ETX CLASSIC FEEDBACK Last updated: 8 February 2010

Subject:	etx-80 objective cell compatibility with etx-70/60?
Sent:	Sunday, February 7, 2010 17:33:55
From:	Mark Hatch (mhatch@ics.com)
I know that you can take an etx-70 objective cell and put it on an
etx-60 OTA. (They share the same bottom part of the OTA. What about the
etx-80? Does it share the same base with the 60/70?

Mark

And:

Thanks for the reply. I got curious because I saw this stock photo at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330399559304&ru=http%
3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dp3907.m38.l1313%
26_nkw%3D330399559304%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&_rdc=1

and it looks like the lens cell was just a 100 mm longer than the 70's.

Regards,

Mark

Subject:	Re: ETX 125 Dec Fault
Sent:	Saturday, February 6, 2010 02:26:46
From:	John Farrant (johnfarrant@gmail.com)
Follow up to my dec board woes.
 
I decided to use the encoder assembly from the faulty 125 RA board and
connect it to the pic side of the working 90 RA board. This proved
easier said than done! However, I managed to cut the four tracks on the
125 board where the encoder leads to its pic using a small twist drill.
Cutting the tracks with a knife would have caused a terrible mess. I
repeated the same procedure on the 90 board. There are two surface
mounted 56 k resistors near the 125 encoder and these I removed as they
are duplicated on the 90 board. Next, with a 15 cm length of four strand
ribbon cable, I connected the 125s encoder to the 90s pic. I reinstalled
the 125 RA board back in place together with the 90 board - hanging at
this stage - nearby. With the motor connected, I switched on. Eureka!
After a motor test both drives spun into life. My dec fault dissapeared.
All that remains is to fixed the 90s RA board securely in place, reroute
the encoder leads and extend the motor's cable.

I'd like to thank Dick for the circuit information, George Cushing for
kindly sending me a replacement DEC board, and your goodself for your
encouragement.
 
Best regards,
 
John

Subject:	ETX-70 Focus, Lens Cap
Sent:	Friday, February 5, 2010 14:39:59
From:	kkennedy8802@charter.net (kkennedy8802@charter.net)
I just got a second hand ETX-70.....I have'nt used it yet but in looking
it over it seemed the focus knob was very stiff.....it has loosened some
but I am wondering how much should it turn?.....all the way
around?....it only seems to go about a half turn. Is that
right?......Also from your experience does anyone offer a replacement
lens cap for this? It did'nt come with one.......Thanks soo much for
your help....it is most appreciated......Best regards, Kevin Kennedy
(St. Peters, Mo.)

And:

Once again thank you Mike. I'll have to do more checking about the focus
knob. It is stiff and I sure don't want to break anything forcing it to
turn. Hope I have'nt bought a lemon, sigh. I'll check your webpages
more. Thanks again!
Kevin

Subject:	total disaster with etx 80
Sent:	Thursday, February 4, 2010 15:18:37
From:	jeff stonehouse (jeff.stonehouse@ukonline.co.uk)
Hello again Mike thanks for your quick reply a few weeks ago,that
problem I rectified but I think I have a more serious one now.

In trying to get the scope running as well as possible I downloaded 
what I thought was the  latest Autostar Updater version which
unfortunately was the 5.9 version  and connected to the telescope (etx
80 with #494 handset) with disastrous results,the handset is now
completely inoperable but does light up but it won`t initialise.

I have trawled through your site trying to find a solution (I think
another guy did the same thing recently) but it seems that the 494
handset is what the americans call bricked as its firmware cannot be
re-instated by the user.

What do you think would be my options, can Meade in the U K repair this
unit or would it be a new handset if available.I find it totally
frustrating that in this day and age of technology such a stupid thing
can happen with this awful meade software but I suppose others may learn
from it.

Subject:	ETX 70 does a nose dive ...
Sent:	Wednesday, February 3, 2010 14:48:01
From:	Eldred, Kris - Fresno (keldred@fresnobee.com)
My precious ETX 70's tripod leg broke, taking my scope with it as they
crashed into the concrete. (I should have taken a photo to share.) The
camera assembly is smashed in on left side. Is it worth repairing, or is
it time for an upgrade?

I've looked online at the 90, 105 and 125. Local dealer has the 105 PE
and the 125 selling at about $850 per; I like the smaller 105, but worry
that I am shorting myself if I do not consider the 125.

Is there a site that shows what I would see in each with the same size
eyepiece so I could compare? I know the eyepieces I used for my 70 gave
clear images, but they were pretty small. I'm probably ready for clear
and a little larger.
 
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
 
Kris

And:

Sorry: The photo port was damaged.

I have been checking out your site, just as I did before I bought the
70. I will check out the places you mention.

Thanks for the quick response.

Kris

And:

Sometimes for camera. I plan to take scope out tonight if it's not
cloudy to see if anything else is wrong. Flip mirror is loose, but I can
glue that if needed and if scope is still good. I can live without
taking photos!

And an update:

Taped up my little ETX-70 and got it working well enough. Then I thought
about calling Meade to see if there was a replacement part I could
install. And I needed to know how to fix my tripod.

Since the 70 has been discontinued, they offered to replace the scope
and tripod with the ETX-80 model/tripod for $165.

Seemed like a no-brainer. Some day, I might move up to the big guys!

Thanks for the help!

Kris

And more:

I looked for 80 info on your site, but figured it can't be much
different from a 70, really. A smidge more magnification. And maybe this
time I will use the computer!

And:

Thanks! Much appreciated. 

Subject:	ETX 125 Dec Fault
Sent:	Wednesday, February 3, 2010 14:28:26
From:	John Farrant (johnfarrant@gmail.com)
My ETX 125 has developed an annoying fault and I was hoping you could
help me.

In Terrestrial mode, when slewing from, say, alt 0 deg to +5 deg, the
scope will overshoot by approx 45 minutes and finish up at 5 deg 45
minutes. This occurs for any upward/downward slew - an error of approx
half a degree in the positive/negative direction.  In other words the
scope is overshooting by half a degree in either altitude direction.
Azimuth movement is fine.

In Astronomical mode this overshoot still occurs, but then the ota
slowly creeps back to where it should be! The overshoot occurs at full
speed even if the quiet mode is selected. Tracking and Goto are not
affected.

The first part of any vertical slew is at normal speed. It is only in
the final half degree of error movement that full speed takes over.

Obviously I have trained drives, motors etc. PSU is ok - 12v external
power source.

I've tried the following - all items hijacked from a perfectly working
ETX 90:- Replaced the Autostar 497 and cable.

Tried 5 software versions from 2.5 through to the latest. Replaced the
dec board. Changed the dec motor. Tried a different front panel board.
All to no avail.

In desperation I swapped the two four pin RA/DEC plugs over. Guess what?
Fault goes away. Slewing, for example, to +10 degrees 0 minutes - with
the RIGHT key! - and the scope moves UP at normal speed and slows down
when near its target - as it should do - finishing up at +10 deg +/-2
minutes. Perfect! Using the up/down keys to move in azimuth again proves
ok. In other words, swaping the DEC and RA plugs on the front power
board removes the fault. Putting them back where they should be and the
fault reappears.

I'm at a complete loss. Any thoughts Mike?
Best regards, John

And:

I have just changed the RA board and believe or not, the DEC fault has
gone! I really can't understand why a fault in the RA board can affect
the DEC board, although no doubt a Meade engineer could explain it.

The only problem left is how I'm going to mount the ETX 90 RA board into
my 125. It is - unlike the dec board - not identical in size. Providing
I can position the optical encoder correctly the rest of can probally go
anywhere. There's plenty of room. Wish me luck.

I'll keep you posted ..
Thanks for your sound advice.
Regards, John

Subject:	Scopetronix?
Sent:	Tuesday, February 2, 2010 12:52:48
From:	Rick Towns (rick@deepskies.com)
I just read an editorial of yours from Oct '07 about the trials and
tribulations of Scopetronix. I had ordered a telescope to camera adapter
from then in December '09 and I'm not having a lot of luck getting a
response out of them. I was wondering if you'd heard any more about
their saga? Currently, it looks like they are still in business under
the brand Observer's Outlet. The website has an e-mail address and I've
tried contacting them through it - no luck so far, however.

If you had any further info on them, I'd love to hear it. In the
meantime, I'll let you know how I make out!
 
Thanks,
 
Rick Towns
Barrie, Ontario, CANADA

Feedback Archive

Check the Feedback Archive for previous editions of the Feedback page.

Go to the ETX Home Page.