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Pages: 1 SeaAssault journeyman Reged: 06/02/12 Loc: Central Coast California New ETX 80 Alignment Problems.       #5313617 - 07/12/12 12:13 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I need assistance with an alignment issue with a new ETX 80 AT TC. My problem is that the new ETX 80 now comes with the 497 hand controller. The alignment instructions that come with the telescope are for the old 494 controller and the instructions that came with the 497 controller are for the ETX 90 and do not work for the ETX 80. I have tried to align the telescope using the 494 instructions but the telescope will always slew so far from the alignment star(s) that when I finally get it centered the controller says "Alignment Failed". This happens in "easy", "one star", and "two star" alignment settings. I have verified that the location is accurate, the time and date are correct, and that the scope is set up in the correct starting position. I have made the correct declination adjustment +13.3 degrees. I have the daylight savings set to 'yes'. Any assistance would be appreciated. Post Extras:       Chris Erickson Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/08/06 Loc: Waikoloa Village, Hawaii Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: SeaAssault]       #5313659 - 07/12/12 01:07 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   The instructions should be effectively the same. Are you setting up the mount in Alt-Az or polar configuration? What mode is your 497 hand controller set to? Alt-Az or polar? What scope model have you selected in the 497 hand controller? What do you mean by declination adjustment? Adjustment to the tripod, wedge or ??? If you are in Alt-Az configuration, your home position is OTA level and pointing at True North (not magnetic North) and the base should be reasonably-level. Post Extras:       Stew57 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/03/09 Loc: Silsbee Texas Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: Chris Erickson]       #5313830 - 07/12/12 07:45 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   According to Meade they still come with the 494 http://www.meade.com/etx/specifications The 497 is a big improvement. The setup is the same. Close to level and pointing north. Does not have to be perfect but the closer the closer the stars will land for alignment. Without a finder sometimes it is hard to find the correct star to center. Make sure you are using the correct star. The scope cxomes standard with the alt/az tripod so make sure you are not trying to set up in polar. The etx80 polar option should not be available in the HC when choosing telescope options. Post Extras:       blb Post Laureate Reged: 11/25/05 Loc: Piedmont NC Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: Stew57]       #5314108 - 07/12/12 11:15 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Even with my ETX125PE when it is pointed at polaris and well leveled it will miss the alignment stars by about 10 degrees, but once each one is centered in the field-of-view, it says the alignment is successful and everything located is in the field-of-view after alignment. If you are taking to long to center the star it will fail. Do you have a finder scope or something to help you center the stars? Post Extras:       SeaAssault journeyman Reged: 06/02/12 Loc: Central Coast California Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: blb]       #5315073 - 07/12/12 09:17 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Thank you for the responses. I was surprised when the telescope arrived with the 497 controller (I had sent in my old ETX 80 with the 494 controller due to a "motor drive failure" and they sent me a new ETX 80 with the new controller). I have never had problems with the alignment before but now even when I am extremely (maybe obsessively) careful to set up the scope correctly (pointed to true north with my own compass and leveled with a torpedo level) it will still put me almost 20 degrees to the right and 15 degrees below the first star. When I get this star centered it will slew to the second star and be even further off. Though I am not an expert I am certain I am centering it on the correct stars. No matter how many times I have done this I still get the "alignment failed" notice. I do not have a view finder on the telescope yet but plan to add one soon. Post Extras:       Stew57 Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/03/09 Loc: Silsbee Texas Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: SeaAssault]       #5315197 - 07/12/12 10:35 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Could be a problem with the scope, dirty encoder maybe. If you send it in keep the 497. You did set it up as ETX80 in the hand controller? Post Extras:       SeaAssault journeyman Reged: 06/02/12 Loc: Central Coast California Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: Stew57]       #5315283 - 07/12/12 11:32 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I am certain that I set it up as the ETX 80 but I am working out of town and will have to confirm this when I get home this weekend. I am wondering if I should set the daylight savings to "off". Post Extras:       Chris Erickson Carpal Tunnel Reged: 05/08/06 Loc: Waikoloa Village, Hawaii Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: SeaAssault]       #5315313 - 07/12/12 11:58 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   With the exceptions of Arizona and Hawaii, Daylight Savings should be "on" during summer months. Post Extras:       SeaAssault journeyman Reged: 06/02/12 Loc: Central Coast California Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: Chris Erickson]       #5324086 - 07/18/12 08:14 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Over the weekend I took the telescope out and checked all of the settings. I found that the clock setting somehow got set 1 hour and 14 minutes off. Not sure how that happened. I reset the clock, took it out after dark and the telescope aligned perfectly. A simple error on my part and a little embarassing, but at least now I am ready to take it camping this weekend. Thank you for all of your responses. Post Extras:       AlexDJ30 sage Reged: 09/02/08 Loc: Monterrey, Mexico Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: SeaAssault]       #5338524 - 07/27/12 02:04 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   SeaAssault no error is embarrasing, most of us started like that asking and making mistakes, glad that your aligment are ok now, you should train your drives from time to time using a medium to high power eyepice and put the info right and you are good to go Post Extras:       blb Post Laureate Reged: 11/25/05 Loc: Piedmont NC Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: AlexDJ30]       #5338595 - 07/27/12 03:16 PM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Yes, calabrate the motors and train the drives in that order and I will bet it works a little better. Post Extras:       fishonkevin Pooh-Bah Reged: 04/29/07 Loc: Michigan Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: blb]       #5356249 - 08/07/12 10:32 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   For my older ETX-125, I calibrate motors whenever I switch power supplies. At home I use the AC adapter and in the field I use the 12-volt portable. I train drives ever so often for reinforcement. I also have to put in the time and date every time I fire it up. Being an older model and not having flashed the 497 HC in a couple of years I don't no if the newer firmware has changed this. The DST setting is a twice a year setting. Post Extras:       Dave97402 member Reged: 12/16/11 Loc: Eugene, Or Re: New ETX 80 Alignment Problems. [Re: fishonkevin]       #5356360 - 08/07/12 11:49 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   I just got a etx 90 last year about this time and you still have to do all those settings. No change Post Extras:       Pages: 1

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