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They are really portable, I just got a large plastic box from bunnings, linned it with foam from clarks rubber and place the fork and OTA into it. This then just gets packed with all the camping gear in the camper trailer. The tripod goes into the bag that came with the scope. Setting up is a breeze, just fold out the tripod, screw the fork OTA assembly to it, the new versions have the magnetic north and leveling sensors in them and they have worked flawless for me over the last 10 camping trips in last 18 months.
Setting up is just a matter of getting a rough level, park the OTA in the home position, slightly to the left of north( you don't have to be too accurate with this if you have the newer versions) plug in 12 volt supply and go for auto align. Let the scope do it 5 minute dance finding north and its various levels then it will slew to a bright star, just centre the brightess star that is in the view finder to the middle of field of view in a 20mm eyepiece or thereabouts then press enter, the scope will then slew to next brightess star center this and you then become aligned. Works 99% time for me . To improve accuracy of the goto enter a well known object such as sirus, goto it, when the scope has finished slewing centre it in a high powered eyepiece such as a 9mm then hold down the enter button for 5 seconds and the control will say sync, you press enter again and this will sync it. Go to another object on the other side of the sky and do the same and if the motor drives are trained well you will have near perfect goto's. Sounds hard but in practice is really easy.
Anothe feature I like about Autostar on my various meade scopes is the high pricission pointing this works even more accurate but I won't bore you with it.
The ETX 125 only has a 5inch Mirror so unless you pull it out of a hot car it only takes upto 1 hour most of the tim to start showing very sharp images of objects. I was astounded at how sharp things appear in the eyepiece. Alittle dimmer to my 8inch newt but alot more pleasing to look through and alot more fun with the goto.
At home if I don't feel like setting up the 12 inch 200R I just pick u the EtX125 fully assembled and plonk it out in the yard, very light and I am up and running in 5 mins.Great when friends are over for a quick visit or the kids pestering for alook at the moon. Just remember that it only has a 5 inch mirror so dimmer objects will be less intresting but plantnets, lunar and brighter deep sky stuff is great and for ultra portable its great. If you want portable more aperature maybe consider a 8inch LX90 or 8inch CPC scope, all these are good buying at the moment.Hope this helps.
Matt.
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