Meade LX200 10" SCT f/6.3

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First light on Sept. 6, 1998;

Operational until Oct. 13, 2020

Modified the cart in August 2020 after 13 years with a new computer, software, monitor, and CCD camera.

A ramp at the patio door helped me move the scope on a portable hydraulic lift. It helped lift the 70 lb. scope 36", so it was easier to mount on the tripod at 42".

Had a heavy rear cell (left to right) camera, flip mirror, 12.5mm reticle eyepiece, field de-rotator and f/6.3 flat field reducer.

Feathertouch SCT Microfocuser (lower right) with standard and 1/10-speed focuser knobs helped achieve a sharp focus.

On Sept. 25, 2020 the RA axis tracking failed and 1/4" streaks showed up on display during very short exposures.

I expected it would eventually fail after 22 years and 13 years in protected house storage.

Found Clearline Technology Corp. that made replacement PCB's using SMT components like the power panel PC board.

New declination (DEC) encoder board and the failed one. PCB's are 1" x 1.5". installation, setup and calibration went fine.

Replaced right ascension (RA) encoder with 4 more connections.

Found a broken wire, but could ever complete the calibration step, and traced the problem back to the motherboard.

LX200 motherboard at the base of the telescope, it's the first time it had seen light since March 1998.

Traced the problem to the U12 chip which was causing the RA runaway and maybe something in the processor itself, but I had enough.

Meade never responded to my multiple emails - pretty sad after spending thousands on a telescope!

I'm done with Meade after 22 years!