taking the ETX off its fork mount

dew · Post by **dew** » Thu Oct 02, 2003 11:26 pm

i noticed on my ETX-125's OTA a pair of umm.. (i'm not sure of its proper name, im just a DIY idiot) screw holes and i was wondering if it was possible to take the OTA off the fork mount and mount on something else using those screws?

this of course takes away the go-to advantege of the ETX but it would make the whole thing lighter and more of a grab-and-go set up that i had envisioned it to be before i bought it. with a lighter mount and smaller + lighter tripod, i think there could be a substantial reduction in size and weight.
anyone got any comments about this idea? is it even technically possible in the first place?

eu-wen

Post by **Airconvent** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 12:01 am

Hi Euwen,
It can be done and I have done so for my ETX105EC previously but why do you want to do it? The 125 and its goto should be a cinch to use.
Instead, I would recommend you buy an ETX90RA from www.sightandsound.com at US$169 or so...(I think) just like what I did.
A bigger aperture scope for "normal" use and an ETX90 (non goto) for that "get-up-and-go" scope....
BTW, have you installed Ver 3.0eb for your autostar? its good.
Also, remember to reset and TRAIN your scope!
rich

dew · Post by **dew** » Fri Oct 03, 2003 5:47 pm

oh i just sometimes get put off having to carry so much bulky stuff all the time.. how did you remove it? is it easily reattached back to the fork mont again without damage?
whats the difference with version 3?
thanks!

eu-wen

Post by **Airconvent** » Sat Oct 04, 2003 12:37 am

dew wrote:oh i just sometimes get put off having to carry so much bulky stuff all the time.. how did you remove it? is it easily reattached back to the fork mont again without damage?
whats the difference with version 3?
thanks!

eu-wen

It's not that difficult to remove the forkmount but really too tedious for you to be doing it repetitively. Also, all that moving may accidedently break your plastic holder as it is fairly fragile. I do not recommend doing it unless it is to
solve a problem. My same old advice, buy an ETX90 instead at around S$400. Version 3.0 improves on some minor bugs but has improvements made on the motor unit failure diagnosis. I suspect they made it less sensitive so you would not encounter too many MUFs...