Ordered New Scope

[mick pinner]

After finally having had enough of the problems with my 12" Meade l have finally decieded to bite the bullet and order a new scope, l have decieded on an Optical Guidance Systems scope, it is a Ritchey-Chretein 16" f/8 carbon fibre optical tube assembly, there is a waiting list but it will be worth the wait considering the hassles with the Meade, l waited a long time to finally get a Meade and to be completely honest it was not worth the wait.
l will give an appraisal on the scope after delivery.

[thomo]

Yep, I also ordered a new scope today - a 10" Deluxe Dob to replace my cheap Chinese 4.5" reflector. That would probably explain the weather in Sydney today and for the next 4 days or so.
:rain:
:windy:

[[1ponders]]

Way to go guys. Keep that weather down south for us for a while will you :cool2:

Oh and congrats on the new scopes too :D . Wow 16" Mick. That's serious appature.

Thomo you wont know yourself, (and your partner will forget what you look like as they wont be seeing much of you now :P ), good onya :2thumbs:

[thomo]

No partner Paul. No partner = more Thomo time + more cash for eyepieces, etc :evil:

[[1ponders]]

Then what the hell are you doing with a piddlin' little 10". What's wrong with 26" of sky gruntin' mirror:P :P :P

[iceman]

Wow Mick that's awesome!

Can't wait to see the photos of it (and images you produce out of it).. and i'd love if you could write a review for the site.

Will it fit in your observatory?

[mick pinner]

The new scope

[Striker]

Very nice Mick.......

But what problems are you having with your Meade LX200?

[[1ponders]]

Awesome:eyepop: That 2" diagnal really put its to scale. Will your existing pillar be able to carry it?

[mick pinner]

The LX 200 saga began about 2 months when as you turned it on it would constantly drive to the east and therefore just go around in circles, this problem actually stopped for a while and then it started driving south on start up, this also stopped and went back to driving east and has ever since.
I rang Bintel in Sydney and they suggested a motor and computer service kit so l got one, by the way l was quoted $500.00 over the phone, gave them my credit card number and when it arrived l was charged $595.00, after paying to have the kit fitted by an electrical engineer it would not fire up, after ringing Sydney again they told me the hand controller had to be replaced and sent me down a test controller, still doesn't work, ring back again and now they don't know what is wrong so as you can imagine l'm choc full of confidence in these guys and waiting until tomorrow for another phone call after they talk to Meade in the states.
Add all this to focuser and stability problems l really do think they are the most overrated telescope on the market.
The pier l have really is solid and when you compere the weight of the new scope on an EQ mount considering it is carbon fibre it will compere pretty favourably with the weight of the Meade and any alterations to the observatory will pale into insignificance when compared to the price of the scope itself.

[RAJAH235]

WOW! L.

[Astroman]

WOW alright.!

Sorry to hear about all those problems with the Meade. That new 16" R/C looks awesome. Thats some serious light bucketing there.

[ving]

go dob power! :)

that new scope looks awsome! so how long before you get it?

[iceman]

Wow! Does the mount in that picture come with it? :lol:

[Thiink]

:jawdrop:

O my! After researching that thing on the net you're either funded by NASA or really bug bitten. :)

I'm glad I'm not in Vic; when that thing comes its not just going to rain, its going to storm for weeks!

Congrats on the purchase!

[iceman]

The R/C scopes are awesome for imaging.. Matt Russell has one and combined with his very expensive commercial CCD camera and very high altitude where he lives, he produces some of the most fantastic astro shots i've seen.

Are you planning on using it for imaging mick?

[ving]

gee i hope so! love seein astro pic from you guys! :D

[mick pinner]

The scope l am getting is optical tube assembly only and l will be using it primarily for imaging although l have a long way to go in that area, it will be mounted on an EQ but which one yet l am still doing research.

[RAJAH235]

Mick, I came across this site a few months ago. Thought you might like to have a quick look. :D L.

(http://www.hiddenloft.darkhorizons.org/)

[Rodstar]

Mick, set up the spare room, I am moving in with you!!! You are serious adicted, man! One day, after the mortgage is cleared, I hope to follow suit.

It will great to hear your reports once the OTA arrives.

I'm surprised to hear both about the problems with Meade and with Bintel. I have found both to be fantastic. Maybe you are being punished for living south of the border?

Rodstar

[Dave47tuc]

Hi Mick,
Congrats, on your new scope.:D But I have concerns that your Meade was not right.

Have you tried and i bet you have this site

http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/GPS.htm
http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/GPS.htm#hardstops



You have sensors in the base that stop the scope hitting the hard stop. These can get grease on them and wont line up. Grease on sensors have been the usual problem here.

I'm at a loss why Bintel could not help you.
My friend has a 14" and it can run a bit wild on start up, but turn it off and it will work. Can take 2 or 3 goes. he reckons it is grease on the sensors. Try lifting the 14" to fix this problem.

I have never had any of these issues.
What fimware version do you have? How old is your scope?

Have you changed any AutoStar settings? What was wrong with the focuser? Most work very well.

As with most mass produced things, cars etc. You can get some bad ones. Meade has sold hundreds of these scopes. Most work very well.

As for overratted, I disagree you get a lot of telescope for your money. 20 Years ago such a thing was not around, so i think we a very lucky these days.

Again grease has caused a lot of problems on these scope. Mine was lack of grease. I had a lot of loud ticking in the RA base. A little grease fixed this. You scope may be the other way to much grease that has got on some of the wireing.

Have you tried this group also?http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LX200GPS/

Sorry you have had the problems you have had. You could PM me with some persifics and maybe I could help or i know someone who can.

Cheers.

[[1ponders]]

Mick I wan't aware that the you could get the RC in OTA only. Now I'm seriously interested.

[mick pinner]

Dave Firstly just let me say that both Don and Michael at Bintel have been very helpful it just seemed to me that in the beginning it was a bit of a guessing game as to what the problem was after the service kit failed to fix the problem but they now assure me that a new hand controller will fix the problem, apparently when the computer board shorts it also blows the hand controller.
Secondly you are right, overrated probably was a bit strong but if you read the forum on Yahoo LX 200 as l am sure you do, it amazes me that after making the LX classic like mine and now the GPS for so long that they continue to have so many inherent problems with a brand new scope and so many of them need to be returned for repairs, this is what turned me of buying a new RCX from them especially being in Oz.
Frustration probably had a bit to do with my initial comments and l am sure that when these problems are solved it will be a fine scope, by the way the focuser seems to overshoot the mark very easily, have you had any experience with the Peterson kit with the nylon bushes. Thanks for the interest Mick.

[Dave47tuc]

Mick,
I hope you get it all right:D

I have had no problem with the focuser.

Did you mean Peterson's bucks gears?

If so i have not fitted them.:D

:cheers:

[mick pinner]

It was actually the Peterson EZ focusing kit l was thinking of Bintel have them for about $70.00 any ideas.

[acropolite]

And no wonder; they are after all the same country that produced the Harley Davidson! (sorry Ken) :confused:

[xstream]

Mick,
I fitted the Peterson Ez focus kit to the LX90 and can vouch for the focus improvement it eliminates all backlash. Btw they are s/steel bearings in the kit not nylon bushes, they are nylon bushes that you would presently have in your focuser.

[Dave47tuc]

Mick,
i must say sorry, I did forget you had a classic rather than a GPS model. There diffrent in many ways.

I find this site very good as I said before.
http://www.mapug-astronomy.net/AstroDesigns/MAPUG/ArhvList.htm

As for the EZ focus it only eliminates back lash, look here,
http://www.petersonengineering.com/SkyDiv/what_does_it_fix.htm

And yes I have the EZ focus and it works very well.

:cheers:

[iceman]

Mick,

For some reason your new scope came into my mind..

Did you ever get this beastly thing? How is it?

[mick pinner]

arrival time is the second week in October, now l have to deceide on what mount to put it on, probably will have to be either the new Losmandy Titan or the Paramount ME. l will have to make some phone calls but l think the Paramount will be the one, prices at this size become almost surreal, $12,500US.

[robin]

Sorry to hear about your problems Mick. I've had my LX200GPS for nearly 2 years now & I'm totally happy in every way.Purrs like a kitten.
Having said that, I've just touched wood.

[mick pinner]

hi Robin, these problems happened awhile back and everything has been sorted now, since the new service kit went in and a little tweeking took place the scope is absolutely perfect, a 2 star alignment puts everything into the field of vision and it seems to track forever and optically it performes great, on another matter, l lived in Warrnambool for a while when we first moved here from N.Z, small world hey.

[robin]

Thats interesting coz i was wondering how you'd sell the scope if it had gremlins in it.Glad to hear its working fine now.
How long did you live in Warrnambool for?What year/years were you here?

[mick pinner]

about 4 years between 64-68 in Crawley St and went to Jameson St state school, think l spelt it right.

[robin]

Yes Jamieson st primary (a.k.a.warrnambool primary school) is only a couple of blocks from my home.
If you recall where the hospital was, thats my street.

[netwolf]

This is what i am dreaming off for Christmass...
http://www.astroworks.com/ for a cool US $25,000