What Focal Reducer (2") is recommended?

[Daveskywill]

Hello:

I've just tried using my Meade LX200GPS 10" F10 to image M31.

And of course it's kind of hard at first; because I've got to adjust things (it's good to know that the finder scope it aligned right) but still it was hard to adjust or even find the focus (for M31). So I tried getting infinity focus on Jupiter which had risen first.

But after awhile, I found that my Meade still isn't tracking quite fast enough. It's still like 66% or even 50% what it should be. So that 2X guide rate is a little too fast.

So I looked in under Setup: Telescope: Tracking Rate, I saw there was Sidereal, Lunar, and Custom tracking rates. So I set it at Sidereal.

And the tracking still wasn't fast enough. Plus my battery checked at roughly 12 volts.

Does anyone have suggestions?

PS: I know it's terrible, but both images were taken at highest ISO (12800). That's all it seemed to afford at F10 and tracking not working.
So they were just seconds long.

So PPS: does someone have suggestions for a good 2" barrel diameter focal reducer for reducing? It's not terrible, but centering M31 at F10 is a little hard.

David

[Merlin66]

Hmmm
I have an Ol' 12" Lx Classic and it tracks pretty good.
Are you sure you have the N-S settings correct??
Re Reducers I'd go for the standard x0.63 reducer. If you need it to fit a 2" focuser (why? could it be mounted infront of the focuser on the SCT thread?) you can use an Orion 2" prime focus adaptor - the nosepiece section just screws into the reducer.
Note that the distance from the reducer to the camera CCD should be close to 110mm for optimum performance.
HTH

[Daveskywill]

Hello:

On my scope LX200GPS they don't have a North-South switch so I guess given the GPS it is supposed to figure that part out.

So that isn't the problem. I've had this problem for about 2 years now. And had the scope off the tripod at least once.

So Meade's sollution is for me to send it in for a checkup. But that would cost $500 they say. That includes $50 for them to ship it back to me, and I've got to find a way to ship it to them.

So a man from Kalamazoo, Richard Bell said he suggested I try to find a repair service shop in Indiana or Illinois (probably none in Michigan he said).

So I'll try.
Thank you.

[Merlin66]

have you tried posting a message on the Yahoo! Lx200GPS group?
I use the LX200 group to help me; there's a lot of experience there to assist, surely someone else has had a similar problem???