Weasner's Meade ETX-90RA and ETX-90EC User Feedback

ETX-90RA AND ETX-90EC USER FEEDBACK

Last updated: 31 July 2002

This page is for user comments and information specific to the Meade ETX-90RA (originally known as the "ETX Astro") and the ETX-90EC. Comments on accessories and feedback items appropriate to other ETX 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 and I'll post them. Please use an appropriate Subject Line on your message. Thanks.

Subject:	Re: ETX 90EC/Autostar problems
Sent:	Sunday, July 28, 2002 3:48:55
From:	GeoffLinda@aol.com
Thought you might like to know that Mr Meade supplied the internal
circuit  boards for my ETX90, along with a replacement Autostar. I
thought the el board would be the hardest to fit, but boy was  I wrong.
The az main board in the base won't quite come out due to plastic pegs
moulded into the base....you have to take out the small board that has
the i/o ports attatched. This involves dismantling the ENTIRE az mount,
pivot, and just about every screw that Meade fitted. Haven't had so much
fun since I unloaded a truck full of unbagged horse poop! Anyway, it all
now works, except for the original hand controller, which I figure was a
casualty of the blown scope boards. Whatever caused the original fault
in the Autostar drew so much current thru the small i/o pcb that it
lifted a track clean off that board.

Thanks for your suggestions, etc, and a really useful book. I have to
confess I bought another scope while waiting for the Meade parts ( I was
never really convinced that they would send them) I now have an 8"
Celestron G8...no electronic bits to break, but slightly less portable!
And also a more realistic price over here. The Meade importers here seem
to be true money-grabbers. They price an ETX90 at £535 right now, which
comes out at something like a little over $800! not exactly cheap
scoping in England. An Autostar is £129, about $193. I really don't
think they can justify those prices, as Celestron stuff is priced well
here.

See how cheap stargazing is in the US?
Thanks again, and take care, Geoff Honeyands.

Subject:	Some mods for ETX 90.
Sent:	Friday, July 26, 2002 7:48:27
From:	vladimir.kodasky@fnac.net (vladimir.kodasky@fnac.net)
I've made some mods for my old ETX-90 RA. 

You can view the page and the photos here.
monsite.ifrance.com/teteenlair/astromateriel.htm

Thanks again.
Best Greetings From BRITTANY - France - Europe

Vladimir KODASKY

Subject:	Re: New ETX-90RA Question
Sent:	Friday, July 19, 2002 11:47:30
From:	sherrodc@ipa.net (P. Clay Sherrod)
Hello and congrats on the new scope.  The RA knob is supposed to be
loose as you describe; I would not recommend any adjustments be made at
all on it;  the mechanism is a very simple friction device and needs to
be have the play for proper operation!

Enjoy the scope!

Doc Clay

Dr. P. Clay Sherrod
sherrodc@ipa.net
Arkansas Sky Observatory
www.arksky.org
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: R C 
  Dr Sherrod,

  I apologize for bothering you, but I'm stumped.

  I purchased a new ETX-90RA at an excellent price from Michael Webb's
  Sight and Sound shop a few days ago and it just arrived by UPS.   I
  have been checking things out and have a couple of questions.   I have
  been a long-time reader of Mike Weasner's exceptional Mighty ETX Site
  and your Arkansas Observatory site.

  The RA slow-motion control knob seems to be very wobbly.  It wiggles
  from side to side and up and down.   It doesn't seem to matter if the
  RA lock is engaged or not.  The knob seems to be firmly attached to
  the shaft.   The RA slow-motion control knob does allow me to move the
  scope except when the RA lock is engaged (as one would expect).   I'm
  just surprised how loose it seems.   I searched through the archives
  of the Mighty ETX Site and saw a few references to this, but no
  definitive indication if this was normal or if it could be adjusted.  
  I also consulted a copy of his book that I ordered through my local
  Barnes and Noble.  Your exceptional step by step instructions have a
  lot of information on tuning the 90EC, but I didn't see anything on
  this particular 90RA topic.   Do you have any suggestions for how I
  might go about making adjustments?

  Thanks!   Your advice and suggestions would be appreciated.

Mike here: The slo-mo knob on my almost six year old ETX-90RA "wiggles" a little bit but I wouldn't call it "wobbly".

Subject:	ETX90M
Sent:	Sunday, July 14, 2002 8:36:29
From:	spoonkwsn@yahoo.com (Dave Spoon)
I can't seem to find any real info on the ETX90M, although I found great
stuff on your website! I take it the ETX 90M is a full manual scope? Can
it be fitted with the autostar controller at all? Can a field tripod for
the AT or EC work it also? Any info on this scope would be greatly
appreciated...Thx!
Himarx

Mike here: The ETX-90M is likely the same model as the ETX-90RA (the original model ETX) and the ETX Astro M. It probably has different eyepieces, depending upon the market. It can not be upgraded to an Autostar-capable ETX but it can be mounted on a tripod that works with the ETX-90 models.

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