Weasner's ETX PE Feedback Page

ETX PREMIER EDITION FEEDBACK

Last updated: 28 February 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:	Oracle Observatory
Sent:	Monday, February 27, 2006 23:00:59
From:	Michael Probst (miprobst@web.de)
it was very interesting to read your out-of-the-box review of the
ETX-105PE. Do you have any further experiences with the telescope,
perhaps at the Oracle observatory? You did not mention the scope since
April 2005. I'm planning to buy an ETX-105PE and would like to know if
the scope works well and reliable. I'm planning to buy it for my mother,
she is not very experienced in such things. It therefore would be
important to own an easy to use and reliable working LNT device.

Greetings and many thanks,

Michael Probst, Braunschweig, Germany

Mike here: You can see my main review of the ETX-105PE on the Helpful Information: Buyer/New User Tips page. It still gets occasionally used but is just one of several telescopes that I have. There are more comments on the ETX PE models from others on my ETX Site.

Subject:	ETX90 PE can't find North in Autoalign process
Sent:	Sunday, February 26, 2006 15:31:21
From:	JDAWHIT@aol.com
I recently purchased an ETX90 PE. I've followed all the instructions and
performed several resets selecting my country (England) and nearest city
correctly. The telescope then does the next auto action "calc level"
levelling action but then on attempting to find North it just rotates
clockwise until it hits the stop. It continues to try to rotate at this
point, unable to detect north and unable to move due to the stop.The
autostar display still says "calc North".

I've checked to make sure I've mounted it on the tripod correctly,
rotated the telescope fully counterclockwise and made sure the locks are
both in place.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Regards

Julian

Mike here: Could be a bad LNT module (contact Meade for a replacement) or you might just need to do a CALIBRATE SENSOR from the Autostar.

And:

Thanks. I tried a calibrate sensors and of course the calculating north
slew that forms part of that process just does exactly what the initial
auto align does and rotates until it hits the stop. I'll get onto my
retailer and try to get a replacement LNT ASAP as I need it for the
eclipse in Turkey next month. I've managed to polar align indoors with
estimates about where stars and Saturn should be and it seems to be
somewhere close. Need a clear sky to test however!

Great site by the way. Best reference source by some long way!

Regards

Julian

Mike here: Yep, sounds like a bad LNT then.

Subject:	Regarding some ETX PE questions
Sent:	Saturday, February 25, 2006 12:27:52
From:	michael@familie-schnorchel.de
first of all greetings from Hamburg/Germany.
Here is the story:

I just got my new ETX 90 PE because I was looking for a telescope for
traveling. Except for a broken LNT what actually was prompt replaced by
MAEDE I really got some problems with the alignment. As I was out last
night the auto-alignment was about 30 degrees off. I choosed Beteigeuse
for "first light". However Orion was clear and easy to see. I also saw
M42 purely with my eyes. Any idea about ETX newcomer mistakes? I also
checked already the coordinates, date and time in the astrofinder and
they are ok. Any tipps would be highly appreciated. By the way, the
astrofinder is eqipped with a 4.0 firmware. It would be nice if you have
any ideas.

Thanks in advance
Michael Giebel

mail to: michael@familie-schnorchel.de
home: www.familie-schnorchel.de

Mike here: I presume you did an Auto Align. Do you mean that the first alignment star chosen by the Autostar required you to slew the telescope 30 degrees to center it? If so, I suggest doing a CALIBRATE SENSOR for the LNT. One other thing you can do to see if it is the LNT causing the problem is to do an Easy Align and see if you get the same 30 degree error. I presume that once you centered the alignment stars, all the GOTOs were OK.

And:

I think that is might be a good tipp. I will try this asap.

It is great to get that fast response. If you had a manually working
telescope before like me, it might need to find your way to control that
baby.

Anyway again thanx for your prompt response.

I think it is the CALIBRATE SENSOR for the LNT too.

I hope you might have an ear if this will not help. By the way, I
ordered your book already because your reputation in Germany is
excellent.

Appreciate your help
Michael

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