JohnW Would you recommend using an f/3.3 CCD focal length reducer---once I get the image correct?
John, I assume that question is for me and I am not the "jerk" that you mentioned? :-) :-) If not, my apologies, and please ignore this reply.
Yes, a focal reducer will definitely help with reducing exposure time.
But please be aware that just because the FOV of the camera has increased, the image circle may not. I.e., even though the reducer decreases your focal length, it does not mean that you now have a wide angle lens.
The image circle involves both vignetting and field flatness. Your camera may be able to cover a larger field, say, 1 degree of view, but only 1/2 a degree of that frame may really be usable.
Read the specs of the reducers carefully (by the way, the guys at Starizona make pretty good reducers for SCTs). They will typically state an image circle. If that circle is smaller than your sensor size, you will need to crop the result. I.e., even though things looks smaller with a reducer, it does not mean you can use the whole frame -- only the stars inside the image circle will be acceptable.
Speaking of which, you can use a Celestron 0.63x reducer with a Meade scope. I still have mine, but was lucky that at the time the Celestron reducers came from Japan. Now they are made in China, with poorer quality. I think the Starizona ones are better, though. Check Cloudy Nights; there are many useful reviews.
Focal reducers will reduce exposure time when all else is equal (aperture, camera, etc). But it may not (usually not, actually) give you a wider angle of view.
You also need to see if your camera becomes undersampled (i.e., pixels are too large compared to a starlight point) when you use a reducer. This tool should give you a good idea (don't take their numbers as gospel -- you can go a factor of 1.5 or so either way and may never see differences in practice)
https://astronomy.tools/calculators/ccd_suitability
That web site has many other useful tools; highly recommended.
The size of a star in practice will also depend on "seeing", i.e., atmospheric turbulence, unless you are lucky enough to live on Mauna Kea. So, even if the tool tells you that you are undersampled, in practice, mother nature will smear a star enough that you really won't be undersampled.
Oh, another (actually, very) important number is the backfocus of the reducers. Your SCT's native backfocus is 105mm (if memory serves). The backfocus of many reducers are in the 50mm to 60mm range. Just use a sequence like OTA-microfocuser-reducer-spacer-camera to get correct backfocus with the correct spacer.
Good that you got the donut into a blob, by the way. Once it becomes a small enough blob, you should be able to use your Meade microfocuser to really dial it in, without vibrating the tube.
Chen