I am using SGP with a Takahashi EM-200 mount, and I am also using PHD2. I am tracking
past meridian, and would like to do a meridian flip. The issue though is that my setup is still
new, and I’m still not confident that I will not have cable snags, etc. Therefore, I certainly do
not want to do an automatic flip. I would prefer to do the flip using the hand controller, so that
I can carefully monitor the cables as I am flipping and stop immediately if necessary. So is it
possible to do this?
Specifically, will this work:
Pause the imaging sequence
Stop PHD2
Do the flip manually via hand controller, aiming the scope at the approximate location of the
target on the new side of the mount.
Do a “center now” to re-find the target on the new side of the mount. (The idea here is to
let it plate-solve for the target; hopefully it will find it and go to it without flipping back to the
other side of the mount.)
In the telescope setup section, there are setting for meridian flip. There is a checkbox named ‘Use Auto Meridian Flip’ you can uncheck.
Regarding snags and other possible mechanical issues, I would just point the scope somewhere low in Dec. that the viewing vantage point is capable of, and manually run the scope through its travels to see if there would be any problems.
Before you power up the mount - just declutch (holding your scope and counterweight bar if you are not well balanced… ) swing the mount by hand as if it were doing a flip and watch the cables as you go. You can make sure all problems are eliminated before you put the power on.
I have always done this when setting up a new configuration. Best to be well balanced regardless…but still…take care when releasing the clutches.
I don’t believe there is a way to trigger this manually with the EM-200 hand controller. I used to have a Temma2 NJP and that hand controller was extremely simple.
What I would recommend is to use the “Pause before meridian flip” option in the Meridian Flip Options dialog. Then use this in conjunction with the “Time until meridian” info on the telescope tab in SGP. This will allow you to determine when SGP is going to perform the flip and when it gets to that time SGP will bring up a dialog asking if you want to perform the flip rather than doing it automatically.
You can also manually trigger the flip in SGP by clicking the “Run” button next to the option to enable the Automatic Meridian Flip on the Telescope Control Panel. But for that to work you’ll need to be past the meridian.