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ETX CLASSIC FEEDBACK
Last updated: 31 July 2011
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This page is for comments and user feedback about ETX telescopes. ETX models discussed on this page include the ETX-60/70/80/90/105/125 (EC, AT, BB, Premier Edition). This page also includes comments and feedback of a general nature. Comments on accessories and feedback items appropriate to the ETX-90RA, DSX, and DS models are posted on other pages. If you have any comments, suggestions, questions or answers to questions posed here, e-mail them to me for posting. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message per the Site Email Etiquette. Thanks. Remember, tips described on this site may invalidate the warranty on your telescope or accessories. Neither the submitter nor myself are responsible for any damage caused by using any contributed tips.

Subject:	ETX 80 focus knob not turning rod inside tube
Sent:	Sunday, July 31, 2011 16:16:12
From:	Jim (jamespettinato@verizon.net)
My Focus knob does not turn the rod inside the scopes tube to focus.It
does not seem to grip the rod (I loooked down the tube with a flash
light, everything looks ok)

I removed that little black plastic cover near the focus knob and when
turning the knob both gears look fine and mesh properly. Nothing seems
binding or tight. If I had to guess, it seems as though a gears set
screw somewhere needs to be tightened to move the rod. I can't seem to
find the problem. Please help. Should I send it into Meade for repair?

Its about 2 years old.
 
Thank you.,

Jim
Mike here: I'm not certain where the focus knob setscrew is on the ETX-80 but normally they are on the side of the knob, recessed inside a small hole. You will likely need a small Allen Wrench (hex key) to tighten it.

And:

The knob itself turns the gears inside fine its seems as if the tiny
gear connected to the rod is loose, however I dont see a set screw on
the gear itself. It seems i must dis-assemble that part of the tube. Not
something i want to do.

Thank you,
Jimmy Pettinato

Subject:	I'd like to Un-subscribe from email feeds
Sent:	Sunday, July 24, 2011 14:44:04
From:	jdjaster@comcast.net (jdjaster@comcast.net)
I get too many emails each day, and am not interested in most of them.
 
Thanks Mike.
 
Jim Jasperson
Mike here: what email feeds? I don't send out any.

And:

I get 10-20 emails a day from your members!!!
I don;t want them anymore.  Plse turn this off.
Mike here: If you mean the ETXAstro Yahoo Group, you need to unsubscribe from that yourself by signing on to it with your Yahoo Groups ID.
Later: Were you able to unsubscribe?
Subject:	Declension circle not at 0 degrees
Sent:	Saturday, July 23, 2011 14:07:06
From:	Steve Bennetsen (steve18073@hotmail.com)
I bought a unused ETX 60- AT today ($50 woohoo) I noticed that when the
scope/base are level the pointer for the declension (non-clutch side) is
set at 12 degrees instead of 0. How do I reset this side?
Regards,
Steve
Mike here: See "Q. My Declination (altitude) setting circle is off, what do I do?" on the ETX FAQ page.

And:

Thanks Mike, just had to search better

Subject:	ETX 90 dew cap thread size
Sent:	Friday, July 22, 2011 14:14:00
From:	Steve Fisher (iotacass1@hotmail.com)
I am wondering if you have any idea what the thread size for a dewshield
on a ETX-90 is?  I have a beautiful aluminum dew shield that I think is
for a 90 but I have no way of knowing for sure.
The threads on mine are about 97mm.
Any help you can give me would be appreciated.
Steve Fisher
Mike here: I just measured mine. It is 102mm.

And:

Thank you for this answer and years and thousands of answers.
Steve
Mike here: Thanks. Hard to believe that I've been doing this for almost 15 years!
Subject:	Eliminating "rocking" in ETX-80AT altitude axis?
Sent:	Monday, July 18, 2011 15:20:58
From:	Ivan Ivanov (ivanivanov@net.hr)
Please, can You give a few pointers in how to eliminate the rocking?
I have read you tutorilal and the schematic doesn't resemble my etx.
It's threaded part of the altitude clamp isn't narrow as yours. Mine is
plastic, wide and hollow.
I dissassembled the scope and I was planing on degreasing the clutch and
I had an idea on putting a thin piece of rubber between the scope and
the plastic sprocket so that it reduces the slippage when the clutch is
tightened.
As I remember, the worm gear assembly didn't had any adjustment screws.
How to tighten it?
Mike here: I don't recall any tips on that specific to the ETX-80. However, some movement in the vertical is normal. You didn't say which axis has the problem. You can also check for loose or broken gear mounts. There are probably small setscrews that hold the gears on their shafts.
Subject:	Best ETX125 voltage
Sent:	Thursday, July 14, 2011 14:18:19
From:	mamonett@comcast.net (mamonett@comcast.net)
Could you please ask your friend, the autostar guru, what the best
regulated voltage is to power my ETX125?
I have heard everything from 10.1 volts to over 15 volts.
 
I am currently using a 6.6 ah lithium ion battery back which delivers
12.6 volts when fully charged but after a few hours of use the voltage
will drop to between 12.2 and 12.3 volts.
Would a higher or lower regulated voltage make my scope operate better?
 
I will have no problem building the electronics.
 
Looking forward to your reply,
 
Mike Amonett 
Mike here: You might see the article "#497 Power Supply Current Info" on the Helpful Information: AutoStar Info page. Whenever the power level drops from use or over time, doing a CALIBRATE MOTOR will recalibrate the AutoStar for the current output.
Subject:	ETX 125-AT
Sent:	Thursday, July 7, 2011 12:52:13
From:	Michael Cayless (Michael.Cayless@viachristi.org)
Thank you for your wonderful website dedicated to users to users of ETX
telescopes. About two years ago, I purchased a used ETX 125-AT from a
local science store. It is loaded with AutoStar, although I still have
not used the feature as yet as the scope has been languishing in my
basement.

Just last night I took the scope out to observe the moon and found
Saturn. The rings were great. Now I am looking forward to spending more
time using the scope.

However, when I decided to train myself on the use of the AutoStar, I
found the computer aligned up and down, but the computer would not turn
the scope left to right and vice versa. I have since taken the scope
back to the vendor and he will take a look at the gears.

Until then, what typically is the reason for this challenge. Is this an
expensive challenge to have. Please advise me.
 
Thanks,
 
     Mick Cayless
Mike here: There are several possibilities. Could you have the axis lock overtightened? WIth the axis UNLOCKED, does the telescope rotate freely freely and smoothly by hand between the two hard stops (almost twice around)? Also, have you done a CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES? Is the failure to slew occurring when doing an AutoStar alignment or just when attempting to slew horizontally with the slew arrow keys?

And:

Thank you for your reply. With the axis unlocked, the scope does rotate
freely and smoothly. In fact, I have been using and aligning the scope
manually since I bought it used. My understanding is the prior owner did
calibrate the motor and train the drives. The failure to slew left to
right, and vice-versa, is when I attempt the AutoStar alignment on two
separate objects during setup and during "tonight's best", etc.

Mick 
Mike here: When you say you have been manually aligning the telescope, do you mean just moving the telescope by hand to point at the object, slewing with the arrow keys, or doing a One or Two Star alignment on the AutoStar? I'm confused by your comment that it occurs during setup and during a tour.

And:

I'm sorry. I am very new at this.

To date, I have been using the telescope without AutoStar being turned
on, which means I have been merely pointing the scope manually by hand
to the moon, etc.

Late last night, I decided to plug in the AutoStar controller and
proceeded to enter the date, time, daylight savings time, and Alt/Az,
etc. I set the scope facing north for it to align with the two points as
per the manual's instructions. The motor moved the scope up, but it
failed to turn, or rotate, the scope east and west.

So, noticing this, I pressed enter and moved onto, "Tonight's best".
Saturn was displayed on the AutoStar controller. I pressed, "GoTo" and,
again, the scope moved vertically but not east to west. Hence the
telescope was facing away from Saturn.

I hope this helps. Mick
Mike here: OK, now I'm with you. With the axis LOCKED, can you move the telescope BY hand by pushing gently on the tube? It may move slightly but should not rotate freely like it does with the axis unlocked? Next, have you done a CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES? If not, do those; just follow the prompts on the AutoStar display. Be certain to TRAIN on both axes.

And:

Excellent. I will do these. Thanks again for the tips. Mick

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