Posts Made By: Darrell Fichtl

Tom:

I have a 10" LX200 GPS. I haven't experienced such problems although I plan to replace my gears with Bucks gears in the near future.

The only problem I had is the tripod to base mounting screw got very difficult to turn. I found that the retaining washer had gotten chewed up at sometime and I relaced it with another from the local hardware store.

The finder scope is a piece of junk, but everyone knows that, and I replaced it a long time ago. I've also replace my 90 degree with a 2" Willaims Optics. Both changes were made to fluff up the scope and you can get by just fine without them. If you get something larger than a 8" consider getting a Jimi case with wheels. The softside case furnished by Meade doesn't do much to protect it or make it easier to pack around. To be blunt it's a pain in the back!

As for the mounting of the scope on the tripod use one of the OEM mounting plates. I couldn't find one at Anacortes but you can get a good one from Stellar Visions in Tucson, AZ. Talk with Frank. The plate is about 12" wide and 24" long. Holds about 8 eyepieces and makes the lining up of the scope to the tripod a snap. Without anything like that holding a ten inch on the tripod while trying to afix the mounting screw is a nightmare.

I have inadvertantly plug the hand controller into the guide slot with no ill effects. I know that if you do the same thing on other scopes the S hits the fan.

I think they could have done something better on the electric focuser to indicate the maximum travel had been reached. The book states that you can hear the focuser change it's small noise when you reach the end but that's not to good if either you're:

1. Hearing is not to good
2. You're remoting the scope from another location.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a HUGE Meade or Celestron fan. You can buy better scopes than either one of these [SIZE="Large"][COLOR="Red"]BUT[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE="Normal"][/SIZE]you also have to consider cost. As far as I'm concerned price to quality you can beat either one.

Joe:
Before you decide to jump on either one I would STRONGLY advise visit a dealer and lift one and try to place it on the mount and secure it.

Frankly hoisting my 10" onto the mount and steading it to put the bolt through is nerve racking.

I'm 6'4" and weigh in at 210. Granted I'm 72 but that much bulk and that much weight isn't easy to balance.

I don't have any trouble lifting 70 pounds either but when you put that weight in a scope that costs several grand things kind of change.

[SIZE="Large"]Yeah, I know, truth hurts[/SIZE]!

:C Weather forecasting is like Astrology with numbers!

Nonsense. 8O It's just like naming a star. You can make your own deed and certificate with MS Publisher. It'll have just as much significance as this rip off.

Believe it or not I've got some good friends (not in astronomy of course) that have named a star in their name. They have a very nice wall plaque and nothing else.

How about owning and acre on the sun?

8) Hot deal on this!

8)
Herb:

Good idea. Store it somewhere down a black hole!

Tom:

I know just how you feel. Many years ago (about 40) while polishing my 8" and checking the results on the Foucalt tester I had a similar experience.

My wife, at that time, distracted me while I was transferring the mirror from the tester back to the polishing lap. As you may know the mirror is attached to a handle with pitch. Now pitch is a very good adhesive for slow movements such as polishing but not good for sharp blows. Well, while answering my then wife, I turned my head. The mirror struck the egde of the bench and went crashing to the cement floor. And I do mean crashing.

Well the mirror went bye-bye and so did the wife but not at the same time.

Don't be too discouraged. Things generally work out for the best.

Good luck and clear skies.

Darrell

8O

Alex:

I'm waiting for the Bush/Cheney camp to postpone elections due to the high probablity of a terrorist attack on the U.S.

We'll then make W. Bush president for life!

8)
Heaven is nonsense.

I just heard that Kerry's wife told a reporter to "shove it."

That brings Kerry up a couple of points as far as I'm concerned.