on "Unsubscribe or edit options". _______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Send messages to the list to Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com The Utah-Astronomy mailing list is not affiliated with any astronomy club. 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