Weasner's ETX PE Feedback Page

ETX PREMIER EDITION FEEDBACK

Last updated: 26 January 2006

This page is for user comments and information specific to the ETX PE (Premier Edition). Feedback on the specific PE technologies (Automatic Alignment + SmartFinder, Level North Technology) will be covered here. Feedback on the Autostar Suite AE (Astronomer Edition) will be posted on the regular Autostar Suite feedback page. Items that are applicable to all ETX models (EC, AT, PE) will continue to be posted on the other appropriate feedback pages. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me and I'll post them. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message. Thanks.

Subject:	Broken smartfinder.
Sent:	Wednesday, January 25, 2006 14:24:51
From:	Luis Oscar Velzquez (lova@servidor.unam.mx)
Last week in a batery change my ETX-105 PE smartfinder gets broken.  Do
you know where I can found another one? I live in Mexico and it is
really difficult to get one,  may be you have some internet dealers of
this accesory.

Thanks!!

Mike here: I haven't seen one for sale but you can contact Meade for a replacement unless you want to try repairing it yourself. Do you know specifically what you broke?

And:

Thank you for answer Mike,

Do you have any email of meade's accesory replacement? This glass is of
polycarbonate, I broke it in the think part that goes inside the LNT
module, it is a small leg that supports the entire glass. I  tried to
repair it with a special glue, but it doesnt works fine, it takes to
much effort to find the starts, or may be you know what kind of finder I
can install on this ETX PE model.

Thanks!!

Mike here: Meade doesn't use a support email address so you will have to call or fax them. Info on their web site.

Subject:	Problems with my new ETX 105 PE
Sent:	Sunday, January 22, 2006 03:31:58
From:	Gapollo19@aol.com (Gapollo19@aol.com)
I am having problems with the automatic alignment on my etx.

I go through all the functions with the pointing to north, leveling and
so on, then centre the two stars and hit enter.

I then used sirus as first go to item and it was awy off. Am I doing
something wrong.

I live in Northern Ireland.

Mike here: Hard to say what's wrong without a lot more information from you. Have you done a CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES? How close were the alignment stars? Have you tried a GOTO to other objects?

Subject:	Smartfinder alternative.
Sent:	Tuesday, January 17, 2006 07:50:18
From:	Alun Young (alunyoung@tiscali.co.uk)
I have an ETX125 PE. The LNT module is a help but I don`t like the "red
dot on the lense" part of it. Every time you look through it the dot
moves about if you don`t keep your head still. Is there an option to fit
a regular viewfinder to my ETX and still retain the LNT module(minus the
lense).

Many Thanks,

Alun Young.

Mike here: There are several possibilities. See the Accessory Reviews: Finderscopes page.

Subject:	Help on etx 90
Sent:	Friday, January 6, 2006 10:09:37
From:	Juan Jose Bernal Arreola (pepeba23@hotmail.com)
Hi. i have an etx 90, but each time i turn on the etx it asks for the
time and date. Is this normal

Thanks

Juan Bernal
Tijuana Mexico

Mike here: Normal unless you have a PE model with the LNT.

And:

Thanks for the fast answer.
Yes the model is etx 90 PE and i download the last update for autostar
form the interent to the scope

I tride to contact made but the phone is allways bussy, and i live in
tijuana mexico.

Do you have any clue

Pardon my bad inglis

Thanks mike, your site rocks

Juan Bernal

Tijuana Mexico

Mike here: If you use the MODE key on the Autostar, when you scroll through the options does the Smartfinder option appear? Is the Smartfinder red dot illuminating on the LNT module? Does Automatic Alignment appear in the SETUP>ALIGN menu?

And:

Yes. When i tourn on the scope, it displeys, option to autoaling, and it
ask for the date and time. Then it starts to aling. But i can find the
stars on the smartfinder.

The dot is on An the automatic alignment appers on the setup.

I train the drives but its the same.

I will tray to reset just like you say in your web page.

Any more advise

Thanks

Juan

Mike here: Well, this is odd if the Autostar is "seeing" the LNT (since you can Auto Align) but the date/time is not being sent from the LNT. It could be that you have a bad LNT module. If the RESET of the Autostar doesn't cure you might try reloading the Autostar software in case the previous load was corrupted. But if the LNT is bad then you have two choices: contact Meade for a (free) replacement or if the telescope is new, contact your dealer for an exchange.

And:

i tride all but nothing work, tomorrow i will tray to get an new scope
on the discovery channel store.

thanks for your advise, and rapid response, i will be lost with out your
advise.

thank you

juan

Subject:	ETX-90PE LNT setup
Sent:	Monday, January 2, 2006 20:41:07
From:	dougk54x@comcast.net (dougk54x@comcast.net)
We are trying to setup our new ETX90PE and are having some problems
aligning the scope.   When we go to the first alignment start we are
pretty far off and use the smartfinder to get in close and then adjust
with the arrow keys.  We then go to the second alignment star and that
star is way off.  We again use the smartfinder, then the arrow keys, and
we hit hit enter,  the autostart states that alignment was successful. 
We then use the goto function to go back to the first alignment star and
it is off further then when we did the original alignment.  We have
trained the drives and checked the time, all seems OK.  We do not need
to level the tripod, do we? Our yard is on a slight angle, but we
thought the LNT would calculate  level, and then use that calculation
during slewing. Is this not the case?
Thanks,
Doug
Grand Prairie, TX

Mike here: Did you enter your location by ZIPCODE or City Name? City names seem to work better. What happens if you use the Easy Two Star Alignment instead of the Automatic Alignment? Have you done a CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES?

Subject:	Re:unable to change smartfinder time settings
Sent:	Saturday, December 31, 2005 22:20:20
From:	mhogansr@comcast.net (mhogansr@comcast.net)
Sounds like the LNT is not communicating with the Autostar.  When you
say you have reseated the battery, was it the Lithium LNT battery? This
is located inside the module and is discussed in Appendix D of the
Manual.

Another possibility is the wiring connector inside the LNT mounting
bracket. It's not too difficult to check, just removing one screw.  Some
good info and illustrations on this are on the ETX site under: Helpful
Information>Telescope Tech Tips>ETX Premier Edition Specific.

If neither of these is the problem, about the only thing left is to
replace the module.  Shouldn't be a problem if it's a new scope and you
can get through to Meade this time of year.  Good Luck.

Regards,
Mike

Subject:	ETX 105 PE TRACKING PROBLEM
Sent:	Saturday, December 31, 2005 19:02:09
From:	Paul Kavanagh (jr004i4385@blueyonder.co.uk)
My telescope appears to have developed a problem in tracking an object -
in that it the image jumps slightly every few seconds.  This is
accompanied by a single click from the right hand fork each time it
occurs.  Normal slewing operations of the telescope are not a problem at
any speed setting, this only shows up when tracking and object.  I have
calibrated the motors and retrained the drives but this has not made the
problem go away.  Whlist it is an annoyance in visual observing, the
problem becomes more serious when I want to use my CCD camera as the
frame jumping every few seconds is not exactly what is needed!

I suspect that the problem may be due to something (maybe a bit of
debris) on just one of the gear teeth on the ALT drive assembly.  Whilst
the telescope is fairly new, I am prepared to see if I can fix the
problem myself, as the dealer I purchased the telescope from is several
hundred miles away and I'm not especially keen to return it at present. 
However, having looked through your site, I can see no useful reference
to the fork construction of the ETX 105PE model (which I understand may
be somewhat different to the regular 105), and I am therefore a little
nervous about attacking the thing with a screwdriver until I have a
clearer view about what I am attempting to do.

If any of your ETX105 PE owners have any experience of this kind of
problem I would be most grateful to hear their views,

Thanks fo a geat site!

Regards,

Paul Kavanagh

Mike here: Could be debris or a wire or some other obstruction getting caught in a gear. It could also be a broken gear tooth. If a wire is catching there is a chance it could be cut at some point. If a bad gear, the problem should show up at slewing speeds but could be hidden by the faster motion. Either way, if you want it covered under the warranty I'd suggest you contact either the dealer or Meade.

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