GENERAL FEEDBACK Last updated: 31 July 2005

Subject:	ETX125PE Backordered
Sent:	Sunday, July 31, 2005 16:13:26
From:	Billy834@aol.com (Billy834@aol.com)
I'm new to astronomy and have had a Meade ETX 125PE on order for a month
now. I wanted to know if this was typical of Meade for shipping orders? 
I realize there are some bugs on this model, and I would prefer to have
one that works as intended, but I can't even get a shipping date from
Meade or the dealer.  What have been the experiences of others regarding
this?  Thanks for the help.    Bill

And:

No, I haven't checked other dealers lead times. I figured it would come
directly from Meade no matter who I ordered it from. I ordered this
through one of Meade authorized distributors listed on their website. It
wasn't OPT, however, who has the best customer service I have
encountered yet.  I have ordered accessories from OPT, and it's been a
wonderful experience.  How much time should I wait before thinking of
canceling the order and placing with someone else?   Thanks for you
help.   Bill

And:

Thanks Mike, I'll stick it out a little longer and see what happens. If
I have to change dealers, I'll definitely order from OPT.  Rayna has
been wonderful to deal with.  Thanks for the great website.   Bill

Subject:	Play in the dec axis of a 125
Sent:	Saturday, July 30, 2005 23:01:27
From:	Barbara & Tom Andrews (tombps@bigpond.com.au)
Hello Mike, greetings from a land of naked-eye globulars and no pole
star.

My 2nd-hand 125EC locks properly in declination, but still gives a bit
of movement when it's tight. When the dec screw is fully locked, I can
lift the front of the OTA about 3 degrees before it stops moving.
Release it and it drops back to its original position. The setting
circles on both sides move with it, if that makes sense. I was under the
impression that there should be no movement at all.

I don't think it's the tube adapter problem that my search of the site
found, as my reading of that problem tells me it causes the scope to
droop as far as it will go because of gravity.

Cheers,
Tom Andrews

And:

Thank you, just making sure. I'm used to ETX-90s, which I suppose have
less give because they're not as heavy.

Cheers, Tom.

Subject:	How do I purchase an ETX telescope in Israel? 
Sent:	Saturday, July 30, 2005 14:11:00
From:	Shirah (shirah_gantman@yahoo.com)
Could you tell me how I could purchase a good telescope in Israel. Are
there any actual 'walk in' stores here to buy telescopes?
I would appreciate any info.
Thanks.
Shirah Gantman

-------------------------------- Take care and G-d bless, 
    Shirah 

And:

Thanks so much. We found a store, and we are going there this friday!
You have been a great help.
Shirah

Subject:	Finder catching the fork arm for my ETX125
Sent:	Friday, July 29, 2005 16:35:09
From:	Tom Ko (tom@zekor.co.uk)
Tonight, I was attempting to use mt ETX 125 in the polar mounting
position. One of the steps is to set the declination to 90 degree,
pointing to Polaris. In doing so, the finder mounted on the left of the
OTA is catching the left fork arm. To be more precisely, it is the
diagnal part of the finder if catching the inner of left arm fork.

I searched your web and cannot find any explicit mentioning of it. Is
this a common problem?

Thanks

Tom

Subject:	ETX-90 and gps interfacing
Sent:	Friday, July 29, 2005 14:55:19
From:	Marc (dragon1069@cox.net)
Hello I have an ETX-90PE and with the latest software update it has a
GPS interface option.  I have a Garmin gps that outputs NMEA and I was
wondering if hooking the gps serial output to the autostar controller
would cause any damage to it.  It is essentially a computer talking to
it.  Thanks for the help and your website is great.  Answers a ton of
questions.

Marc

Subject:	FW: Backlash problem on my ETX-105
Sent:	Thursday, July 28, 2005 08:00:34
From:	Chris Newsome (chrisnewsome@derbyuk99.freeserve.co.uk)
Just to let you know that my ETX-105 will be back with me on Monday (1st
August 2005). BC&F (The UK Meade people) have fitted a new RA motor to
the telescope. Will let you now how it performs.

Kind regards

Chris Newsome
(Derby, UK)

Subject:	RE: ETX125
Sent:	Wednesday, July 27, 2005 20:29:39
From:	Frank George (fgeorge@pclnet.net)
Mike to update you about my scope! I sent my scope back to Meade and
finally got it back and had to wait about 1-2 weeks for the weather to
settle down here in North Alabama to be able to get it out and use it to
see if it was repaired. Meade says there was a definite problem with it
and they repaired the elevation clutch that was clicking and the runaway
elevation problem on alignment, my Meade power supply was ok just like
you said it was and now I have a little noisier gears but everything
seems to work right on it and the alignments are still good. Thumbs up
to Meade for the repair after some of the stories I have read it feels
good to know that some of these stories are just fluke happenings and
not an every case scenario. Thanks for the Great Web Site and your
undying help to all those of us who come here for help and guidance!
Thanks again!!

Subject:	Re: ETX ASRTO Repair Questions
Sent:	Tuesday, July 26, 2005 08:04:43
From:	P. Clay Sherrod (drclay@arksky.org)
What you have is very common on the earlier Meade ETX scopes and is ONLY
the baffle cone that has come loose, probably due to heat.  I have a fix
posted on Mike Weasner's ETX site, the direct link:
 
http://www.weasner.com/etx/techtips/baffle.html
 
Just take your time and it will be fine! 

Note that you will find an incredible wealth of great repair and use
information on the Mighty ETX site....you should make that a primary
bookmark on your computer!

Good luck.
 
Clay
--------------------
Dr. P. Clay Sherrod
Arkansas Sky Observatories
Harvard MPC H41 (Petit Jean Mountain)
Harvard MPC H45 (Petit Jean Mountain South)
Harvard MPC H43 (Conway)
Harvard MPC H44 (Cascade Mountain)
http://www.arksky.org/
 
----- Original Message -----
To: drclay@arksky.org 
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2005 9:55 AM
Subject: ETX ASRTO Repair Questions
Dr. Clay,

I found your email address after searching for repair service on google.

I have an ETX Astro telescope that I purchased new a few years ago.  I
have barely found time to use this scope, but the last time I did I
noticed i could not focus.  I noticed that the secondary baffle seems to
have shifted.  I have included a photo that points out the part that has
shifted in case i mentioned the wrong part.  I want to have my telescope
repaired but do not know what channels to go through.

Thank you,
-Steve

Subject:	RE: RA Drive on ETX 125 EC
Sent:	Tuesday, July 26, 2005 07:40:39
From:	Hartigan, John (john.hartigan@southtippcoco.ie)
I'll get in contact with my dealer.  I'll let you know when I know what
the problem was and if a solution is possible.

Thanks for the reply 

John Hartigan

From:	Stephen Bird (stephen.bird@btconnect.com)
That is exactly what my ETX105 did before the final crunch came and the
gearbox frame broke. Click from the RA drive and the image jumped as the
gear teeth failed to mesh properly. In my case it was suspected that a
spare o ring in the RA gearbox assembly since manufacture found its way
between the gear teeth, and spelt the ultimate demise of the gearbox.

When it was repaired, I was given a spare gearbox, which was complete
with electronics board, plastic gearbox and motor and the brass worm
drive and cage, and when you look at the assembly out of the ETX base,
you see that the set up of the gearbox and worm drive for the RA
assembly is critical if you are to avoid the teeth jumping. Some advice
seems to say you can / should set up the tension of the gearbox to the
final gear on the worm drive shaft, I have my doubts about that. I would
say that you should not seek to apply any tension in this way. The three
small screws with the rubber o rings on them fastening the gearbox to
the RA base are not meant to hold the gearbox tightly to the base. They
are there merely to provide a flexible mounting via the rubber o rings.
A single spot of Locktite on each screw to stop them vibrating out is
adequate in my opinion. The only adjustment in the RA gear train should
be the brass worm gear to the metal RA clutch gear. This is effected via
the three larger screws holding the worm drive cage to the ETX base.

As I said, if you remove the whole RA gearbox, electronics board, brass
worm drive and worm drive cage as a single unit, by removing the three
small screws with the o rings on them, and the three larger screws on
the wom drive cage, all will become clear.

Mine was repaired under warranty, and I was given a very helpful report
by the service engineer.

Regards
 
Stephen Bird

Subject:	Sky Assurance Extended Warranty
Sent:	Tuesday, July 26, 2005 05:08:17
From:	David Hanych (dhanych@email.com)
If I purchase a new ETX-105 PE telescope through one of your sponsors,
is the 3-year extended warranty worth buying?

DH (newbie and scopeless)

And:

I stand corrected. Perhaps I should have said "supporters" because I was
thinking about OPT, who has a little logo ad on your web page.

DH

Subject:	RA Drive on ETX 125 EC
Sent:	Monday, July 25, 2005 07:01:55
From:	Hartigan, John (john.hartigan@southtippcoco.ie)
Firstly thanks for the fantastic sight.

I have my ETX 125EC for nearly a year now.  When I first bought it
everything was fine, but a few months ago the RA drive (at least I think
it is the RA drive) started to cause some problems.

It is much more noticible at higher powers.  While looking through the
eye-piece the object tends to drift a bit but not overly so, through the
FOV.  But then there is an audible "Click" sound and the drive jumps
back across the FOV, this happens every few seconds and as you can
imagine ruins observing at higher powers, or astrophotography.

I have tried changing power supplies and always calibrate motors and
train drives afterwords, but the problem persists.

I have looked through you're sight and cannot find this specific problem
any help would be greatly appreciated.

Yours Sincerely 

John Hartigan

Subject:	etx 90 or 125
Sent:	Monday, July 25, 2005 06:11:45
From:	Andy Lancour (andy@spe-wi.com)
Thanks for all your help! I got the etx-90 tuned up w/ tips from your
book and it works so much better! On another note, I used to own a Meade
8" LX 200 and went w/ the etx 90 for portability(and price). Views are
alot different(which I expected). If I were to purchase an etx 125,
would I see a dramatic difference from the etx 90 as far as how much I
can see? Some of my favorites(M13) just aren't as I hoped.Would a 125 be
a good middle ground scope, or not significantly different?Thanks for
your valued opinion.

Subject:	Question about terms
Sent:	Sunday, July 24, 2005 21:21:08
From:	Mike Luis (mike@e-axis.com)
I got 2 questions.
 
What does a Focal reducer do?
And what does a Counter Weight do?

Subject:	Just some talk (etx)
Sent:	Saturday, July 23, 2005 17:18:21
From:	geheniau@xs4all.nl (geheniau@xs4all.nl)
Mostly I send some pictures and you post them nicely on your big and
beautiful website.

I just want to thank you that you take so much time to do so and to
update your website with so much information.

I hope I can contribute to the ETX users dreams that a lot more than you
think is possible with this little gear.

Just take your time to learn things and try to have patience is my
advice (that is for the ETX users). I get a lot of mail of people who
also want to do deep sky with the ETX.

As I said, it's possible, but not when you just unwrapped your brand new
ETX from the box.

Try to learn the sky, try to learn the software (very important), try to
learn your ETX and try to read in the books and magazines and on the
Internet and try to become a member of astrogroups.

Then you will learn step by step how to get the most out of your scope
(if it is an ETX or an Richey Chretien 20 inch doesn't matter). Patience
and eagerness (is this good english?) are the Magic Words!

Mike again, thanks for YOUR patience! :-)

Regards,

Job Geheniau

Subject:	Question about ETX125 box
Sent:	Saturday, July 23, 2005 16:45:34
From:	Acaca Acaccevich (zlluka@hotmail.com)
I have one question. I was going to buy a ETX125AT today from Discovery
store but when they checked boxes they only had boxes labeled ETX125EC.
Is that normal for ETX125AT to be labeled as EC?

Thanks,

Andrei

Subject:	Your fine ETX site
Sent:	Thursday, July 21, 2005 18:53:37
From:	MarsTSM (MarsTSM@Comcast.net)
I just wanted to send a quick */Thankyou/* and a big */Way To Go /*for
producing such a fine ETX telescope site! I have an ETX90 that's been
running nearly flawlessly for six years! On the original factory
right-hand tube adapter no less!  Several months ago I made a road trip
to the Kitt Peak NOAO observatory in Arizona on their AOP program and
had the great fortune to spend an entire night imaging deep sky objects
with CCD imagemaster Adam Block using Kitt Peaks 20" RC scope and SBIG
ST-10. Wowza!! WAY cool!!        After being dragged home, I started
eyeballing my ETX and began wondering "Hmm..What can I do to get the
/absolute most/ out of this little jewel??".         The answer is to
browse you excellent website!!

/Every/ single question I had was explained there, clearly and in great
detail. Truly the place to go for quality ETX info!! Keep up the great
work, you have a lot to be proud of!!

        Clear skies to you sir:)

                                           Chris

Subject:	ETX-125 sold
Sent:	Tuesday, July 19, 2005 08:02:33
From:	Dubboy44@aol.com (Dubboy44@aol.com)
Just wanted to THANK YOU for the opportunity to advertise my scope for
sale on your site. I received responses immediately but soon became
aware that there are a LOT of (would be) scam artists out there.

The ETX-125 did sell, however, and I would like to offer some advise to
others that may be buying / selling on line.

1.Use a good escrow site for the transaction. There are also a lot of
crooked escrow companies out there!  You can find a list of the "good
guys" at SOS4Auctions.com. I used escrow.com and they were excellent. It
is well worth the few dollars for the piece of mind for both seller and
buyer.

2. Never "link" to an escrow site. Always type in the address.

3. You'll be able to tell if the buyer/seller is sincere by mentioning
that you will be using an escrow company for the transaction. ( the
crooks will run and hide)

4. The escrow fees are negotiable between buyer and seller as are the
shipping costs

I was lucky enough to complete my transaction without a hitch, thanks to
the advise from others on your website.

Thanks Again, You may remove my ad.

Don S.

Subject:	Backlash problem on my ETX-105
Sent:	Tuesday, July 19, 2005 00:53:44
From:	Chris Newsome (chrisnewsome@derbyuk99.freeserve.co.uk)
I am having a problem with severe backlash on my ETX-105.

I run my ETX-105 on rechargeable batteries and whenever I recharge them,
I do the usual reset/train/callibrate to ensure the motors accuracy in
pointing. This always goes without a problem and the pointing accuracy
is maintained. When I am then using the scope for either normal viewing
or imaging in either alt/az or polar aligned mode, the object will move
very slowly move from left to right across the field of view (which I
put down to slight errors in doing the initial level and north align).
However after about two to three seconds, there is a click from the RA
drive and the object jumps back to the same point in the field of view
as to when I first viewed it. The object then moves slowly across the
FOV and again there is the click and it jumps back.

Is the power source of batteries at fault in as much that it just can't
provide the constant power level required for smooth tracking and when
the scope realises that it is not moving as it should, it grabs a sudden
chunk of power from the batteries to correct itself. Does a portable
power pack or a mains adaptor provide the constant steady high level of
power needed for the motor to run smoothly without the backlash or would
you suspect a more sinister problem with the gears? When I store the
scope, it is stored on the tripod with the clutches (RA and Dec)
released and the scope resting in the vertical position. Is this putting
some sort of strain on the gears which could be causing the problem and
do you have a suggestion for storing the ETX in a better way (I can't
afford a Meade hardcase!!!).
 
Many thanks for you help in this matter.
 
Chris Newsome
(Derby, UK)

And:

Thanks for that. As soon as I get a different power source, I will let
you now the results.

Chris

This evening, I have tried two different power sources (mains and a
powerpack) and the problem persisted and so I am thinking it is more
sinister. As a result, I am sending the ETX back to to Meade via the
supplier to get the problem fixed (as it is still under warranty). Will
keep you updated on how I get on as it is the first time I have ever had
to return anything astronomical to the supplier!!!

Kind regards

Chris Newsome
Derby, UK

Subject:	Re: Filters
Sent:	Monday, July 18, 2005 18:41:00
From:	Jerry Nguyen (jerryaa@yahoo.com)
Yes, sounds like you need a couple of different filters in your
repertoire.

Thanks for emailing me back.

I just read on some site that some filters will block out too much light
if you have a 6" or smaller scope which is the type that I will be
buying.

Subject:	DSX to ETX upgrade
Sent:	Monday, July 18, 2005 16:47:15
From:	Christopher L. Morris (CMorris@clmnetwork.com)
Just wanted to let you know so you could tell the other ETX fans out
there that my upgrade from a DSX-125 to an ETX-125 (non-UHTC) was a
complete success.  Turns out that the DSX *does* have all of the screw
taps on the back of the OTA that are needed to attach the "sides pieces"
that are on an ETX OTA...they are just covered with simple plastic
covers that are very lightly cemented in place.  So, if anyone else out
there has the opportunity to upgrade from a DSX to an ETX, then they
should feel confident that it can be done with very very little effort.
 
Thanks,
Chris

Subject:	Filters
Sent:	Monday, July 18, 2005 08:45:16
From:	Jerry Nguyen (jerryaa@yahoo.com)
I just read a couple of articles on your website about filters.  There's
a lot of good info there.

If I just had $100 to spend on a filter and I'm interested in looking at
deep sky objects, would you recommend I spend it on a nebula filter or a
light pollution reduction filter?

Thanks for you time.

Subject:	ETX tube finish/good Autostar version
Sent:	Sunday, July 17, 2005 14:30:27
From:	Harden Schaeffer (aitchbar1@yahoo.co.uk)
Am I correct in thinking that the purple color of the ETX tubes is due
to anodized aluminum?  If so, what's a good coating to put over it to
protect it from small scratches, finger smudges, etc?  I've been told by
auto wax manufacturers not to use their wax on anodizing, but what can I
use?  I'm not afraid to take the tube off the mirror and corrector cells
- I've done this before, with no impairment to the optical performance.

Also, I'm now running version Autostar 33El on my non - PE ETX and
LX-90.  Is there any reason to update to the latest version?  My
attitude is, If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It, but if the new version
fixes one of the problems, or adds a USEFUL feature, I can see improving
things.  Above all, DOES THE NEW VERSION INTRODUCE ANY NEW BUGS??

I'd appreciate advice on either or both of these matters. 

Harden

Subject:	Adapter
Sent:	Saturday, July 16, 2005 14:44:12
From:	Edwin Doe (edoe@comcast.net)
I have an ETX 125 and love it.  I also have a PST and love it.  I am
looking for a bracket to mount on my ETX for the PST.  Do you know of
one or can you steer me in the right direction?  Thanks.
 
Dr. Doe

Subject:	Mars Observing Guide from ASO for 2005
Sent:	Friday, July 15, 2005 04:58:22
From:	P. Clay Sherrod (drclay@tcworks.net)
Note that we have just posted our 2005 Mars Observing Guide on the
Arkansas Sky Observatory webpage for the upcoming close opposition of
the Red Planet....you will find many projects and quick, easy references
and links to hopefully provide you with the tools for public outings,
press releases and for your own rewards in observing Mars in this
favorable apparition!

You are welcome to bookmark the link and refer it to others as you wish.
http://www.arksky.org/

Clear skies....

Dr. Clay
--------------------
Arkansas Sky Observatories
Harvard MPC H41 (Petit Jean Mountain)
Harvard MPC H45 (Petit Jean Mountain South)
Harvard MPC H43 (Conway)
Harvard MPC H44 (Cascade Mountain)
http://www.arksky.org/

Subject:	meteorite
Sent:	Thursday, July 14, 2005 21:50:01
From:	millers18@att.net (millers18@att.net)
This is a photo of the 5,000 pound "Old Woman" meteorite that was
found by a couple of prospectors in San Bernardino County back in the
1975. It's on display at the Desert Discovery Center in Barstow, CA.
It's amazing; anyone passing through Barstow should stop by and check it
out. While you're there be sure to drop a couple of bucks in the
"donations" bottle on the front counter so they can keep it on display.
Dscn9022.jpg





Thank you for keeping your web site up and running. I know it's a lot of
work but we appreciate it!
 
Sincerely,
 
Brian Miller
Spring Valley, CA

Subject:	How can I see the sun with my Meade ETX-90?
Sent:	Thursday, July 14, 2005 10:37:38
From:	Ine Huisman (ine.huisman@xs4all.nl)
I am also the proud owner of a Meade ETX-90 with varius accessories.
Thanks to your book and site I have been able to get good looks at the
moon, Saturn and Jupiter, and even Mars last year.

Now I'm tryin to get a look at the sun and, if possible, to make a video
using my webcam. I bought a Orion Solar Filter which attaches nicely at
the front of the tube, I covered my baby up with a light cloth just as
prescribed. Now in order to find the sun I look through an oculair
first, since my computer is upstairs and I can't look at the screen from
where the ETX is standing. Unfortunately I see nothing, sometimes it's
all black, sometimes it's all white. I just can't seem to find the sun,
even if I try to make the shades as thin as possible.

Should I use my 40 mm. oculair or is 26 mm. better for this? I have all
kinds of oculairs and tried these 2 to no avail.

Are there any spots at the moment that I could focus on? should I put
the knob close to the device or pull it almost out?

I have a flip-mirror, would that help?

I'm out in the dark even though it's daytime!

I hope a little advice can help me with this.

Thank you and sincere greetings from Ine Huisman, Eindhoven The
Netherlands.

Subject:	Meade ETX90EC right ascention troubles
Sent:	Thursday, July 14, 2005 09:41:04
From:	 (fireman5069@alltel.net)
I have found your site to be very infomative but I haven't came across
this particular problem. I found an ETX90EC at a local pawn shop
recently for a great price but here's the problem. Declination controls
work fine but the right ascention don't work in either direction. It
sounds as though the motor is turning, but there is no movement. I have
checked the lock and opened up the bottom and all the plastic gears seem
to be intact. When you try to move left or right it makes a grinding
type noise like the gears are not meshed. Any help would be greatly
appreciated as I would love to get back to using this as it was designed
to be used. Thank you very much. Mark

Subject:	Meade Rucksack for ETX 105
Sent:	Thursday, July 14, 2005 04:21:24
From:	Ray Noonan (henriksen@biscituk.com)
My 105 continues to amaze - as does your splendid site.
 
Please, has anyone tried the Meade Rucksack for this scope? Seems more
natural to store/ carry it upright.
 
Yours  ...   Ray Noonan

Subject:	Meade I2C protocol - Focus
Sent:	Wednesday, July 13, 2005 15:20:17
From:	Julio Silva (zejulio@netcabo.pt)
I want to build an electric focus for my ETX-70, and want to connect it
to AUX port, so it can be controlled from my autostar 497/PC...

So I need the Meade I2C protocol, for the focus control, do you know
where to find it?

Has someone figure it out?

Thanks for any tip, and for the great site!!
 
    jS

Subject:	ETX 105 Repaired:
Sent:	Wednesday, July 13, 2005 13:58:54
From:	Stephen Bird (stephen.bird@btconnect.com)
Well I took a drive around the M25, (also known as the car park park
moving at 90mph!), to B,C&F, the UK Meade distributor. And what a
profitable morning it was. Credit where it is due, now they are in a new
location, they are a pleasure to do business with.

I arrived just before opening time, and the morning was already going
well, got a call saying a deal at work I had put a lot of effort into
had closed for 5 million UK pounds, so I was on a high!

Dead on the dot of 9 a.m. they opened up shop and I took the ETX 105 in
and was warmly greeted and given a cup of tea, whilst we waitied for the
Service Manager Steve Collingwood to come down from the service
department.  Steve discussed the problem (broken RA gearbox) and I
showed him the offending spare o ring from manufacture that had taken
the best part of two years to eventually find its way into the gears and
break the box.

Whilst I waited, I had a good chat with Ted from sales, and bought an
eyepiece extension tube to help with getting sufficient length
adjustment to parfocalize and eyepiece with the DSI Pro. Ted also
mentioned that the o ring problem should be covered under a limited
lifetime warranty as it really was a case of a construction error
waiting to go wrong.

Anyway Steve came back, and took the time to describe exactly what he
had done, replacing the drive, checking the function and even checking
collimation. He covered the bedding in process of the new drive and said
if there were any problems to bring it straight back. Then the surprise,
NO CHARGE! Add to that Steve gave me a spare refurbished RA drive which
is complete with RA gearbox, electronics, and the final worm gear and
mounting, to get me out of trouble in future.

Amazing service, what can I say. Anyway I spent the cash I had taken to
pay for the repair on accessories, they certainly deserved the custom,
and I even got 10% discount on the goods, as I am a member of the
British Astronomical Society.

I must admit I had previously found dealing with B,C&F a little painful
via their website, but my opinion has gone full circle having dealt face
to face.

Their website address is www.telescopehouse.co.uk and they deserve the
plug, as I am a tough customer to satisfy usually, comes of being in
sales for too long!

Now looking at the spare RA gearbox assembly, it is plain that the
adjustment is not as simple as you might think. If you adjust the three
mounting screws with the little o rings on them on their own, without
considering the three larger srews that hold the worm drive mounting,
then you will set up a great deal of tension in the gearbox frame where
it wraps around the final tooted gear on the worm drive shaft. In fact
if you remove the whole assembly, by removing the three small screws
with their o rings, then the three larger worm drive mounting screws,
you will find the gearbox, electronics board and worm drive mounting
with worm gear, all come out as one complete part. It is only then that
you can see how the unit needs adjusting.

Seems to me that with the three smaller screws and o rings removed, you
first set up the meshing of the worm drive to the final drive gear on
the clutch assembly. Once this is meshed nicely and adjusted, then and
only then, put the three smaller screws with o rings in. And don't aim
to tighten them to apply tension to the gearbox frame. The whole point
of the o rings is that they are a kind of suspension to take up any
torque or movement. A drop of loctite to stop the small screws loosening
will do the trick.

Regards

Stephen Bird

Subject:	re: ETX105 Spots on mirror
Sent:	Monday, July 11, 2005 21:57:46
From:	Richard Seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com)
Be -extremely- careful when cleaning the mirror!!!

The coatings are **much** more fragile than the coatings on the 
corrector plates.

Do **not** rub the mirror face with any pad/sponge/whatever.

Merely flush the blemishes with water (preferably distilled).
Patience and directed squirting are the key.

Do as much "homework" as you can, prowling the web (and/or local
amateur astronomers, there are bunches of those in NZ) for tips
and techniques of primary mirror cleaning.

good luck
--dick

Thank you for your advise it is very much appreciated. Any advise on getting to the mirror ?
cheers
Andrew

I have never attempted to dig -that- deep into my scope (an old ETX90).

There are pages under Mike's Telescope Tech Tips  page which describe
getting that deep into old ETX90's, but the newer ETX105 may have 
differences.  I would -think- that the rear cell carrier is held
onto the OTA barrel by either being threaded on (like the front
corrector plate) or by obvious screws from the side (disassemble
as the "how to collimate" article describes, then look.).

But: there are currently a bunch of postings at Mike's site and
various Yahoo groups by "Warpcorp", who's trying to get his ETX90
mirror cell freed.  And it's resisting him.
I don't know if that's due to his -particular- unit being jammed,
or if it's a family trait/design issue.

If i were trying to clean it, if the mirror assembly didn't simply 
slide off the carrier (beware of bearing structures deciding to fall
apart as that happens, or springs to sproing to distant places),
i'd be tempted to perform the cleaning -in- the barrel.. but that
would have serious impact upon the grease along the supporting
baffle tube.  

This is why the "find experienced help" suggestion.  Here's a quick list:
http://www.astronomy.org.au/ngn/engine.php?SID=1000022&AID=100013

The ETX internal construction is quite similar (just half the size)
of any "normal" 8 inch Schmidt Cassegranian, so there should be a
decent experience base available.

good luck
--dick

Subject:	Rosin on ETX 125 corrector
Sent:	Monday, July 11, 2005 18:05:11
From:	Newman, William Royall (wnewman@indiana.edu)
Hi -  I was using my new ETX 125 UHTC in May and apparently an overhead
tree dripped some small drops of rosin (4 or 5 drops of about 1mm each)
on the corrector lens.  Is there any way to get this stuff off without
damaging the lens coating, or should I just live with it?

Best regards,
Bill Newman

Subject:	EXT 125 AT replacement parts for scope transmissions.
Sent:	Monday, July 11, 2005 08:26:10
From:	Al Zink (alzink@ctc.net)
Well it's the first problem with my scope. I have had some bad weather.
I also am only available on Monday and Tuesday nights. So when my scope
failed it was 14 months old. It is the newer version. The scope will
GOTO without problems but when it has to track it stops within 10
minutes with a MOTOR FAULT. I took the base apart since the warranty was
over and found that the one of the transmission gears for the right asc.
had a tooth bent over. I called Meade to inquire about a replacement
part and was told it was not available. I then asked for the entire
transmission gear set and was advised Meade does not supply replacement
parts for sale at all. I am an electronics technician and have work as a
mechanic for more years than I care to mention so the replacement is not
a problem for me. I was just very disappointed to learn that if you have
a small problem no parts are available to me. I love the scope so I
decided to get it repaired. It is just that I know it could have been
repaired much faster and less expensively by me. I thought parts for
products had to be made accessible for products sold here in the USA for
a number of years. Of course I was then advised about being eligible for
SKY ASSURANCE after the repair is made and paid for. Do you know where
parts may be purchased for these scopes. ( Maybe I should consider going
into the parts business.) Thanks.

Subject:	ETX-125 Base+fork
Sent:	Monday, July 11, 2005 05:17:28
From:	Chris Morris (Chris.Morris@Hickory-Farms.com)
Would you happen to know where I might find an ETX-125 base+fork
assembly?  I have a DSX-125 that I got really cheap and would now like
to convert it to an ETX.

Thanks,

Chris Morris

And:

No, it doesn't, but I figured I might try some 3M double sided tape for
the other side.  I figured that if it didn't turn out right, I could
always go back to the original config...

Subject:	ETX premier and finder 
Sent:	Sunday, July 10, 2005 20:35:39
From:	Paul Zadach (Pzadach@cox.net)
I have an ETX 125 UHTC which is working great, but I would like to get a
better finder. Will the Telrad work on my scope? Also, when the new PE
scopes were announced I thought it might be worth upgrading, but with
what I have read, there seems to be alot of problems. I think Meade kind
of blew it when they put those graphics on the scopes. In my opinion it
makes them look like cheap toys instead of high quality scopes. Your
thoughts?
 
Thanks,
 
paul

And:

Thanks for your rapid response, your site is truly the best and has been
most helpful to me.
clear skies,
paul

Subject:	RA gearbox mounting O ring
Sent:	Sunday, July 10, 2005 12:58:52
From:	Stephen Bird (stephen.bird@btconnect.com)
Well, it appears that an extra RA gearbox mounting O ring may well have
got jammed in the gear train. It must have been in there since new and
found its way into the gears. The ticking suddenly got lounder, a
sickening crunch, and then no RA drive. The collar that aligns the
gearbox by wrapping around the final drive gear before the worm, has
broken.

So on Tuesday I am off the the dealer for a while you wait repair.
Seeing the tension the gearbox is under at this collar, adjustment looks
to be a real pain, so I'll let BC&F do it, at least then the repair will
be warranted.

A two hour drive each way and lunch in a nice pub in Tunbridge Wells no
doubt!

They actually offered to sell me the parts to fix it myself! I didn't
think they did that? I'm tempted to buy an RA gearbox and a DEC gearbox
for the shelf in case I need them in future.

Anyone else want me to pick up some spares whilst I am there?

Regards

Stephen Bird

From:	Richard Seymour (rseymour@wolfenet.com)
One good thing about a -warranty- repair is that they might also swap
the electronics if they'd been hurt by this episode. 

The non-US distributors apparently have some flexibility about how they treat
the parts issue... there was a time they were "loose", then Meade got 
uppity and things tightened up.  Now "looser" is reappearing.
One can hope.

One could possibly make a (very) meager living by flying across the oceans,
ferrying scopes from the US to the rest of the world, and bringing 
back parts to the US.

have fun
--dick

Subject:	ETX105 Spots on mirror
Sent:	Sunday, July 10, 2005 03:46:52
From:	AJ (aj.wright@xtra.co.nz)
I purchased an ETX105 (while holidaying in Australia) a couple of years
back now but have not really used it much due to work pressures, weather
etc. Its time to put my investment into action. I have had it out a few
times but most of the time the scope is stored in the appropriate Meade
hard case. I got the ETX out the other day and decided to check the lens
for dust etc. While peering into the telescopes lens to my horror
noticed a number of blemishes on the mirror. These seem to be some form
of mildew. Now if things were simple I would have put it into the car
and taken the scope to a Meade repair centre however there is no such
beast here. There is a dealer in Australia who appears to have some good
knowledge of the product but that's obviously to far in the car ! So
here come the questions.

1) How bad is this ?
2) How does one remove it or get it removed ?
3) What did I do wrong to have been inflicted with this ? (Fixing it is
one thing but stopping it from happening again is also critical)

Just one other point, I have a Scopetronix 4 in 1 multi-mate which was
fitted while the unit was stored. The humidity here in Auckland would
range from 45-85% however given that the scope was stored in the case
most of the time I would have thought this would have helped. Anyway any
info you can provide would be gratefully received. Have looked over your
very useful site but didn't come across anyone with a similar problem.

Best regards
AJ Wright
Auckland, NZL 

And:

Thank you for your response, it is gratefully appreciated. I did have a
look at the section on optic's cleaning and maintenance however did not
see any reference to the cleaning of the mirror. I assume the "recipe"
for cleaning the optics is also suitable for the mirror. At the risk of
being a pest could you please explain the procedure for getting to the
mirror. I went to a lot of trouble to locate and import the telescope
and as I am sure you can appreciate are rather nervous about pulling it
apart. So tips would not go astray ?
Thanks again
Cheers
AJ

Subject:	ETX-125PE Focusing Question
Sent:	Saturday, July 9, 2005 09:18:10
From:	Robert C. Maples (rcmaples@sbcglobal.net)
First off ... very informative site, thanks. On to my question, I am new
to Astronomy and just bought an ETX-125PE to take the plunge. I have
noticed that whenever I adjust the focusing knob, the image inside the
viewfinder moves to the left or right a little bit (if I rotate the knob
clockwise the image moves to the left, counter clockwise it moves to the
right). It is not as if the image moves out of the viewing area, it
moves just a little but I was wondering if this is normal or is it
something that would warrant my returning the telescope for another one.
I appreciate any insight you may provide.

Thanks,

Robert Maples

Subject:	ETX90
Sent:	Friday, July 8, 2005 10:44:58
From:	WarpedCorp (warpcorp@swbell.net)
I just joined the world of the ETX.  I purchased a DSX90 (same OTA as
ETX90 mounted on single arm DS type mount) to be used as my vacation
scope and guide scope on bigger mounts.  I may actually be upgrading the
OTA to a ETX125 with UHTC...

First light and collimation testing will be tonight.

So... I'll probably be bugging you with questions from time to time. 
I've already culled all the info off of your site and hopefully may be
able to contribute from time to time.  What yahoo group would you
recommend as the best bet for further info?

The plan is to modify the mount to hold the 90mm OTA side by side with
the Coronado PST for simultaneous white light and h-alpha viewing -
should be a sweet combo.

If it would be appropriate, I can furnish some pics of the finished
product when completed.

Thanks again for all your help and GREAT info.
 
Clear skies....
 
Warp

And:

I know the three deep set screws on the back of the scope allow the rear
cell (diagonal) assembly to come off, but that still leaves the primary
cell attached to the tube.  How does the primary remove?

Thanks
Warp 

And:

Thanks for the site referral.  I read over the procedure and can do
everything it suggests EXCEPT get the primary mirror cell out of the
OTA. IT won't budge.

First light tonight showed classic airy concentric circles both in and
out of focus both ways... Belts on Jupiter with a 26mm ep were classic.
Yeah, the tripod is cheap but the goto's were in the ep and tracking was
good.  I can carry the whole assembly in one hand with my ep case and
battery pack in the other.

This is going to be a FUN little scope!

Warp

And:

But how do I get the primary mirror assembly out?

Thanks 

Subject:	left ota swing arm
Sent:	Wednesday, July 6, 2005 12:59:34
From:	Lori King (lbking94@cox.net)
My left ota swing arm has three going on four cracks around the brass
screw hole. All the way to the edge, the fourth hasn't gone all the way
to the edge. When you tighten the knob it expands the cracks and won't
slew very well. Do I need to send it to Meade to get a new one or does
someone carry the swing arm? It is not under warranty  Thanks Brian

Subject:	ETX90EC vs ETX90AT
Sent:	Wednesday, July 6, 2005 09:04:57
From:	Ben Pretorius (ben@evoafrica.com)
Some websites talks about the EC model and some of the AT model. What is
the difference if any??

Thanks

BEN PRETORIUS

Subject:	ETX-125 RA drive problems
Sent:	Monday, July 4, 2005 19:48:59
From:	Glenn B. Smith (gbsmith12@cox.net)
I encountered problems while using my ETX-125 this weekend.  After
successfully finding several deep space objects the RA drive motor
suddenly started making horrible noises when slewing in one direction
but not the other.  I might note that prior to this I had noticed that
when reversing direction of the RA slew would cause  hesitation and
abrupt shift in aim when choosing the opposite direction of travel.

After some investigation in the Telescope Tech Tips I got brave enough
to remove the bottom plate.  I almost immediately found that every
single screw that holds down the RA motor gear assembly and circuit
board was loose.  In addition, I found an extra rubber O ring floating
around.  After some study it appears that the O ring had not been put
under one of the feet for the gear assembly as the other two mounting
points both had an O ring of the same size underneath them.  The effect
of the loose screws was to let the entire mechanism ride up when slewing
one direction, but it would pull down to the mounting plate when the
other direction was chosen.  This explained quite nicely the hesitation
and shift when changing direction and only took a second to tighten the
screws back down.

However, the worst was yet to come.  There is a plastic bracket that
uses the final drive gear for support and holds a gear that drives this
final gear.  This bracket was broken permitting the 2nd gear to shift
off the teeth of its driving gear and thus caused the horrible noise
that abruptly ending my viewing session.  Please see the attached
pictures for details.

Note that at no time during this session did I hit the hard stops,
however have encountered them in the past.

My questions:

1) Has anyone else reported this broken bracket?

2) Is it likely that a casual encounter with the hard stop can cause
this type of damage?  I have always been careful to immediately power
off the scope when this happens, reset the home position, and realign
the scope.

3) I noticed some other postings about the loose screws.....is this a
common problem with the ETX-125?

4) It seems like it would be moderately easy to replace the gear
assembly? Do you think Meade would sell this part or would you recommend
sending it in to the factory for repair?

I was really hoping to have the scope for the Star Party.  My fear is
that if I send it in it will not be back in time for that prestigious
event.

Thanks in advance for your advice,

Glenn Smith

Subject:	Original ETX 125 EC/AT or the new ETX 125 PE (both with UHTC)
Sent:	Sunday, July 3, 2005 03:58:00
From:	Tom Ko (tom@zekor.co.uk)
I am thinking of purchasing ETX 125 but not sure which one to go for,
the original ETX 125 EC/AT, or the new ETX 125 Premier Edition. I am
assuming the OTA is much the same between them. The main differences are
the LNT and the SmartFinder. I am not sure about the SmartFinder as some
of other readers pointed out about the design and build quality, plus it
is only 1x. However, I am keen on this LNT. Does this piece of device
actually make one's life simpler when leveling and aligning  north.

You can get a good quality ETX 125 EC/AT from ebay for a very good
price. But they do not offer the LNT and would need me to perform the
leveling and north alignment manually. Are they difficult to do
manually?

Thanks for providing such informative site and thanks in advance for
your advise.
 
Tom from Dorset, UK

Subject:	ETX 125 - problem with drive 
Sent:	Saturday, July 2, 2005 17:24:04
From:	Nicolai Wiegand (nwiegand@gmx.de)
My name is Nicolai Wiegand from germany. I hope, my english is good
enough to understand. I am a new user. I bought a Meade Telescope ETX
125 in february 2005 at a Meade dealer.

First of all, after I have used the scope just a few times the autostar
didnt work: When I started the initialization, the procedure stopped
during initialization and nothing happened. I sent the autostar back to
Meade and got a new one (warranty).

Then everything was okay until I showed the scope to a friend. I just
started the initialization (everything good) and moved the scope to the
left and the right side to show him how it works as some smoke came out
of my scope! Again, after that happening nothing worked. I sent the
scope back to Meade and got it back last week.

Now, I have another problem: The scope returned to me repaired (!).
Meade didnt gave any explanation of the work they have done and the
initialization worked without problems. But then, the scope started to
move: to the left, to the right, up and downwards inbetween short
breaks. I could not recognize what can be the reason. When I do the
easy, one or two star alignment the scope starts going to the right side
and upwards until the mechanical  stop in both drives. I've never got
the message in the Autostar display "motor faults". I never heard
crackings sounds.

I did a full reset several times, then a motor calibration. No movement
during the motor calibration. When I get the scope "on" it starts to
move. I happens with using the power adapter (original meade) and with
new batteriy power. When I press the moving-buttons nothing happens  the
scope dont move!

Do you know help??? Thanks a lot!

Dr. Nicolai Wiegand

-- 
Dr. Nicolai Wiegand
Germany
nwiegand@gmx.de
http://www.sexy-etx125.de.vu

Subject:	Backlash on ETX 105
Sent:	Saturday, July 2, 2005 15:40:50
From:	BtwdFritz@aol.com (BtwdFritz@aol.com)
When I first got my ETX 105 a couple years ago, I didn't experience any
of the backlash issues I kept hearing about from others.  I figured I
was just lucky and got a scope that didn't have this problem.  Well, now
it kind of does, and at moderately high magnifications the target image
almost leaps out of the field of view.

This is very annoying.  Why can't the thing just stop when it gets where
it's supposed to?  Why must it go back a bit?  How come it doesn't
happen on the veritcal axis?  Is this a problem with all Go-To drives? 
And finally, of course, is there anything I can do to fix it?  Should I
mess with the motor calibration?  If so, how?

Otherwise, very happy with the scope, and especially enjoy the reactions
of passers-by who take a peak through it.  I've actually seen people
eyes get a little teary on seeing Saturn or the Orion nebula for the
first time.

Help much appreciated,

Fritz

P.S.  Oh!  With clear skies, should I be able to witness any brightening
of the Deep Impact comet on the Fourth with my ETX 105?

Subject:	ETX-125 RA Motor Issue, Power Question, Filter Question
Sent:	Saturday, July 2, 2005 07:25:36
From:	Larry Houle (larryhoule2000@yahoo.com)
I have a ETX-125 which is only six months old and am new to astronomy. 
Last evening, I was out observing and started to experience a tracking
problem.  It seems in certain positions that the RA motor would audibly
"click" and the scope, thus the image, would jump vs. tracking smoothly.
I am concerned that this is a sign of trouble with the motor or the
gears and was wondering if there is an adjustment or correction I could
make.

My power question has to do with the right type of power supply to buy. 
I would like to use a  Power Tank vs. rechargeable AA batteries and have
seen 2 variants; a 12V 7AH and a 12V 17AH.  Not sure which is most
appropriate for the 125.  As a side note, I have used the Meade #541 AC
Adapter and #607 Power Cord, but each time I do I have trouble with the
scope in easy alignment mode. It will select a star, then begin to slew.
However, the scope will point straight up until it cannot go any
farther.  I must turn the scope off and try again, with no different
result.  I have tried, reset, calibrate and train to no avail.  It seems
using the #541 is the only factor that causes this.  I'd appreciate your
thoughts on the Power Tank.

Finally, I live outside of Chicago where there is quite a bit of light
pollution.  I have seen several filters that claim to reduce light
pollution, i.e. the Orion SkyGlow and Meade Broadband filters.  I was
wondering if you have found these to be effective of if there is another
type of filter that I should investigate.

Thanks in advance for your assistance and thanks for the time and energy
you put into your web site.  It has certainly made my experience with
the ETX much more enjoyable thus far.
 
Best Regards,
 
Larry

And:

Thanks for your feedback on the Power tank and the filters (found the
reviews on your site) and I will definitely calibrate when switching
power sources.  The other issue I am having is a tracking problem.  It
seems in certain positions that the RA motor (I believe it was the RA)
would audibly "click" and the scope, thus the image, would jump vs.
tracking smoothly.  I am concerned that this is a sign of trouble with
the motor or the gears jumping off the drive and was wondering if there
is an adjustment or correction I could make or if I should send it back
to Meade as it is only 6 months old.
 
Thanks and Regards,
 
Larry

And:

At this point, it sounds like my best bet is to move the scope from
hardstop to hardtop as suggested then to reset, calibrate and train
drives.  Starting fresh will give me a baseline to see if I have any
more gear problems.  If so, I'll contact Meade.  Thanks again.

Subject:	Meade ETX Collimation?
Sent:	Friday, July 1, 2005 08:43:28
From:	WarpedCorp (warpcorp@swbell.net)
I'm looking at purchasing a DSX90 (ETX90 on one arm mount) for use as a
grab and go vacation scope and guide scope.

Is it possible to collimate these scopes should they not be right on
from the box?  Procedure?
 
Thanks!
 
Warp
 
Have a great 4th and remember the troops!

And:

Thanks Mike.... have a great holiday!
 
Warp

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