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Main
Date: 02 Jul 2007 16:25:33
From: ShutterAce
Subject: Meade SN-6 Identification
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Hi,
I am trying to identify a scope my Dad bought at a yard sale. I have
not seen it and am trying to go by his description. He knows nothing
about scopes and I have been inactive in the hobby for a number of
years so it has been a challenge.
Anyway, from what I can tell it is a 6" Meade Schmidt-Newt. The only
markings are "Meade" on the tube with no other markings(ie LXD55). The
mount sounds like an LXD-500 GEM. It is not a fork and is not
computerized. Aluminum tri-pod with black mount head.
My question is did Meade ever market this combo of mount and scope? If
so when? If not was there another combo that this could possibly be?
Thanks for all your help!
James A. Deck
www.jimdeck.com
www.shutterace.com
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Date: 03 Jul 2007 13:45:57
From: RMOLLISE
Subject: Re: Meade SN-6 Identification
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On Jul 2, 8:56 pm, ShutterAce <shutter...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> On Jul 2, 7:52 pm, ShutterAce <shutter...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Unfortunately I don't have a pic. That's why I can't firgure it out
> > myself. Sorry.
>
> I did some Googling and came up with the fork mounted type, the LXD-55
> and the LXD-75 but nothing with a GEM mount. If I had to guess I'd say
> it was probably produced some time between the fork mounted version
> and the LXD-55 version. Just a guess though.
The LXD 55 and 75 ARE GEMs.
Here's the skinny. Meade has produced two series of 6-inch SNT. They
did one back in the mid/late 1980s, which was mounted on a fork. That
fork could have a simple AC synchro drivebase OR an LX drivebase.
AFAIK, the scope was not offered with a GEM. Never remember seeing one
on the current Meade GEM of the time, a Super Polaris clone. These
SNTs were discontinued by the end of the 1980s; after that there were
no Meade SNTs for over a decade.
Then in about...oh...2001, Meade brought the SNT back for its LXD55
series. The LXD55 is a GEM, which was available both with and withtout
the Autostar go-to controller. The OTA was pretty good, but the LXD55
mount was not so hot. Meade used the same OTA on the improved LXD75
mount.
How can you tell the old SNTs from the new ones? If I recall
correctly, the old ones had helical focusers. It's possible, of
course, that somebody took the OTA of an old scope and put it on a
GEM, but as far as I remember, it was never available in that
configuration.
Which is better? IMHO, the older ones were better mechanically; the
newer ones are better optically.
Unk Rod
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 18:56:07
From: ShutterAce
Subject: Re: Meade SN-6 Identification
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On Jul 2, 7:52 pm, ShutterAce <shutter...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Unfortunately I don't have a pic. That's why I can't firgure it out
> myself. Sorry.
I did some Googling and came up with the fork mounted type, the LXD-55
and the LXD-75 but nothing with a GEM mount. If I had to guess I'd say
it was probably produced some time between the fork mounted version
and the LXD-55 version. Just a guess though.
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 18:52:40
From: ShutterAce
Subject: Re: Meade SN-6 Identification
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Unfortunately I don't have a pic. That's why I can't firgure it out
myself. Sorry.
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Date: 02 Jul 2007 17:15:54
From: RMOLLISE
Subject: Re: Meade SN-6 Identification
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On Jul 2, 6:25 pm, ShutterAce <shutter...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am trying to identify a scope my Dad bought at a yard sale. I have
> not seen it and am trying to go by his description. He knows nothing
> about scopes and I have been inactive in the hobby for a number of
> years so it has been a challenge.
>
> Anyway, from what I can tell it is a 6" Meade Schmidt-Newt. The only
> markings are "Meade" on the tube with no other markings(ie LXD55). The
> mount sounds like an LXD-500 GEM. It is not a fork and is not
> computerized. Aluminum tri-pod with black mount head.
>
> My question is did Meade ever market this combo of mount and scope? If
> so when? If not was there another combo that this could possibly be?
>
> Thanks for all your help!
>
> James A. Deckwww.jimdeck.comwww.shutterace.com
Picture?
Unk Rod
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