USER OBSERVATIONS Last updated: 24 October 2006

Subject:	New/used 125...
Sent:	Friday, October 20, 2006 20:20:42
From:	Kent's BGA Account (akent@bga.com)
I received my used ETX-125 via an Ebay seller two days ago.
I was sceptical, as it had gone through the process before.
 
I'm happy now. This is a late model AT with UHTC.
 
Anyway, when the scope arrived, I was very excited, as was my daughter,
who wants to become an astonomer! She is concentrating on the math
today, even as a freshman in high school, already in AP geometry,
already past Algebra. Next is beginning AP calculus. She is in 9th
grade.
===
When I received the scope from the Ebay puchase, it was not packaged
well, and after plugging everything in, the base motor would not run.

This scope came with the 497 controller as well as the simple hand
controller. Nothing. Plus, the up/down motor was intermittent.

So, after reviewing and searching your most wonderful site, I found out
how to remove the base of the scope and look around. I feared the worst!
After removing the base, it turns out that BOTH connectors for the RA
motor were unplugged!! The others were loose, too!

These are CHEASY connectors, with very little friction contact with the
pins on the PCB's. I am really disappointed in these.

Since I'm an electrical engineer, I appreciate the need to reduce costs,
but please give me a break! With any future problems, I'll remove these
funky IDC connectors and replace them with 'real' connectors.
 
Anyway, now to the point of my email.
=====
Once the scope was operational, I immediately took it apart and checked
all the motor parts, from this awesome site!

Then, I upgraded the firmware for the Autostar from version 2.something
to the current 4.3EA version.

Then, I painstaikingly reset the unit and setup the thing from scratch.
===
All well and good. BUT, this is not what I expected as follows.

I went into my driveway, outside my lab, surrounded by huge trees, no
way to see Polaris, etc.

I got out my GPS unit with  an electronic compass, and used that to see
if the thing would work at all. I did use a small bubble level under the
scope to get that close.

I set the scope to the home positon, and then used my GPS for orienting
the scope.

Then I proceeded to do the 'easy' two star setup. To my amazement, the
first star showed up in the 26mm eyepiece!!! Then, on to the second
star. Humm. Where is it...It was in the viewfinder, so slew a bit and
there it was!!

After that, I used the 'Guided tour' for a while. Since no planets are
around this time of the year and night, I decided to take a look around
ar Messiers...So, first up was the Andromeda Galaxy. Instantly in the
middle of the eyepiece!! I can't believe it! So, down to 9mm eyepiece
and it's still there! Yup, fuzzy, but very cool.

I proceeded down the pike with many other Fuzzies! Incredible. Many of
these fuzzies are not really bad at all. I am amazed at the resolving
power of the 125!
 
This scope is incredible!!
 
Take care,
Kent

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