Telescope Reviews: Arrrrggghhhh!

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!
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Meade ETX105 (a nice "Grab & Go" scope) & Celestron NexStar 6SE with Bob's Knobs.

Various EP's from 6mm to 26mm, Baader Hyperion 8-24mm Zoom, 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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