Posts Made By: Rod Mollise

Michael Miller said:

Hello-

I am hoping for some help. I have a Meade LTX 90PE that was purchased used. It works well with the exception of the auto-align feature. When I try to use this feature it will go through the sequence of aligning itself but once it gets to orienting to the first star it gives an error on the HBX to "Check Mount" and then options to abort or "Go To" to continue. Problem is that at this point the HBX locks-up and will not allow either a "Go To" input or pressing "Mode" or any other button - I have to turn the unit off to reset it. It works fine on 2-star, 1-star and Easy Alignment modes - slews to stars, Go To works etc. Only problem is with AutoAlign. Any advice? Meade was not helpful - told me to send it to them and for $150.00 they would look at it. Would rather spend the $150.00 on accessories vs. repairs!. Thanks.

Larry Brown said:

I built a 6-inch Newtonian with a tiny secondary mirror on a curved spider. The increase in contrast over the old larger secondary was quite noticable. My 6-inch Newt outperformed 8-inch Schmidt Cas scopes at a star party (for contrast and detail), using Mars as the sample target. My question is, when does aperture become an advantage? Will I get better planetary images with a 9.25 or 11-inch Schmidt Cas (with 33% obstructions) than I do with my 6-inch Newt (with 12% obstruction)? By "better" I mean enhanced contrast and more planetary detail as well as sharpness. Anyone have any experienced with reduced secondary obstructions? Thanks!

Rowland Hamly said:

Below zero winters in northern MN are the norm. Celestron tells me not to run the electronics in my vx when it is this cold. Are heaters available for mounts? Are there homemade ideas that work? Rowland

Ken Hansen said:

Apparently there are no more of those Accutrack controllers to be had.

I had donated my C8 to a private school several years ago. The school closed down and I got it back. It had some problems. That oval power receptacle in the base must have broke because some one kluged a power cord onto it. I managed to get a receptacle on it to work and can now hook it up to an AC outlet and it runs.

The "Accutrack" controller appears to be be non functional. The fuse is not blown. I don't have much in the way of diagnostic equipment to see what's wrong with it.

Does anyone know of a way to get the C8 to run on a sidereal (or lunar, or whatever) clock without one of those controllers?

Thanks

Ken H
Marion, IA