Update:
One screw-up so far. When making my starter, I got the right temp (yeast directions call for 104 to 109 degrees) and added the yeast. Problem was not waiting the 15 minutes to add it to my small (quart size) starter jar. I added it after only a few minutes. Duh! Despite my mistake, pitched the yeast starter yesterday morning and it seems to be flourishing in there after a slow start. Tonight I'll get another measure.
My son was making a separate batch. He added the 16 cups of sugar per directions (on stove just below boil for 30 minutes). He estimated 5.5 gallons of water, sugar water and ReaLemon. 1st SG was low - something like 1.06x. He added sugar a cup at a time by quickly boiling it in a little water and adding it to the primary bucket. The SG readings were going up slowly. All told he added about 5 cups of additional sugar this way. Finally, he reached the desired 1.07. After pitching his yeast, a measurement about 10 to 12 hours later showed SG had RISEN to 1.074! Thinking about this, could this be due to the fact that when he was adding dissolved sugar, he was quickly boiling it and adding it and not simmering it for 30 minutes like we did in the beginning? It will be interesting to see the reading tonight.