ETX TECHNICAL TIPS Last updated: 8 December 2002

DS Motors on other Telescopes

Subject:	Thanks!
Sent:	Thursday, December 5, 2002 11:21:23
From:	mike-hadley@att.net (Mike Hadley)
I finally got my DS modified 2080 scope working and the pictures posted
on my web site.  I just wanted to say thanks to you guys for your help
in this endeavor.  Mike, who's site was the central point for all of the
contacts and autostar information, Dick for continual help on the
Autostar (as well as satellite tracking), Steve, for the idea in the
first place, and Christopher for the resistor slew fix.

I've gotten more use out of this old scope in the last few months than I
have in all of the previous years since 1984 when I bought it.  Below is
a post to several Yahoo groups.
 
Thanks again,
Mike H.
 
 
Hi All,

I have modified a 1984 Meade 2080 with DS motors and posted some
pictures of the modified scope on my web site in the equipment area.

http://home.att.net/~mike-hadley/equipment.htm

This setup works reasonably well but there is a little more slop in the
Dec axis than I would like.  I am currently using gears that came with
the 493 Kit from Meade since it was an easy modification.  The 60 tooth
gear is adequate to avoid lugging down the motor, but as I said, the
worm gear housing is pretty soppy so I my change to a custom gear in the
future.

I was originally concerned that the  low gearing in the RA axis might
make slews too slow for satellite tracking, but I was able to track the
ISS on a low pass the other night without any problem (other than trying
to keep it in a high power eyepiece that is ;~)

Mike H.

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