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Arthur Dent
Galactic Hitch-Hiker
Reged: 10/23/08
Posts: 1150
Loc: South Yorkshire, UK
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For those of you who have followed the trials and tribulations of my ETX-105 and its on-going RA problem, I have to say that it had finally been sorted.
That is until today.
Last night I went out with the ETX to take a photo of sunspot group 1023 before it fades away. The clouds were fast approaching and by the time I was ready, the clouds had rolled in and it was game over.
This afternoon, I come home to cloudy blue skies. Great. Get out the ETX and start doing a "mock alignment". I suddenly realise that the camera port still has the SCT adapter screwed on - just as the scope was elevating! 
Press the 'MODE' button to stop the slew just as the adapter hits the base. GENERAL MOTOR FAILURE! 
No problem I think as I check out the altitude drive which elevates both up and down. The RA drive however, won't move clockwise or anticlockwise. Aoaaarrrrgggghhhhh!
Methinks the Meade mount is absolute CARP (anagram). There seems to be a very badly designed RA drive in this scope as there should be some protection from overloads or fouling of the OTA movement by things such as cameras.
The game plan is now not to send it back to the Telescope Hospital, but to get a dovetail rail and fix it onto the scope and then use the scope in another mount.
Can you recommend a suitable dovetail and a source of supply?
I'd like a GoTo mount and I don't want Meade. Anyone know of a cheap, stand-alone GoTo mount that I could use?
Bear in mind that I'm in the UK, so dealers & prices appropriately please.
Thanks in anticipation 
Art
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If I like it, the wife says that we can't afford it!
=======================================================
Meade ETX105 (a nice "Grab & Go" scope) & Celestron NexStar 6SE with Bob's Knobs.
Various EP's from 6mm to 26mm, a 2x Barlow, 2" diagonal and 7Ah PowerTank.
MRF and Antares 8x50 RACI finder scope - both for the 6SE's OTA, whilst the ETX gets a plain RDF.
Canon EOS 400D DSLR (un-modded) and SPC900 webcam. Finally climbing the AP Learning Curve!
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Joe Lalumia
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/07
Posts: 3536
Loc: Rockwall, Texas, USA
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Sorry about that-- Arthur.
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LX90 8" LNT, SV Nighthawk & TelePOD, SV 80/9D & M4 mount, ETX 90, Orion XT10i, 20x80 binoculars, SV-BV3s-- www.texasastro.org
"Great minds discuss ideas;Average minds discuss events;Small minds discuss people." Unknown
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jgraham
Postmaster
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 6695
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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The only 'cheap' stand-alone GoTo I'm aware of is the Cube, but these have had a history of problems. I'm sorry to hear you've had problems with your ETX, but it does sound like it's time to move on. There's an olde saying... good and cheap, pick one or the other.
Good luck!
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-John
================================================
Homebuilt scopes from 4.25-16.5"
Meade LXD75-N6/SN6/SC8, DSX-90, ETX-60BB, ETX-125PE, DS-2130
Orion StarBlast, BinoViewers, Coronado PST
Rebel XT/XTi, DSI Pro (I, II, & III), DSI, LPI, Electronic Eyepiece, Phillips SPC900NC
Tasco 60mm Refractors
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AlexDJ30
sage
Reged: 09/02/08
Posts: 267
Loc: Monterrey, Mexico
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Well the cube is one option but yes it too have is own brains and problems. Sorry to hear that mate!
If you want to do AP then i would go the GEM way like celestron ASGT mount, but if you only want solar system ap..maybe you can find a used SE mount (celestron)..
I pass the same predicament like you..my etx-125 AT right now its not working, problems in the RA, so it will be going too to the telescope hospital, but meanwhile i purchase a SE mount (I have a C6 ASGT scope too) so i will using my C6 with the SE mount i just purchase and i think after the repairs and check it out my ETX-125 AT is going for sale..saddly. You can use your ETX OTA with the SE Mount with a vixen style dovtail.
I dont want LNT finders or North and level technology, i want a reliable scope! my wish would be seen the etx line like the LX-90! bigger arms, higher and steel wheels! and servo motors...that would hit the nail, but i dont know meade have their own brains..
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Equipment:
- ETX 125 AT
- C6 ASGT
- WO 66mm SD
- 2.5X ED Barlow, 8-24mm Zoom Eyepice
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi
- Celestron Nextimagen
- Orion Starshoot CCD cam
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dunc.ellliott
sage
Reged: 10/06/06
Posts: 202
Loc: Syston, Leicester,UK
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Hi Art sorry to read about your troubles, i had a 105 for about 4 years and had no problems with the drives, maybe i got a good one and you got a bad one. I tried using the rear port for imaging without great success the only way to use it without fouling the mount is in polar mode but in the end i gave up and upgraded to a scope that is designed for hanging stuff off the back without fouling the mount. The etx is a great scope and mount for the money, i think you are being a bit harsh and are using it for what it was not designed for, like you say it is a nice grab & goto scope.
Duncan
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Meade 8" LX200R + Dell Inspiron 1501 + DSI ii color
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rmollise
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 4491
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Quote:
The only 'cheap' stand-alone GoTo I'm aware of is the Cube, but these have had a history of problems. I'm sorry to hear you've had problems with your ETX, but it does sound like it's time to move on. There's an olde saying... good and cheap, pick one or the other.
Good luck!
Should my ETX 125 mount go belly up, I'd probably consider the Ioptron Mini Tower. Not perfect, but substantially better than the cube IMHO.
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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jgraham
Postmaster
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 6695
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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Hmmm, if mine ever gives up the ghost it'll probably find a second life as one heck of a guide scope. Not likely though, my 8 year old DS-2130 is still going strong and I believe it uses the same internal workings as the ETX.
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-John
================================================
Homebuilt scopes from 4.25-16.5"
Meade LXD75-N6/SN6/SC8, DSX-90, ETX-60BB, ETX-125PE, DS-2130
Orion StarBlast, BinoViewers, Coronado PST
Rebel XT/XTi, DSI Pro (I, II, & III), DSI, LPI, Electronic Eyepiece, Phillips SPC900NC
Tasco 60mm Refractors
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JT5
professor emeritus
Reged: 11/08/07
Posts: 564
Loc: Ozarks of Missouri
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Art: Sorry about the goof up! Sounds like some costly work around solutions have been offered.
Take a look inside if you can do the fix yourself?
Good luck!!
John
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My wife shares my love of the night skies and tolerates all of my other hobbies.
Televue Pronto w/Starbeam pointer and Televue tripod
Meade 2045D, ETX-125PE, 12" Lightbridge
Celestron: 7Amp PowerTank, 15X70mm binoculars
Meade, Swan and Televue Lenses (33, 26, 20, 15 & 9mm), Televue Barlow
Catsperch Observing Chair
Member: Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri
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rmollise
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/06/07
Posts: 4491
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Quote:
Hmmm, if mine ever gives up the ghost it'll probably find a second life as one heck of a guide scope. Not likely though, my 8 year old DS-2130 is still going strong and I believe it uses the same internal workings as the ETX.
Yep...I'm not overly worried...especially considering how seldom I've been able to use the ETX of late. 
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Uncle Rod
Rod's New Book:
Choosing and Using a New CAT
Available now!
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Arthur Dent
Galactic Hitch-Hiker
Reged: 10/23/08
Posts: 1150
Loc: South Yorkshire, UK
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Hi JT5
It is most likely to be Kentucky Fried Electronics somewhere. Last time I looked in the base when this happened there was nothing obviously amiss.
Thanks to all the suggestions from folks.
I'm intrigued by the ASGT. Who makes this mount? Can anyone post a link so that I know what I'm looking at?
I'm thinking to fabricate an "L" shaped aluminium bracket and attach a vixen-style dovetail. I can then mount the ETX onto my NexStar SE's mount.
Quote:
... i think you are being a bit harsh and are using it for what it was not designed for ...
Duncan, I was using the ETX for imaging using an SCT adapter screwed onto the rear camera port of the ETX. I just forgot that I'd left it screwed on and and because the alignment star (Arcturus I think it was) was near zenith, as the ETX slewed, the SCT adapter hit the base and the motor (or controlling electronics) got fried.
Cheers guys.
ARt
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If I like it, the wife says that we can't afford it!
=======================================================
Meade ETX105 (a nice "Grab & Go" scope) & Celestron NexStar 6SE with Bob's Knobs.
Various EP's from 6mm to 26mm, a 2x Barlow, 2" diagonal and 7Ah PowerTank.
MRF and Antares 8x50 RACI finder scope - both for the 6SE's OTA, whilst the ETX gets a plain RDF.
Canon EOS 400D DSLR (un-modded) and SPC900 webcam. Finally climbing the AP Learning Curve!
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AlexDJ30
sage
Reged: 09/02/08
Posts: 267
Loc: Monterrey, Mexico
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ASGT that means advance series mount are made by Celestron we here call it CG-5, the meade counterpart should be the LXD-75 Gem Mount. I think right now celestron have the upper hand on the GEM mount market than meade (with their all star polar aligment). Both mounts are aproximate for 35 lbs visual use..and at most 20 lbs for AP.
Here si the link for the Celestron One:
http://www.celestron.com/c3/product.php?CatID=16&ProdID=92
Arthur i think you can make the L shape or on some telescope shops they sell the adapter for the vixen style plate.
I think if you want real AP the go to GEM mount is the way to go! and maybe you can buy a SE celestron mount for the grab and go...i think meade too sells alone the DS-2000 mount alone (its alt?azm go to mount sell with DS-2000 telecopes) but i dont know if it can carry the ETX-125 OTA ..maybe you can ask around.
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Equipment:
- ETX 125 AT
- C6 ASGT
- WO 66mm SD
- 2.5X ED Barlow, 8-24mm Zoom Eyepice
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi
- Celestron Nextimagen
- Orion Starshoot CCD cam
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Joe Lalumia
Post Laureate
Reged: 01/24/07
Posts: 3536
Loc: Rockwall, Texas, USA
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Arthur if I ever remount my LX90 it will be on a iptron mini tower--
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LX90 8" LNT, SV Nighthawk & TelePOD, SV 80/9D & M4 mount, ETX 90, Orion XT10i, 20x80 binoculars, SV-BV3s-- www.texasastro.org
"Great minds discuss ideas;Average minds discuss events;Small minds discuss people." Unknown
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jgraham
Postmaster
Reged: 12/02/04
Posts: 6695
Loc: Dayton, Ohio
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Alex; they used to sell the ETX-125 OTA on a DS-2000 mount as the DSX-125. There were DSX equivalents of the 90, 105, and 125. This is my little DSX-90...
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-John
================================================
Homebuilt scopes from 4.25-16.5"
Meade LXD75-N6/SN6/SC8, DSX-90, ETX-60BB, ETX-125PE, DS-2130
Orion StarBlast, BinoViewers, Coronado PST
Rebel XT/XTi, DSI Pro (I, II, & III), DSI, LPI, Electronic Eyepiece, Phillips SPC900NC
Tasco 60mm Refractors
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Treehopper
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/29/08
Posts: 582
Loc: Upstate NY
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I had to look for a second; nice bino-viewer on the back John! Sweet little set-up there! 
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Tim
Champion of small aperture scopes everywhere!
Meade ETX-125PE
Meade ETX-80
Celestron FirstScope 76mm Mini-dob
 Updated: 09/16/2009
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