![[Home!]](../../images/mighty_etx.jpg){kind=small}
Last updated: 31 March 2007
|
Last updated: 31 March 2007 |
This page is for user comments and information of a general nature or items applicable to all ETX, DSX, and DS models. 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: stuck lens cap on etx125 pe Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 08:39:24 From: alanbassgreene@aol.com (alanbassgreene@aol.com) Hi Mike, any idea how to get a stuck lens cover off of an etx 125. This has'nt happened in 2 years.Mike here: Grab a rubber jar lid opener (and perhaps a rubber glove as well). Stand in front of the ETX so that you look at the lens cap from the front of the telescope. Hold the lens housing in place with one hand (wearing a rubber glove). Place your hand over the cap with your fingers gripping the edge of the cap on as much of the circumference as you can (using the rubber jar lid opener). Start applying turning force counterclockwise (the top, 12 o'clock if you prefer, should move to the left). If you hold the housing in place the cap should eventually turn.
Subject: click-clack sound on ETX 90 Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 00:50:04 From: Steve Ritter (steve@soundideas-av.com) A few nights ago I left my ETX-90 outside tracking the moon which was pretty high in the sky, while I went in the house to get a snack. After a little while I began to hear this loud and repetitive click-clacking sound, which unfortunately I attributed to my noisy neighbor. When I went back outside 5 or 10 minutes later, I realized to my horror that it was the scope that was making the noise. It was pointing almost straight up and sounding like a woodpecker. I turned it off and assumed I had stripped the gears and would be sending it in for an overhaul. Tonite I mustered the nerve to turn it on in the house and see if it even moved. I put it through a "mock" alignment (it was indoors) and it click-clacked a little, but seemed to get through it alright. After it began "tracking" the click-clack happened once every 30-35 seconds. Of course, since I was testing it inside, I don't know how accurately it was tracking. How badly do you think I damaged it, and is there anything I can try to remedy the situation. I'm not terribly mechanical and the idea of taking it apart doesn't thrill me. I would appreciate any diagnosis and suggestion you might offer. Thanks ! Steve RitterMike here: I suspect the battery power got low and caused a "random slew" the altitude hard stop. The clicking sound you heard was probably the gears, although there can be other causes as well. Whether any damage was done by the prolonged running against the stop will have to be determined. The indoor clicking you heard might be due to a broken tooth on a gear or it could be due to a loose gear mount. But before you get too worried, replace the batteries (assuming you were running on batteries), do a CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES. Do a normal alignment and GOTO some object. Watch how smoothly the telescope tracks over a period of time. Try a second object in a different direction as well. If you see jerks in the image as well as hearing the clicking sound, you have a problem. If you don't see jerks then you are likely OK. If the sound still occurs but there is no or very little jerking at the same time as the sound the cause might be a wire that is too close to the gears. If there is a problem and you don't feel comfortable working inside it, contact Meade. At least you are somewhat close to their Irvine facility.
And:
The only problem with your battery theory is that I was running on AC power. SteveMike here: Depending on the AC Adapter and your local power company, an electrical line "glitch" could also cause the random slew.
Subject: Meade ETX-125EC Sent: Friday, March 30, 2007 03:55:36 From: Diane Soall (diane.soall@theoldpostoffice.eclipse.co.uk) I bought my husband one of the above telescopes about two years ago and we have tried on several occasions to set it up for use with the Autostar Controller. Can you please tell me whereabouts on the telescope is the built-in spirit level and whereabouts on the leg does it show at "N" in order that we may set this leg facing North. Also in order to double check we have input the correct data for our position, can we access the area on the handset where we input our longitude again? We understand it only asks for this info at the beginning of set up but we would like to double check it. Look forward to hearing from you. Diane SoallMike here: If your tripod has one, the bubble level should be on the flat portion at the top. If the leg has the "N" it will be near the top of the leg where one of the legs connects to the top flat part of the base. However, if you are setting up in Alt/Az mode then which leg is on the North side is less important than having the ETX control panel on the West side. As to re-entering your site location, you can do that from the Setup: Site: Edit menu.
And:
Many thanks for your prompt reply. It would appear that our Model (ETC125EC) did not come with the spirit level. Also we have worked out which leg it should be pointing north, and although there is no "N" marked, there is a small mark which the other legs do not have, so we assume this must be it. We are just waiting for a clear night now to try it out again. Thanks again for your help Diane SoallMike here: Some tripods might have a "star" instead of a "N".
Subject: etx-90/ec help with lens cap. Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 19:01:02 From: Christopher RYAN (rrobert1480@msn.com) I have just taken my etx-90/ec telescope out of retirement and just found out that the lens cap has been overtigtened. I don't even know which way to unscrew it. I have used those craftsman rubber bottle openers on it to no avail. It keeps removing the whole top lens assembly from the unit. I have even tried a hand held jar unscrewer which only stripped the small little notches on it. Any suggestions?? I am afraid to use wd-40 on it fearing that it might damage the lens. Please help ChristopherMike here: Grab that rubber jar lid opener (and perhaps a rubber glove as well). Stand in front of the ETX so that you look at the lens cap from the front of the telescope. Hold the lens housing in place with one hand (wearing a rubber glove). Place your hand over the cap with your fingers gripping the edge of the cap on as much of the circumference as you can (using the rubber jar lid opener). Start applying turning force counterclockwise (the top, 12 o'clock if you prefer, should move to the left). If you hold the housing in place the cap should eventually turn.
Subject: Re: Replacing the ETX RA Mechanical stop Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 10:33:39 From: Al Mlinar (alstarbarn@yahoo.com) Thanks for the info. on replacing the Mechanical Stop. When I removed some parts, I found that it is the Ra plastic Stop Ring that is broken. Would you be kind enough to advise me as to where I can purchase one. My scope is a ETX-105EC. No model number to be found. I had trouble removing the large nut. I ended up using a Socket wrench. I still couldn't loosen it by force. I had to tap on the wench handle to break it loose. I suspected Loc-tite and I was right. It took two of us to remove the nut. One holding the scope and the other removing the nut. If it wasn't for Dr. Clay's Instructions, I never would have attempted the repair. With age comes determination. I'm 92. Al Mlinar Little Falls NYMike here: Hey, I'm proud of you for digging into this! Well done!
From: P. Clay Sherrod (drclay@tcworks.net) Wow....way to go Al....we're proud for you. Regarding the hard stop ring, that is something that you are not going to be able to talk Meade out of; they are each part of a bill of materials for a complete telescope and not listed as a repair item. However, you CAN make your own hard stops...you do not need for them to be as you see them. Be creative. I have made azimuth hard stops out of small nylon bushings held in place with small self tapping screws, or you might even try using Gorilla glue and gluing a self-made stop to the position of the broken one.....it WILL work. Sounds like you will come up with something. I like your style. Dr. Clay ------------- Arkansas Sky Observatories Harvard MPC/ H43 (Conway) Harvard MPC/ H41 (Petit Jean Mountain) Harvard MPC/ H45 (Petit Jean Mtn. South) http://www.arksky.org/
Subject: Meade ETX-90 Sent: Monday, March 26, 2007 10:30:31 From: Wendi Scott (wendiscott@gmail.com) So you can take pictures with the Meade ETX-90? I have been looking at getting one for my son. I want something that will take pictures and I can't find anything that says whether it does or not. From the looks of your website it obviously does. Do you need attachments to get it to take pictures? Thank you, WendiMike here: You can see MANY examples of astrophotography with the ETX-90 on my ETX Site. So, yes, you can do it. BUT keep your expectations in line with the small size of the telescope. As to attachments, yes, you will need an attachment to mount a camera unless you plan to get one of the dedicated astrophotography imagers. For more on astrophotography, see the Helpful Information: Astrophotography page.
Subject: Tosday's EPOD was assisted by an ETX90... Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2007 13:58:34 From: richard seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com) Today's (25-mar-2007) Earth Science Photo of the Day (EPOD) was taken by a camera riding piggy-backed on an ETX90: http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=357376 have fun --dick
Subject: Question about ETX you might know. Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 20:01:13 From: Mariano Vincent de Urquiza (murquiza@mvutechnologies.com) Hi!. I have an ETX and recently I bought a #64 adapter to do some astro-photography. I have a Nikon D70 but the telescope doesn't hold it, it is completely impossible to hold the declination with the camera on. Also it seems that the declination lock doesn't work since I'm able to manually move the OTA with or without tighten it. I search in your website and found that you had a problem that required to replace one of the tube adapters. Besides the problem of adding weight to the scope, if I don't load it with anything seems to keep its position. My question is if you know how much weight is too much for the scope, or if I would need to replace the locking mechanism. I'd really appreciate your help. Sincerely, Mariano Weston, FLMike here: You didn't say WHICH model of the ETX you have but as you may have noted, I found that my Nikon D70 DSLR was too heavy for the ETX-70 in Polar Mode. It works fine on my ETX-90RA and other ETX models. You can alleviate some of the weight problems by using a counterweight (see the Helpful Information: Astrophotography for lots of tips on counterweights). If you DEC lock doesn't hold the the telescope in position then the Right Tube Adapter may have failed; contact Meade for a replacement unless you want to try one of the tips on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page.
And:
Thank you for your prompt response. I have an ETX-90AT, so I guess I have had a right tube adapter failure since it doesn't hold the declination in either Alt/Az or Polar modes with the camera installed. I'll contact Meade for a replacement part and use your article as a guide to replace it. Thank you. MarianoMike here: I don't believe Meade will sell this as a replacement part; they will want to do the repair.
And:
Problem fixed. I disassembled the arm and cleaned the clutch thoroughly, assembled it again and now it holds the camera weight perfectly. Your web site has been a source of good information so I really thank you for that. Thank you.
Subject: 105 End Stops Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 11:23:16 From: young (young@ramsbury101.freeserve.co.uk) I purchased a105 with Autostar in 2004 from a dealer in the UK. Should this model have end stops . I can feel no mechanical stops or resistance to rotation. Thanks for your help , Regards, Ron Young Wiltshire EnglandMike here: Yes, there should be two. You should hit one and then go almost but not quite twice around before reaching the 2nd one.
And:
Thanks for your reply, I have had a look in the base unit and there does not appear to be any damage or any thing obviously missing, I guess I will have to try and make contact with Mead. but the unit is now three years old but hardly used. Regards RonMike here: So when rotating the ETX you go continuously around and never reach EITHER stop no matter how many full rotations you do in either direction?
And:
I got up to approx. ten and then gave up as I assumed that there were not stops. That seems to be the case, I have rotated the base with the cover removed and supported by my wife, the wiring inside is in good order, and is arranged so as not to be affected by the rotation the base. I am a complete novice on telescopes but I am a qualified engineer and there dose not seem to be any thing missing or damaged as far as I can see Autostar tells me it has successful aligned when I practice setting up the system. But I have not yet had a clear night since finding out about the stops to check weather is has actually aligned. I have been using the 'scope to look at the moon and other stuff by manual alignment. I am now very confused !! RonMike here: Yep, they are gone. Not a fatal problem since you can enable "Cord Wrap" in the AutoStar but it should be repaired to avoid future problems.
Subject: Replacing the ETX RA Mecanical stop Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 10:04:41 From: Al Mlinar (alstarbarn@yahoo.com) HELP. I'm using your Technical Tips for replacing The ETX RA mechanical stop. I'm at a point where I'm removing the RA axis nut. Do I have to remove the worm gear assembly to remove the nut. Hope there is a way to get around this. I have a long way to go. Al Mlinar Little Falls, NY
From our resident hardware expert:
From: P. Clay Sherrod (drclay@tcworks.net) I would recommend always removing the RA worm assembly but do not take it completely out...remove the three Phillips screws and let the worm assembly "hang" in place supported by the worm gear assembly that goes into the small reducer gear box. Remember that if you remove the nut, the entire wiring assembly must pass through the axle opening....if not, it will break all the wiring going into the DEC assembly....much care. Dr. Clay ------------- Arkansas Sky Observatories Harvard MPC/ H43 (Conway) Harvard MPC/ H41 (Petit Jean Mountain) Harvard MPC/ H45 (Petit Jean Mtn. South) http://www.arksky.org/
Subject: Request for Assistance Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 07:49:53 From: Rem alex (rem_bluesummers@yahoo.com) I broke the CD ( the one that came along with backage ) , its 4 the Meade ETX - 60AT digital telescope , i really need it and im very far way from anything related 2 markets and shops , how can i get 1 ?? just the CD not the whole backage . thanx .Mike here: PLEASE read the Email Etiquette item on the ETX Site Home Page. Your email was originally DELETED UNREAD as SPAM due to the ambiguous and SPAM-like subject line. Thanks for understanding.
Subject: RE: I need help with my ETX-125 hardware problem Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2007 06:40:19 From: Bob Frey (bfrey007@comcast.net) Thank you....I meant the right tube adapter...it won't stay in the vertical position. You have a great site...very helpful!! Bob
Subject: Re: ETX90 on DS2000 mount? Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 17:56:59 From: Possma Net (possmanet@web.de) Thanks for Your very fast answer! But as far as i can see the DS-mount descriptions are using the DS-60 or DS-80 mounts - but i intend to use the DS-2114 mount, as You can see here, for example: http://www.tivas.org.uk/socsite/images/scope_meade-ds2114.jpg I couldnt find a description for this thing on Your site - maybe i just didnt find it? If im really having this tool time, i will take pictures and write a description for Your site! Greetings, Posma NetMike here: The DS mount you are considering is very similar to the DSX mount that holds either a ETX-90 OTA or -125 OTA. So you could be OK. You'll just have to find a way to attach it; hopefully the articles will help. Feel free to write up a tech tip and send it along if you do try it.
Subject: ETX90 on DS2000 mount? Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 17:22:15 From: Possma Net (possmanet@web.de) first of all: Great site! It did help me a lot! But i have a question i didnt find an answer to yet - maybe You can help me out with that: I own an ETX90RA and astrophotography is just next to impossible with my thing. Right now i'm thinking about buying an DS2000 (or DS2114 - i think the mount is the same) and putting the ETX on that mount. I'm planning to use this on a wedge. Do You think this makes sense? Or is the DS2000 mount to weak? Greetings, Posma NetMike here: There are some articles on mounting an ETX OTA on some DS mounts on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page. Whether that will provide you with a stable enough platform for astrophotography will depend on many factors including the type of astrophotography and local conditions.
Subject: I need help with my ETX-125 hardware problem Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 17:17:33 From: Bob Frey (bfrey007@comcast.net) I can no longer tighten the right ascension clutch to hold the scope in an upright position. I sounds like gears slipping as the scope slips down to pointing at the ground. I live in Little Rock, AR. Any idea's who may be able to repair this for me? Thanks, Bob FreyMike here: I'm confused. Do you mean that the lever for the Right Ascension (horizontal, azimuth) won't move far enough to lock the ETX into position? If so, see the FAQ page. If you mean that the Declination (vertical, altitude) lock won't lock (which might be what you mean when you indicated "upright") then it could be that the Right Tube Adapter is broken. If that is the case you can try one of the fixes discussed on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page or alternatively contact Meade for a repair. However, since you live in Arkansas you might consider contacting Dr. Clay Sherrod for his Supercharge Tuneup service. The link to his info is on the ETX Site home page.
Subject: recticle broke Sent: Friday, March 23, 2007 11:10:30 From: Stephen Olson (stephen99@comcast.net) It seems that my recticle eyepiece is broke. The tube that slides in the mount has a hole in it where one of the alignment screws fit. I think that when I bought my scope it was used...not a display model. Thats another story. I am really getiing into astrophotogaphy. just bought the DSI II pro. Love it. My question is do I really need the recticle to align with polaris? Or can I use the regular eyepiece? I just cannot get the recticle to stay in position and have to keep adjusting it. Driving me nuts. takes me 1hr each time to readjust it. Any suggestions? I called meade...they were NO help. I would love to get my hands on a new reticle eyepiece. You have any? Thanks again for all your help. Hope you have a great weekend! SteveMike here: No you do not NEED a reticle eyepiece for aligning. I typically only use the 26mm eyepiece when aligning. However for more precision you can use a shorter focal length eyepiece and/or put the image out of focus (which can help when centering the star). I normally only use a reticle eyepiece for guiding during astrophotography.
And:
Thanks Mike. Your a godsend! hey I normally dont send video links but this one should be on your site http://www.scaryideas.com/video/1687/ too funny! SteveMike here: Great video!
Subject: ETX125PE, Electric Focuser and Autostar Problem Sent: Thursday, March 22, 2007 12:13:59 From: Cafarella, Edward M. (edward.cafarella@dpw.com) OK, so I have an ETX125PE with the 497 Autostar controller along with the electric focuser. I have the focuser hooked up to run through my Autostar handset and ditched the original controller that came with it because I was tired of changing batteries. My problem has to do with how it works with Autostar. I've noticed an annoying thing however: whenever I'm in Guided Tour - Tonight's Best, and I'm viewing the tenth item into the list, say M42, when I want to focus the scope, I hold down the Mode key for a few seconds and it allows me to focus the scope with the arrow keys. All fine and good. But when I'm done focusing and want to go back to the Guided Tour to view the next object, I press Mode again and the Guided Tour is back at square one. I have to scroll through the first ten to get to number eleven. I guess what I'm asking is if there's a way to exit out of the focus mode and get back the the Guided Tour where I left off? Any suggestions, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks! Ed CafarellaMike here: Hadn't experienced that before but then I've never gone through that scenario. Sounds like maybe a bug report to engineer@meade.com is in order.
Subject: Scopetronix? Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 08:50:51 From: Bronco Maniac (broncomaniac@hotmail.com) Have you any idea how to get in touch with ScopeTronix? They don't answer any e-mails (at any of their addresses) and list no phone number. I need a J.M.B. Inc. class A solar filter for an EXT70. Thanks, CraigMike here: As frequently noted recently, Scopetronix is going through some difficulties. I recommend not using them until their issues are resolved even though their web site is still available. I suggest contacting another dealer such as Shutan Camera and Video or OPT (I have a relationship with OPT).
And:
I hadn't known about the difficulties Scopetronix is going through. Thanks for the tip. Craig
Subject: Drive/Base Back From Meade Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 05:13:46 From: Mark Gerald Dilley (dilley@wisc.edu) My ETX base is back from Meade. Meade shipped it back to me in a new ETX box. At first I wasn't sure whether they had just replaced the base but a little glue from an attempt to secure the left fork arm after I brought the scope home. Motors work more firmly and quieter now. Working on perfecting a homemade equatorial wedge and a base for the wedge that I can mount to our old swing set in the backyard. Its away from the house and shielded from the lights of the house and most of the neighborhood streetlights. Goofy pictures once I finish it. Mark
Subject: Using DS-20xx mount to replace broken etx Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 04:12:48 From: Wasserman, Adam ((Home)) (awasser@comcast.net) My ETX-90 is no longer successfully doing it's go-to thing. I'm pretty sure that the problem came from piggy-backing my PST, which overloaded the ETX mount (might warn the faithful). I was considering getting a DS-20xx series mount and attaching my ETX-90 tube to that as a replacement, the alternative being a $300 trip to Dr. Sherrod. I was wondering what your opinion was of this set up? Thanks for taking the time. Regards, Adam WassermanMike here: I have successfully and without any problems piggybacked my PST on my ETX-90RA. As to putting the OTA on a DS mount, there are some articles on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page that discuss that. Alternatively you might try to get a replacement mount online (try Telescope Warehouse; link on the Astronomy Links page). On the other hand, you might try just tuning up the ETX mount using some of the techniques on the Telescope Tech Tips page. Or perhaps all you need to do to is CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES from the AutoStar.
Subject: ETX-80 AT - Shipping to UK Sent: Monday, March 19, 2007 02:21:01 From: Gary.Merrilees@upm-kymmene.com (Gary.Merrilees@upm-kymmene.com) I love your site, and it has been really useful since I decided I would like to buy the ETX-80AT to get myself and my kids in to Astronomy. However I am miffed at the price I may have to pay for this telescope in the UK compared to the US. Do you or any of your friends know of any stores, online or otherwise, who would be willing to ship Meade products to the UK? All the sites I have visited reply at checkout saying they do not ship Meade products outside the US or Canada! Keep up the good work. Many thanks Gary.Mike here: Due to the legal ramifications and export/import laws around the world, such restrictions are a fact of life in today's "global economy".
Subject: Telescope Cable Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 12:52:24 From: User721401@aol.com (User721401@aol.com) I looking to get the USB to RS-232 Bridge Cable from Meade. This cable is going for $40. I have found similar cables for a lot less. I am wondering if this Meade cable is "special" or is it just over priced? Thank you for your time. DanMike here: As you can read in the article "AutoStar and USB" on the Helpful Information: AutoStar Info page, not all adapters work with the AutoStar update application. So, while you can get cheaper ones, using the Meade will ensure compatibility. But I suggest you read the article for some alternatives.
Subject: Re: ETX 70 vertical lock knob Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 18:47:28 From: Bronco Maniac (broncomaniac@hotmail.com) I own an ETX scope and a 5" reflector. I picked up a 4000 series 26mm plossl today after reading your list of must-have items. I own some Parks super plossl optics and some nice Apogee eyepieces. I'm looking forward to trying the Meade. How do they compare to the standard Meade super plossl? I have a few of those. CraigMike here: I look forward to your comparison.
Subject: Re: ETX 105 Lens problem with dirt? Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:57:41 From: Carlos Aviles (aviles.carlos1@gmail.com) This is a follow up to my last e-mail about "cleaning the lenses" on my ETX. As suggested I shipped the telescope to Meade for inspection and cleaning. The telescope was received by Meade in mid January and I was told to expect some delays as the holiday season's returns where just then coming in. The first week of February I called and it turned out that although the system showed the telescope delivered by UPS, it was nowhere to be found, but I was told to call back in a week as the post holiday rush was still in full swing. I called the following week and at that point I was told that the scope was still MIA and that they would issue and expedited work order and that if in two weeks the issue was not resolved that they would send me a replacement. Two weeks passed and as promised I was told that a replacement was going to be shipped. Today 3.14, I received the replacement and it turned out to be a brand new unit, not refurbished or a return and to top it off it has a silver signature from Buzz Aldrin on the OTA. (Are this original signatures?) At all times the customer service folks at Meade where very helpful and they volunteered to send me a replacement when at some point I asked what my options where. I never waited more than 10 minutes on the phone. I am very impressed. I am very happy with my decision to purchase an ETX and to have received so much help from the factory and from you and your magnificent site. Know, like they say in the commercial. "let's go light this candle" As a side note, before I shipped my old ETX to Meade in January my wife and I where observing Sirius ( she can focus the instrument a lot better than I can) and she kept telling me about this smaller, less bright star next to it and I told her that knowing that we had some problems with the lenses I was pretty sure it was some reflection or something else. Later I was reading one of the astronomy magazines and found out that Sirius has a "companion". I guess she was right after all, like always. She is hooked on the ETX. Clear Skies, Carlos AvilesMike here: Good for Meade! As to the small star your wife saw, it likely was not the acclaimed companion to Sirius, which is difficult to see due to the brightness of Sirius and its closeness to Sirius.
Subject: Alt movement when Az slewing Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 12:15:12 From: Alex Lam (alexcklam@gmail.com) I just got a new ETX125PE, but I am getting more and more frustrate with its mechanics. One that I hate most is the Alt movement when I slew the scope on the Az axis. The image would swing up/down a bit before moving left/right and sometime swing back down/up. This mainly happens when I slew in a different direction from what I was previously slewing. Is it a symptom of bad Az/Alt percentages? Or bad tension somewhere in the gear or clutches? Thanks, AlexMike here: This occasionally comes up. Sometimes it seems like it could be a bad controller or AutoStar. But I'm leaning towards just torque for some of the reports. Obviously electrically sending a slew command to one motor should not drive the other motor. So what it could be due to is overtighten (perhaps) axis lock or perhaps an out-of-balance condition mass-wise.
Subject: DEC Issues Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2007 08:36:37 From: Jeremy Porter (jporter@inkbrain.com) Thanks for your hard work maintaining your site. I see a lot of good information! However, I'm not sure if I have missed something. I have an 125-ETX EC. It seems that when I use the motor for declination it will move upward but not downward again. It just "clicks" loudly. That makes me think the gears are slipping (not good!). I wonder if there is something I can do to easily fix this or if I should just send it in for repair. I know it is out of warranty as I have had it for several years and just started using the motor to take photos. Thanks, JeremyMike here: Clicking sounds are not good. It could be indicative of a loose gearbox or broken gear teeth. Since the problem only occurs in one direction I suspect the gearbox is loose. If you want to try a repair yourself there are several articles on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page that could help.
Subject: Re: Faulty drive motor on etx-90 Sent: Friday, March 9, 2007 09:48:46 From: Alexander David Grushky (grushkya@msu.edu) Thought id let you know that I just decided to return the telescope for another one, and this one works perfect. Once I calibrated the sensors, motors, and trained the drives, it worked perfect. Thanks for all the advice! P.S. Do you have any opinion on the best way to do astrophotography?Mike here: Glad you are working again. As to the best way to do astrophotography, hop on the next rocketship to the far side of the Moon. Take your 3.5m telescope and 1 degree imager with you. Or did you have something else in mind, like maybe using that new ETX-90? If so, see the Helpful Information: Astrophotography page. Best solution for you will depend on how much effort you want to put into, what equipment you may already have, what you plan to shoot, and your budget.
Subject: OT_Pluto is again a planet...IF you live in New Mexico! Sent: Thursday, March 8, 2007 09:40:10 From: P. Clay Sherrod (drclay@tcworks.net) I thought this would give many of you an uplift. Thanks to Arizona for sky pollution laws, and now New Mexico for putting some sense back into astronomy and some integrity back into discoveries made of USA soil. New Mexico has just passed legislation to now designate officially PLUTO as a planet once again. Interesting reading. I have posted a brief abstract as well as a link on the ASO Current News Section http://www.arksky.org/ or the direct link: http://www.arksky.org/smf/index.php?topic=1259.msg5918#msg5918 Dr. Clay ------------- Arkansas Sky Observatories Harvard MPC/ H43 (Conway) Harvard MPC/ H41 (Petit Jean Mountain) Harvard MPC/ H45 (Petit Jean Mtn. South) http://www.arksky.org/
Subject: ETX125 total power failure after using new mains power supply Sent: Thursday, March 8, 2007 01:55:18 From: jdcrowe@tiscali.co.uk (jdcrowe@tiscali.co.uk) I have owned a second-hand ETX125 (not sure of the exact model) for about a year. I recently got a new Uniross 1200R mains power supply with variable DC output voltage, supplied by a reputable telescope retailer. I tried running the scope using the 12V setting, centre pin positive. The scope ready-light LED came on very dimly, then went out when I plugged the Autostar controller in. Since then the scope refuses to power up using either (fresh) alkaline batteries or the power supply. The power supply seems to be working OK (on the 6V setting it powers a small radio just fine) but I have no electronic test gear to check it. In previous use with internal (alkaline) batteries I had noticed that the scope was slow to power up, often requiring up to a minute or two before the LED reached full strength and failing to power up at all if the Autostar controller was plugged in when the scope was turned on. However, it always powered up in the end and then worked fine for the rest of the session. I've always put this down to cold batteries. My initial thoughts are that this is a glitch with the battery/mains power switchover (I've read a couple of posts on this topic). I'm fervently hoping it's not something more serious. I'm more-or-less electronically ignorant but I would be prepared to attempt a home repair given clear enough instructions. I'm based in the UK, so returning to Meade for repair may not be practical unless some kind soul can recommend a UK-based repair shop. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Best regards, Jon CroweMike here: Since you had experienced slow power on prior to switching to the external power source I suspect that something was failing inside the ETX base. If that is the case then your best solution would be to contact a local Meade dealer (there are several in the UK, see the Astronomy Links page or Meade's site if you need to find one).
And:
Thanks for the prompt reply. I'll send the scope to hospital instead of trying surgery myself.
Subject: Fwd: Serial # Sent: Wednesday, March 7, 2007 06:10:44 From: petz2@aol.com (petz2@aol.com) Can you confirm that ETX telescopes vintage 2001 do not have serial numbers on them? Meade customer service says no. But you are the man :) We are doing an inventory of our club's hard assets and own a 125 ETX that we won from the IDA. Thanks, Steve Petzold -----Original Message----- From: keith Sent: Tue, 6 Mar 2007 8:40 PM Subject: Re: Serial # On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 14:04:05 EST, Petz2@aol.com wrote: Weird, I was reading all kinds of threads saying that so and so serial numbers on ETX scopes determined what kinds of bugs the scope had or how it was built after certain serial numbers. OK, no S/N. Thanks. Keith >Meade customer service verified that there is no serial # on the ETX scopes. > I looked all over it. > >SteveMike here: I don't recall the exact year and model numbers when they started but early models did not have a serial number.
Subject: Faulty drive motor on etx-90 Sent: Monday, March 5, 2007 20:17:07 From: Alexander David Grushky (grushkya@msu.edu) Thanks for the advice on the eyepieces, I went with the set containing the 6.4, 12.4, and 32 and it's working out great. Unfortunately, tonight I tried to align my autostar operation and realized that the telescope moves horizontally, but not vertically. I ran a "calibrate drive" test and again, the same result. Interestingly, the motor makes a sound, it just doesn't move. I'm wondering if this is a common problem that is fixable or is this something that needs to be sent in and dealt with. Thanks again! Alex GrushkyMike here: Couple of possibilities: could you be overtightening the vertical axis lock? Could you have overtightened it at some point and now it has failed? To check for the latter, manually raise the tube upwards to about 45 degrees elevation and lock the axis. Then let go (but keep your hand under the tube); does the tube tend to go downward? If so, the Right Tube Adapter has failed. Let me know what you find out.
And:
I did what you said, manually raised the scope and then locked the axis. Once locked, it dropped maybe a millimeter, though im not sure if that's what you meant by go downward. Also, since the drive doesn't work, I've been manually locating objects and notice that to center vertically I have to raise it a little higher than center, and then it will fall into center (note: this isn't due to the earth's movement). Last night I unscrewed the locked and pulled it off to see the mechanism. The knob and plate came off and all appeared in good condition, meaning the screw and bolt are in tact. As far as over-tightening, its very possible I over-tightened. Since there's no real stopping point and the manual says "firm feel", I always just tighten it a little past snug, perhaps a little too far. However, this vertical drive has never worked properly since I got it, so I doubt my tightening had an effect. Thanks againMike here: Since the tube doesn't fall back to the base when the axis is locked the Right Tube Adapter hasn't failed. Lets try one more thing: repeat the CALIBRATE MOTOR and then TRAIN DRIVES; when training be certain to do both axes. Can you move the telescope vertically during the training process?
And:
Please forgive the lengthiness. Just performed the CALIBRATE MOTOR and TRAIN DRIVES outside and got an odd result. For the CALIBRATE test, it was the same result, horizontal is fine but the vertical is immobile but makes a sound. The TRAIN DRIVE yielded a nice result for the az/RA test, with it working perfectly left and right. The alt/dec is where it gets interesting. I had tightened the lock to what I felt was firm, and again it wouldn't budge. Then I tightened past what I felt was snug, and suddenly it starting moving down (not up). At this point, I decided to fool around with it a little bit, loosening it and raising it to ~45 degrees, then tightening it past "my firm", and again it moved down, but this time it moved slightly up (~1mm). So, after trying this a few times and getting this same result of only downwards movement, I loosened it again and raised it almost directly vertical manually. I then tightened it again to "my firm" and this time it moved up well, but down ~1mm. I repeated this again, and this time it went up, and then amazingly started going down! Although, only to ~45 degrees I should add. Then for the next few tries, it didn't move up or down. Finally, I just moved it back to almost upright, and again it moved up towards vertical, but not down. I wondered if it had anything to do with the temperature outside (here in MI it's around 15), but I figured it would've affected the horizontal motor as well which it doesn't. Thanks again.Mike here: I doubt that the air temperature had any affect and since the horizontal and vertical locks are different, that wouldn't have been a good test anyway. I presume that when you do the CALIBRATE MOTOR you are not getting an error on the AutoStar display. But it does sound like there could be a problem with the axis lock. There are several articles on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page if you want to try dealing with the problem yourself (will require opening up the fork arm) or you could contact Meade for a repair. But before you do those steps, lets try one more thing. Does the lack of vertical movement (up or down) occur at all slewing speeds when you try to manually slew using the AutoStar?
Subject: Repairing the declination drive clutch Sent: Monday, March 5, 2007 15:44:25 From: Alexander Roth (alexqr@comcast.net) Great web site you have. I have an etx 125EC which seemed to have a declination clutch that didn't disengage. I could forcibly turn the knurled knob CCW but it wouldn't loosen. I managed to remove the knurled knob but the stud remained behind but now the stud and the setting circle disc rotate freely and and now I can't engage the clutch. I'd like to get inside the right side fork but I haven't spotted any letters on your site with info on how to do it. Is there one that I missed, or do you have a link to something which will help? Thank you, Alex - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Alexander RothMike here: See the article "ETX/EC Tune-up" on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page; it may help. Also, see the article "ETX DEC knob fix" on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page.
And:
One of the links was right on target. Thank you so much. Alex Roth
Subject: ETX-90 Declination Knob Part Sent: Monday, March 5, 2007 15:10:00 From: microfab@aol.com (microfab@aol.com) I'm stuck. I have a broken part on an ETX-90. The right declination knob turns freely and I have determined that it is NOT the knob itself, but rather the part that the knob screws into. The broken piece is the female brass fitting that is pressed into black plastic (plastic broke). Funny thing is that last week I ordered a new declination knob from Meade direct (hoping that this piece would be attached). So I got the new knob and I called Meade back to order the other part. They told me that they did not sell parts direct! Hmmm...they did last week! I'm trying to reach a supervisor, but perhaps you have a) another idea of a source for this part and b) the "name" of the part? Thanks, Jim H.Mike here: Sounds like a Right Tube Adapter failure; Meade doesn't sell the RTA to users. However, see the link "Astro Hut Right Tube Adapter Replacement" on the Astronomy Links page. Alternatively, see the article "ETX DEC knob fix" on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page.
And:
Thank you for the advise. The two articles you pointed me to will help. Thanks, Jim.
Subject: Upgrading older ETX 215 to LNT Sent: Monday, March 5, 2007 01:20:25 From: Aucoin, Richard ((G.)) (raucoin@ford.com) Ok, quick question, I have a ETX125 AT, is it possible to install the LNT module from Meade? From what I've read in your posts, no definite answer was seen. Any ideas on the subject would be appreciated. Thanks again And the site is the best source of info for us newbies(meade should have hired you..) Rick AucoinMike here: See the article "Adding a LNT to a non-LNT Telescope" on the Helpful Information: Telescope Tech Tips page.
Subject: re: GPS and local time Sent: Sunday, March 4, 2007 18:11:18 From: richard seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com) > Am I right in thinking that when you do the alignment > procedure that all you are doing is letting the telescope work > out exactly where it is...and that if you could program in your precise > latitude/longtitude there would be no need to go through the alignment > proccess? Almost. What the alignment -process- does is tell the telescope how you have -physically- placed it on the planet. If you place your ETX on a -level- surface, with the optical tube -level- (optical axis tangent to local level), pointed -exactly- due true north, then you don't have to align. Give it the correct location (latitude/longitude) and the correct UTC time (more on this later), and a GoTo should center the star. This is, in essence, how "One Star" alignments work. It trusts you to get the physical setup correct, and then it goes to where it has calculated the star to be. I have a 100-meter distant landmark which lets me do this. I use a carpenter's level to level the base, and the telescope barrel, and i sight upon my distant landmark. I tell it my local time and site (to within an arcminute). I can now GoTo a star and expect to arrive within an arcminute or five (which is probably the reading accuracy of my bubble level). > Also, when I enter the time; should I enter my precise local time (eg: I > live 1degree and 9 minutes West of GMT which equates to about 4 minutes > and 37 seconds behind GMT) or stick to GMT. Enter your GMT. The Autostar uses your longitude number to perform the 1 d 9' "shift" of Local Sidereal Time. > Maybe I'm being presumptive, but I did presume that as long as the > telescope knows your precise Lat, Long, and, local time, then it would > automatically know where everything in the sky should be? This is how it works. The alignment process is merely showing it how -you- messed up the physical placement (non-level base, not pointed at true north, non-level optical tube). If you have an LNT module, there are still reading errors possible (magnetic north not -quite- what it thinks), and the errors in the gear system may lower accuracy. have fun --dick
Subject: GPS and local time
Sent: Friday, March 2, 2007 19:42:28
From: andrew roberts (amr911bob@hotmail.co.uk)
Thanks for producing such an informative site.
I've recently bought an ETX90 (RT I think). I already owned a Garmin GPS
receiver. Am I right in thinking that when you do the alignment
procedure that all you are doing is letting the telescope work out
exactly where it is...and that if you could program in your precise
latitude/longtitude there would be no need to go through the alignment
proccess?
Also, when I enter the time; should I enter my precise local time (eg: I
live 1degree and 9 minutes West of GMT which equates to about 4 minutes
and 37 seconds behind GMT) or stick to GMT.
Maybe I'm being presumptive, but I did presume that as long as the
telescope knows your precise Lat, Long, and, local time, then it would
automatically know where everything in the sky should be?
Yours, in appreciation,
Andy Roberts.
Mike here: "RT" model? There is an RA model, an EC model, an AT model, and a PE model. Don't know about a RT model. Unless the AutoStar is getting its time from the GPS, then you do enter your local time. Same applies to the Lat/Long. With those entries the AutoStar knows where the telescope is and what time it is. BUT it doesn't know where True North is (except on the PE models). So you have to put the telescope in a "Home" position as a starting point. From there it figures out where True North is using the star alignment steps.
Check the Feedback Archives for previous editions of the Feedback page.
Go to the ETX Home Page.