20 Most Recent Meade LX200GPS Telescope - Page 5 Questions & Answers

The older Lx200's go into tracking mode when turned on if they are not recieving a signal from the handbox. It does this on purpose so you can use the telescope without the handbox and still track sky objects. If it is still doing this with the handbox plugged in then you have a bad chip in the electronics and Meade is notorious for not having parts for their older telescopes. Don't send it in to them to repair. It will cost you a fortune to mail back and forth and they still can't repair most electronic problems with their older scopes(from my personal experience).

The objects are updated using the Autostar Suite software ver.5.5 on the Meade web site (free).

Here- http://www.meade.com/support/downloads.html

Post this Question on the LX200 forum on Yahoo Groups-- many techs on the forum --

No that's about normal---

Hi there,

This all information is mansion in the instruction manual -
go to the below link for instruction manual -

http://gewa.gsfc.nasa.gov/clubs/astronomy/newscope/LX200GPS_manual.pdf

Good Luck!!
Thanks

Meade is the only place to get parts---

See their web site for Customer Support--

www.meade.com

You might want to join the following Yahoo group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LX200GPS/

I am not familiar with the LX200, but there are probably folks on the Yahoo group that can help.  The only thing I can think of is if you are using a wedge and the wedge isn't at the correct angle (should match your lattitude).  Or you are not using a wedge and the Meade controller thinks that you are.  But one would think the calibration would solve that.

Try doing either a garbage collect or a safe load-- and then reinstall the hand controller firmware--

Instructions-- depending on the type of controller
Autostar 495 or 497: You enter Safe Mode by holding the [enter] and
[scroll down] keys pressed when you power up the telescope. The
Autostar will say "Flash Load Ready"... now go start the ASU.

Autostar II: if you need to use Safe Mode to recover from a disaster,
turn on the telescope, and key 999 before it says "Initializing"
The Autostar will say "Flash Load Ready"... now go start the ASU.

LX200gps: BEFORE proceeding further, click on the OPTIONS item on the Top Bar.
Now click on "Garbage Collect Hbx" ... this will perform data cleanup
within the Autostar which will avoid potential mess-ups.

The focuser is poor at best in that series. There is an enhancement kit from Scopestuff.com that helps a lot, but the real fix is to get a crayford style focuser (zero backlash). The LX200GPS series has them as standard. Rough focus with the main mirror, and finish with the Crayford focuser.

Check for binding in the gears; my 10" had aluminium chips in the fork base that jammed the gear. Cured by removing the RA manual adjust assembly - was useless anyway, as it could only be used with the RA unlocked. One setscrew in the fork base holds it in place,just loosen and pull up.

See Darth_Muppet response to same issue.

http://www.fixya.com/support/t1152604-calibrating_aligning_meade_10_lx200

I don't know why these are burning out but if you stayed with the same type of capacitor with an increased voltage rating it will most likely help.

1. Do a Calibrate Sensors
2. Do a Train Drive in RA and also DEC

This makes sure that the scope is calibrated properly.

1. Do an AUTOMATIC ALIGN
2. when asked to center star, look for the BRIGHTEST star that is close to the scopes field of view. It will be that star you need to used the arrow keys on to centre it in the scope eyepiece and press enter.
3. This star can be as much as a HANDS distance away from the centre of view
4. If you cannot identify the star it is asking you to use, press the SCROLL DOWN key to choose another star, keep doing this until you see a star you recognise.

That's it!

You can also hold down the MODE key for about 4 seconds and scroll through the scope info. Make sure you have the correct location coordinates ( Lat/Long) and the correct time set.

Select a bright object first such as a planet and GOTO it. Once you have manually centered it in the eyepiece, press ENTER and hold it for 6 seconds, the handset will say " Press ENTER to sync", press enter and you have updated the scope with the coordinates of that object.

The problem is the addition of the 80mm telescope to the assembly. The telescope is now out of balance, and places extra weight off-center as the position chages. Too great an off-balance will cause the main gears to 'jump' the worm teeth. The solution is to restore balance by adding counter weights as needed. Loosten the axis locks (carefully) and see which direction it wants to move. To balance my LX, I used a small bag with lead buckshot to determine how much weight was needed and where to achieve balance. Then I added fixed weights to the mount. Once this is done, the scope should track correctly.scopestuff.com has balance kits at reasonable prices.

i dont know what else it might be

It might be a voltage or electrical current problem. Make sure your DC power supply is between 12 and 14 volts. Make sure all electrical connections are tight. Where the power cord plugs into the connection panel, make sure the center pin on the panel fits tightly into the plug. It is a Radio Shack type "N" plug. If tou still have a problem, remove the bottom plate from the scope base and make sure all the connectors are properly seated on the circuit board. Check the connector on the end where the black and red wires are. That is a main power connector and if it is too loose it will not conduct enough current. There can be enough voltage drop that the drive motors won't operate, or they will and the scope will slew uncontrollaby. Be careful handling the wires so that you don't damage them. Good luck, Dave

Two Line (orbital) Elements (TLE) loaded from your computer to Autostar will do it. You can get the TLE from www.heaven-above.com ISS orbit
1 25544U 98067A 08223.18921414 .00008400 00000-0 64811-4 0 240 2 25544 051.6411 098.9613 0010451 052.2327 040.0128 15.72906000557033 This was for 08/10/08 and following days.You have to insert the TLE into Autostar by way of the #505 cable set.Then follow the instructions in the manual for a satellite. Anticipation and practice is everything.

This could the problem with software failure please unplug the unit from any power source for 30min and power it back if possible set to default factory setting and check its working....



Good luck...

Check the Autostar controller for a stuck direction key.

Check the time clock battery - it is behind the front panel. If it is dead, then the clock is off, and the alignment will not complete properly. Regular watch lithium coin cell.