Anonymous
Unregistered
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Don't be put off by bad reviews on forums. Often the only people who post on forums are the people who are having problems and need help or want to vent their anger.
I find the ETX to be a highly reliable, accurate and good quality scope and would definitely recommend it!
http://www.weasner.com/etx/ is the best resource for info/help/reviews/tips on the ETX and:
http://www.weasner.com/etx/techtips/etx_tuneup1.html
will tell you how to increase the pointing accuracy of your scope. Usually playing with the value for "RA/AZ Percentage" and accurately training the drives makes the scope perform almost perfectly.
The ETX is great because it's super portable, carrying it in a rucksack would be perfect for cycling and you wouldn't even need a tripod, just sit the scope on the ground in a open field, put a blanket down and lay next to the scope! This is only possible in altaz mode, but you'll also have the freedom to change to polar mode (equatorial mount) if you want.
The ETX-90EC is the scope you'd probably want but the new ETX-80 (available in November) seems really tempting to me. It has a built in time chip (ETX-90EC require you input the date and time whenever it's switched on), the focus knob is in a more comfortable position, it has a built in barlow lens to increase the eyepiece magnification, it comes with a bubble level/compass to help align it and it comes with two eyepieces for £300! www.telescopehouse.co.uk are also selling it with a Lunar & Planetary Filter Set and other great stuff. If you buy the ETX-90 you may want to replace the focus knob with a Flexi-Mate Focus Knob (check the accessories page of telescopehouse.co.uk)
A good eyepiece if you want more magnification is the Skywatcher 7-21mm zoom eyepiece sold for £50 at warehouseexpress.com i own one and it's great on my ETX-105 as it allows me to increase/decrease magnification as the weather requires it, and doesn't appear to lose any image quality, though the viewing angle isn't great at low magnifications.
Invest in a good set of rechargeable batteries (The ETX-90 needs eight, ETX-80: six), fingerless gloves, hat (to keep heat in) and a thermos flask full of hot liquid: the british weather is no joke! And make sure you have a watch and compass if you get an ETX-90 as well as a small torch (red light if possible).
Good luck, and i hope you get to see Mars while it's so good!
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prc
journeyman
Reged: 10/21/05
Posts: 9
Loc: Northampton, UK
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Guys, you've all been a tremendous help!! My thoughts have swung violently over the past week from ETX90 to Orion Starmax 102 MAK/Starwatcher 102 MAK then onto a Celestron 102SLT. I'm now back where I almost started - with the brand new ETX80. The idea of GOTO really appeals (as my current home life means that time is limited). And I don't want to get bogged down with setting up equatorial mounts each time I want to view the sky. The Celestron 102SLT is a good balance of apeture/money but at 24" long it may be difficult to transport on my bike (occasional use - about 35-40% of my viewing time - but still the plan!!!). So it's back to either the ETX90 or ETX80. My gut instinct is that the ETX80 probably services all my current requirements - and at a good price. Although 80mm may be frustrating once I get the hang of things......I fear I may go shopping soon...!!
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Mark
Skywatcher 127 MAK, EQ3-2
Opticron 10x50
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Gandalf
sage
Reged: 08/19/05
Posts: 423
Loc: The Library of Minas Tirith
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prc,
A few last words of advice. If it's a choice between the ETX80 and the ETX90, go for the 90.
The 80 will suffer from chromatic aberration and give much inferior views of the Moon and planets; despite its wider field views it really isn't in the same league as the 90 which has high quality Maksutov-Cassegrain optics.
Can I make a suggestion? Buy the old-type blue ETX 90 (new from Telescope House) and a pair of binoculars (10x50 or 7x50). That will give you most of the advantages of both scopes and the binoculars will give great wide-field views and help you learn the sky a lot better!
The ETX90 will also have a higher re-sale value if you ever decide to upgrade to something much bigger, too.
Sign up to the UKAI forum (free!) and you'll get 10% discount at Telescope House as well 
Cheers,
~Gandalf~
Quote:
Guys, you've all been a tremendous help!! My thoughts have swung violently over the past week from ETX90 to Orion Starmax 102 MAK/Starwatcher 102 MAK then onto a Celestron 102SLT. I'm now back where I almost started - with the brand new ETX80. The idea of GOTO really appeals (as my current home life means that time is limited). And I don't want to get bogged down with setting up equatorial mounts each time I want to view the sky. The Celestron 102SLT is a good balance of apeture/money but at 24" long it may be difficult to transport on my bike (occasional use - about 35-40% of my viewing time - but still the plan!!!). So it's back to either the ETX90 or ETX80. My gut instinct is that the ETX80 probably services all my current requirements - and at a good price. Although 80mm may be frustrating once I get the hang of things......I fear I may go shopping soon...!!
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Stuart Williams aka Gandalf the Grey - "A star shines upon the hour of our meeting".
Meade 10" LX200GPS, ETX90AT, AR6.
The Patrick Moore Lunar Observatory: http://www.lunarobservatory.co.uk
Hi-Mag Lunar Stereo Imaging Project: http://freewebs.com/luna3d
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brt209
sage
Reged: 09/18/05
Posts: 233
Loc: London
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TELESCOPE HOUSE ARE NOT TO BE RECOMMENDED!They sold me a used pair of Zeiss Victory 10x25 as a new one and I bet that I was not the first nor the last to get this treatment...
You'd be better off buying from warehouse-express or green-witch online catalogue: greenwich
warehouse-express
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Zeiss Victory 10x25
Helios AM-6 10x50
Pentax DCF SP 8x32
Helios Ultimate HR 7x50
Celestron Ultima 80 spotting scope
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Gandalf
sage
Reged: 08/19/05
Posts: 423
Loc: The Library of Minas Tirith
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I disagree. You may have had some bad luck but I've found them to be reliable, helpful and quick to respond to emails, unlike some others. I hardly think you can judge on one purchase.
Green Witch are a good dealer and also offer discounts - but they can be slow to respond to emails. Better to 'phone them.
Warehouse Express have only a limited range of goods, I'd be surprised if they have the level of expertise of the specialist astronomy dealers but some of their prices are good. They do not give discounts.
Quote:
TELESCOPE HOUSE ARE NOT TO BE RECOMMENDED!They sold me a used pair of Zeiss Victory 10x25 as a new one and I bet that I was not the first nor the last to get this treatment...
You'd be better off buying from warehouse-express or green-witch online catalogue: greenwich
warehouse-express
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Stuart Williams aka Gandalf the Grey - "A star shines upon the hour of our meeting".
Meade 10" LX200GPS, ETX90AT, AR6.
The Patrick Moore Lunar Observatory: http://www.lunarobservatory.co.uk
Hi-Mag Lunar Stereo Imaging Project: http://freewebs.com/luna3d
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prc
journeyman
Reged: 10/21/05
Posts: 9
Loc: Northampton, UK
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Hi all. I called Sherwoods and spoke to an extremely helpful guy called Phil. Sorry to disappoint you ETX fans but i'm going to buy a Skywatcher MAK on an Equatorial mount - either the 102 or 127. My budget only allows me an ETX90EC and I feel that I can get much more with a "manual" scope. Thanks for all your help and no doubt we'll all be conversing again soon, Mark.
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Mark
Skywatcher 127 MAK, EQ3-2
Opticron 10x50
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Gandalf
sage
Reged: 08/19/05
Posts: 423
Loc: The Library of Minas Tirith
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Mark,
You made a good choice there. I know the lads from Sherwoods well and visited their shop regularly until they abandoned Birmingham.
Get the bigger Mak - you'll find the 102 limiting.
Also don't forget what I said about binoculars - and get yourself the latest edition of Norton's Star Atlas and Reference Handbook edited by Ian Ridpath - it has all the star charts you'll need and is a good textbook for astronomy too!
Most of all, have fun
Stuart
Quote:
Hi all. I called Sherwoods and spoke to an extremely helpful guy called Phil. Sorry to disappoint you ETX fans but i'm going to buy a Skywatcher MAK on an Equatorial mount - either the 102 or 127. My budget only allows me an ETX90EC and I feel that I can get much more with a "manual" scope. Thanks for all your help and no doubt we'll all be conversing again soon, Mark.
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Stuart Williams aka Gandalf the Grey - "A star shines upon the hour of our meeting".
Meade 10" LX200GPS, ETX90AT, AR6.
The Patrick Moore Lunar Observatory: http://www.lunarobservatory.co.uk
Hi-Mag Lunar Stereo Imaging Project: http://freewebs.com/luna3d
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Rainbow
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Norfolk, UK
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Good choice. I expect that if you try and carry the eq3(2) ,that comes with the 127, on your bike you are going to end up in a ditch!!!! 
This is a shame because IMO it is the cheapest decent equatorial mount out there. Plus you can motorize it at a later date.
You need to get a car 
This has just arrived on the market an is great value:
http://www.telescopehouse.co.uk/page.aspx?theLang=001lngdef&pointerid=3B0DB6330B4D4C7F95A5FB1D1B9FAC61&action=lnk
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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.
CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!
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prc
journeyman
Reged: 10/21/05
Posts: 9
Loc: Northampton, UK
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ref. the eq3-2. I checked the specs of the EQ3-2 and EQ2 and there is a big weight difference. I've kind of justified it in that I will mostly stay at home with it and when I travel I may go by car or buy an EQ2!! I really fancy the idea of a 5" scope though...
Thanks for the skywatcher/sherwoods lead.
Mark.
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Mark
Skywatcher 127 MAK, EQ3-2
Opticron 10x50
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brt209
sage
Reged: 09/18/05
Posts: 233
Loc: London
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Congratulations Mark!The skywatcher Mak is what I would buy if I was in your position.Go for the 127 without hesitation.Get the whole package with the EQ3 even if you don't use it all the time,because it's a bargain at this price.You can still get a lighter mount indeed.
Gandolf: I dealt with Telescope House in their store and they were less than happy when I asked for a replacement pair,keeping telling me that the collimation of the binos was perfect while I was explaining that the fault came from excessive flaring...They gave me another faulty one as a replacement (out of collimation this time,"new" pair which did look more like a second-hand one by the way).So as far as I'm concerned,Telescope House is a NO-NO.
Stephane
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Zeiss Victory 10x25
Helios AM-6 10x50
Pentax DCF SP 8x32
Helios Ultimate HR 7x50
Celestron Ultima 80 spotting scope
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Gandalf
sage
Reged: 08/19/05
Posts: 423
Loc: The Library of Minas Tirith
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Stephane, was this back when Telescope House were running their shop in London? I have to admit I used to be less than impressed with their attitude (and always preferred to go to Sherwoods) but my experience with them this year has been very positive. Not sure whether there has been a change of staff or maybe the extra competition these days has shaken things up a bit.
As far as faulty goods are concerned, you were right to ask for an exchange - I hope you got a refund on the second pair as I would not stand for that. To be fair I do think quality control is very poor on many optical goods these days, down largely to price cutting. But if something is genuinely wrong then it's the dealer's responsibility to sort it out.
Quote:
Gandolf: I dealt with Telescope House in their store and they were less than happy when I asked for a replacement pair,keeping telling me that the collimation of the binos was perfect while I was explaining that the fault came from excessive flaring...They gave me another faulty one as a replacement (out of collimation this time,"new" pair which did look more like a second-hand one by the way).So as far as I'm concerned,Telescope House is a NO-NO.
Stephane
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Stuart Williams aka Gandalf the Grey - "A star shines upon the hour of our meeting".
Meade 10" LX200GPS, ETX90AT, AR6.
The Patrick Moore Lunar Observatory: http://www.lunarobservatory.co.uk
Hi-Mag Lunar Stereo Imaging Project: http://freewebs.com/luna3d
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brt209
sage
Reged: 09/18/05
Posts: 233
Loc: London
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Hi Gandalf,
Yes it was two years ago,they were still based in London.I found out later that they were not an authorized Carl Zeiss dealer which might explain what happened back then.I found it weird when the salesman disappeared for a good 10mn just to get a pair of binos...He was probably trying to clean a used pair before selling it to me.I don't know if they have changed the staff or not but from what I hear from you things seem to have gotten better which is good news.But after such an experience and with all the competition around as you rightly point out,I'll have no regret dealing with somebody else in the future.
Regards.
Stephane
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Zeiss Victory 10x25
Helios AM-6 10x50
Pentax DCF SP 8x32
Helios Ultimate HR 7x50
Celestron Ultima 80 spotting scope
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prc
journeyman
Reged: 10/21/05
Posts: 9
Loc: Northampton, UK
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Guys, i've took the plunge and purchased the Skywatcher 127 MAK with EQ3-2 equatorial mount. Rainbow is right - I read the weight on a spec. sheet but didn't appreciate the weight until I saw one. Nevertheless I went ahead and bought it. I think the 127 should allow for me to learn the significant basics in my back garden (yard) even with light pollution and i'll look for an EQ1/EQ2 on ebay for future mobile use (unless anyone can suggest an alternative "portable" mount and tripod suitable for the back of a bicycle...)
Does this mean au revoir to the ETX forum now that I have gone with another scope??? If so, it's been a great experience and I appreciate everyone's help - I certainly could not have worked all this out alone...
Mark.
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Mark
Skywatcher 127 MAK, EQ3-2
Opticron 10x50
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brt209
sage
Reged: 09/18/05
Posts: 233
Loc: London
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I hope that you'll come back on here for a full review of the skywatcher because I intend to buy one in the near future and I'd like to have your opinion.
Also it's worth shouting that the ETX is not the only telescope around!
Stephane
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Zeiss Victory 10x25
Helios AM-6 10x50
Pentax DCF SP 8x32
Helios Ultimate HR 7x50
Celestron Ultima 80 spotting scope
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Rainbow
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Norfolk, UK
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Glad to have helped
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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.
CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hey! congratulations on your new scope Mark, i'm sure you'll love it!
Don't forget to write back here telling us how good it is...
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prc
journeyman
Reged: 10/21/05
Posts: 9
Loc: Northampton, UK
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Hi all
I've had the Skywatcher 127/EQ3-2 for just over a week and have used it twice (cloud and not feeling well has prevented more use). Mars looked much "bigger" at both 60x and 150x (compared to my bins at 10x).
At 150x Mars don't 'arf shift out of view (or is it us shifting??) I couldn't quite get it pin sharp at 150x (as a beginner i'm guessing it's either a budget 10mm eyepiece, poor(er) seeing or dew). At 60x (25mm) the moon looks spectacular - and pin sharp.
I've got the bug and have bought a Meade 2x Barlow, but haven't had chance to try it yet (same excuses as above!!). My Christmas list now consists of eyepieces, filters and books!!
Rainbow was right - the EQ3-2 mount is a brute - so i'm restricted to backyard viewing at the moment. I want to get an EQ1 or EQ2 mount for travelling but can't get a new (or second hand) EQ1 in the UK (any ideas anyone??) I've toyed with the idea of buying a second hand scope with an EQ1 (ebay) and discarding the scope. Even the EQ2 may be too heavy (a £90 gamble maybe).
I am also in the middle of the "should I have got the ETX?" stage though. It takes 15 minutes to set up and roughly align - and is fully manual, I guess only time will tell!?!??! I suppose it's natural after spending £400 on something I only know a little about. On the positive side - I got a 5" scope for £100 less than an ETX-90.
Before I go, i'd appreciate any eyepiece advice. After reading many posts/books etc I've conlcuded that a 32mm, 25mm, 15mm and 2x Barlow will give me a good spread on an F11.8 scope (focal length 1500mm).
Have fun everyone...
Mark
(PS, this is an extremely friendly forum - your plentiful advice has been much appreciated. I tried questions on other forums - with much fewer (and far more curt) replies).
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Mark
Skywatcher 127 MAK, EQ3-2
Opticron 10x50
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Rainbow
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/27/04
Posts: 662
Loc: Norfolk, UK
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Try placing a wanted ad here:
http://www.astrobuysell.com/uk/
Remember your tripod is heavy for a reason - and you don't want it falling over.
Go secondhand for your accessories, you will save a fortune - I got 3 meade 4000 series eypieces for £100 including postage - all brand new.
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Meade ETX 90 UHTC, 497 Autostar, 884 tripod, right angle finder.
CALIBRATE MOTORS and TRAIN DRIVES!
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Mark K
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 12/16/04
Posts: 860
Loc: Bury, Lancashire, UK
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Quote:
At 150x Mars don't 'arf shift out of view (or is it us shifting??) I couldn't quite get it pin sharp at 150x (as a beginner i'm guessing it's either a budget 10mm eyepiece, poor(er) seeing or dew). At 60x (25mm) the moon looks spectacular - and pin sharp.
November 11 had a nice clear interlude, where low power (60-80x) was good for the Moon and DSOs, but high power (150-180x) was more troublesome. A cold front had passed by earlier in the day, and another one was due a few hours later. This caused Mars to defocus in the eyepiece, and that despite cooling the ETX down for an hour and a half.
The next few nights promise to be clear, but again, the Met Office's definition of a clear night means 'you can see the Moon and bright stars'. Last night ('clear' to the Met), an annoying band of high cloud 'milked out' the sky and prevented useful viewing.
And, why do clear spells correspond to a near-Full Moon ?
Looks like planet and doubles time these next few nights, plus the brighter deep-sky stuff. Luckily many winter open clusters are bright enough to enjoy even under a bright Moon.
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Mark K.
Meade ETX-125
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bobbie
super member
Reged: 12/18/03
Posts: 182
Loc: Australia
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Just love the 'scope you have got is all one can do (until you get another one!). Try some orthoscopic EP's and remember to let it cool down for at least a few hours before trying to assess the optics. And make sure it has a good dew cap, also useful for cutting down stray light entering the light path, even if you make one yourself out of very black painted cardboard.
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Meade AR 5
8" Criterion SCT
3" Towa (f/15) refractor
2.4" Tasco (f/15) refractor
ETX 90
SolarMax 40
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