ETX-60AT & ETX-70AT USER FEEDBACK Last updated: 28 October 2004

Subject:	Home-made ETX-70AT Power Adapter Question
Sent:	Wednesday, October 27, 2004 17:52:47
From:	Greg (alien61388@hotmail.com)
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me with this "experiment" I'm
trying to do. I've been trying to make a power adapter for my ETX-70AT
and I found 2 unused AC power adapter in my basement.
  
One of them says:
"INPUT : 120VAC 60Hz 6W"
"OUTPUT : 12VDC 200mA"
 
The other says:
"INPUT : 120V AC 60Hz 5W"
"OUTPUT : 9V DC 200mA"
 
My question is, can I use either of these adapters to power my ETX? Any
help you can give me would be appreciated.

And:

Thanks for the help. I tried the 12V 200mA adapter on the scope. It
turns on and can move just fine, but when I slew it to the right, it
doesn't stop and I cant control and of the axis's. I was just curious,
what is the minimum mA you need to operate the scope normaly?

And more:

Sorry to bother you again, but I just found an adapter with an Output of
9V and 1.11A. Is that to much output, or would it work?

Subject:	Fuzzy image in a 70AT
Sent:	Saturday, October 23, 2004 21:28:34
From:	Tom & Barbara Andrews (tombps@bigpond.com)
This is my first post. Since I bought my second-hand Starfinder, I've
been checking this site out for general info on the skies and on Meade
scopes. Now I'm in the early days of an ETX-70, which is great fun as a
portable (as well as being all I can afford at the moment).

I've just been drive-training and while looking at the treetops the
image seemed unclear. It was like looking at a film scene that had fuzzy
edges to appear like a dream sequence. Moving my eye over the eyepiece
accentuated this, as the fuzzy "shadow" changed orientation. The
eyepieces were s. 4000 26mm and 9.7mm. They work fine on the reflector,
so it isn't them.

Wot does it all mean?? Cheers.

Tom Andrews

And:

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll get back to you when the rain clears
and the sun sets. I'm in Sydney and it's 3 p.m Sunday. I will say that,
on my first viewing last night, Canopus showed a sharp point with a
largish disc around it. A bit like my vision was blurry, but with the
star visible in the centre of the light disc. Not being used to
refractors, I'm not sure if this is what's described as an airy disc. It
may just have been a bit dewy.
Cheers!
Tom

And:

thanks for the quick advice.

A star in perfect focus is still at the centre of a faint but luminous
disc. If I begin with a 26mm SP at too-distant focus, I turn the focuser
counter-clockwise. The disc begins forming just as the concentric
circles become visible. It becomes slowly larger as the focus gets
better. At perfect focus the star is a point, surrounded by the luminous
disc which is (from memory) about half the size of the moon. As I
continue to turn, the star disappears out of focus and the disc
continues growing slowly.

The moon is a different story. It's almost fully washed out by the disc
of light. There is enough contrast to see when focus has been reached,
but that's all, and the light disc moves according to the small
movements of my eye. It's the same through the 9.7mm SP and with the
filter. I'm assuming this is not normal.

Thanks again,
Tom

And:

I'm familiar with star images, I just tried the smaller eyepiece to see
if it happened with that one also. I did the moon-star test and the disc
was still there. (This may be what some call a halo). I've looked with
contact lenses, with spectacles in case my contacts were dirty, and with
no specs. This is after reading Fraser Farrell's suggestions. It's still
there, but the faint background stars are perfect points.

I'll try to get a second opinion tomorrow night, in case I have a vision
problem, but it only affects the brighter stars and the moon.

Thanks again, 
Tom

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