Downloads
Information regarding upgrades to the GTO Control Box and Keypad Firmware.

Vintage Products - Instruction Manuals and Sheets
Products previously manufactured or offered by Astro-Physics. - We still carry many of the accessory items you may have purchased with previous versions of our products. You will find those items in the "Current Products" section below.

Current Products - Instruction Manuals and Sheets

• Refractors
• GTO German Equatorial Mounts
• Mount Accessories
• DigitalSky Voice Software
• Telescope Accessories
• Website Support

• Care of Your Astro-Physics Refractor (07-05-06) - PDF Document
• Mounting 92mm f5 or f7 to TeleVue Gibraltar Mount with 7" Sliding Bar (09-10-02)
• How to Install Your New Focuser (06-30-01)
• Cleaning Instructions for Optical Surfaces (07-05-06) - PDF Document

• Latitude Dimension Calculator for Current 900GTO, 1200GTO and Mach1GTO Mounts (9-22-2007) - Excel Spreadsheet for determining certain critical dimensions and choosing an appropriate pier height for your system.
  
• 900GTO German Equatorial
  • 900GTO with GTOCP3 Control Box (03-30-07) - PDF Document - For mounts shipped starting in January, 2007 - Beginning with serial number 900602
  • 900GTO - Adjustments to Remove Worm Gear Backlash (Revised: 05-09-05)
  • 900 Mount Base (Pier Adapter) Dimensions (05-17-00)
  • Precision-Adjust Rotating Pier Adapter (900RPA) - Information and Instructions (11-21-05) - PDF document
  • Removal of GTOCP1 control box (08-03-04) - PDF document
  • Replacing the Latitude Adjuster of the 900 German Equatorial(12-07-04) - PDF document
  • Clutch Plug Replacement for 900 or 1200 Mount (08-08-05) - PDF document
  • Clutch Plug Extraction Tool (08-04-05) - PDF document. These are instructions to make your own tool from a common scewdriver.
  • 900GTO German Equatorial Mount - Useful Dimensions for Observatory Planning (09-30-05) - PDF document
  • Troubleshooting and Repairing Your 900GTO or 1200GTO Servo "Y" Cable (GTOCP2 or 3 only) (11 -29-07) - PDF document
  • Installing the Heavy-Duty Azimuth Adjuster Upgrade Kit for 900 Mounts (11-17-05) - PDF document
  • Don't see your previous model 900GTO? Click here.
  
  
• 1200GTO German Equatorial
  • 1200GTO with GTOCP3 Control Box (03-30-07) - PDF document - For mounts shipped starting in May, 2006 - Beginning with serial number 1200572
  • 1200GTO with GTOCP3 Control Box (07-07-07) - PDF document - For mounts shipped starting in July, 2007 - Beginning with serial number 1200723
  • 1200GTO - Adjustments to Remove Worm Gear Backlash (02-11-02)
  • 1200 Mount Base (Pier Adapter) Dimensions (05-08-00)
  • Precision-Adjust Rotating Pier Adapter (1200RPA) - Information and Instructions (11-21-05) - PDF document
  • Removal of GTOCP1 control box (08-03-04)- PDF document
  • Replacing the Latitude Adjuster of the 1200 German Equatorial (2-6-06) - PDF document
  • Clutch Plug Replacement for 900 or 1200 Mount (08-08-05) - PDF document
  • Clutch Plug Extraction Tool (08-04-05) - PDF document. These are instructions to make your own tool from a common scewdriver
  • 1200 German Equatorial Mount - Useful Dimensions for Observatory Planning (08-01-05) - PDF document
  • Adjustments to Remove Worm Gear Backlash on 1200GTO Mounts Equipped with Spring-Loaded Action Brackets (07-13-05) - PDF document
  • Upgrade Replacement of 1200GTO Polar Forks S1200PF-B (06-22-04) - PDF document. Please note that these instructions apply to all 1200 mounts.
  • Installing the Heavy-Duty Azimuth Adjuster Upgrade Kit for 1200 Mounts (12AZKIT) (11-17-05) - PDF document
  • Troubleshooting and Repairing Your 900GTO or 1200GTO Servo "Y" Cable (GTOCP2 or 3 only) (11 -29-07) - PDF document
  • Don't see your previous model 1200GTO? Click here.
  
  
• Mach1GTO German Equatorial
  • Mach1GTO with GTOCP3 Control Box ( 02-27-08) PDF document - For mounts shipped starting in March, 2008 - Beginning with serial number M10155
  • Mach1GTO with GTOCP3 Control Box (03-30-07) - PDF document - For mounts shipped starting in April, 2007 - Serial numbers M10053 through M10154
  • Tightening the Main Bearing Pre-load Retaining Ring of Your Mach1GTO (03-18-08) - PDF Document - For all Mach1GTO mounts produced.
    
    
• GTO Servo Drive
  • Pinouts for Auto-guider
  • GTO Control Box RS232 Serial Port Pinout (02-28-05)- PDF document
  
  
• Mount Troubleshooting - For additional troubleshooting tips, check the mount and keypad manuals.
  • Characterizing the Dec Axis Motions (09-15-03) - PDF document. These instructions explain how to use Maxim DL software as a tool for characterizing any problems with the Declination axis movements of your mount. However, Ray Gralak's PulseGuide software offers an easier and more extensive evaluation procedure. PulseGuide is available as a free download.
  • Slewing Your Mount in Below Freezing Temperatures (12-24-04) - PDF
  
  
• Keypad Manuals and Technical Documents
  • GTO Keypad Controller, Version 4.15 Addendum to the v.4.12 Manual (03-24-08) - PDF document
  • GTO Keypad Controller, Version 4.12 (03-07-08) - PDF document
  • Keypad Resetting Solutions (06-18-03) - PDF document
  • Keypad Database Corruption - includes link to Database Loader Tool (07-09-05)
  • Keypad Battery Information (07-09-05)
  • Identifying Your Keypad Battery (08-10-07) PDF document
  • Replacing Your GTO Keypad Battery - for Keypads with serial number 1565GTO or earlier with original circuit board (document not dated)
  • Replacing Your GTO Keypad Cable (07-01-05) - PDF document


• Command Protocol
  • Astro-Physics Command Protocol for GTO Mounts (GTOCP1 and GTOCP2 control boxes)- Shipped prior to 11-13-00 (06-16-01)
  • Astro-Physics Command Protocol for GTO Mounts (GTOCP1 and GTOCP2 control boxes)
    - Version C, KC, D, KD, E, E1 and KE1 (07-06-06) - PDF document
  • Astro-Physics Command Protocol for GTO Mounts (GTOCP3 control boxes)
    - Version G, H, I, J and L (07-04-06) - PDF document

Mount Accessories

• Instructions
  • Polar Alignment Telescope (PASILL3) (09-24-02) - PDF document. This is a previous model, shipped from August 2002 until July 2005.
           Why doesn't my polar alignment scope look like the one illustrated?  (Click here)
  • Using Losmandy Dovetail Plates with Astro-Physics Rings (04-24-03) - PDF document
  • Using Your Traveler or Stowaway with 13.5" Losmandy Universal Plate (04-25-03) - PDF document
  • Attachment Options for Adapter to Attach Losmandy HD or MA Tripod to Astro-Physics Mount (LT2APM) (04-04-08) - PDF document.


• Dimensions and Useful Information
  • Mounting Plate Fastener Chart (03-30-07) - PDF document
  • 8" Portable Pier Footprint Dimensions - PDF document
  • 400/600E Tripod Adapter Dimensions (ADATRI) - PDF document
  
  
• Software Related (except DigitalSky Voice which has its own section below)
  • TheSky Version 5.00.014 Windows Update - AP Driver Features (09-10-01)
  • Using TheSky v5.00.014 with Your GTO Mount (09-10-01) - PDF document

• DigitalSky Voice Instruction Manual (02-02-01) - PDF document.
• Addendum to DigitalSky Voice Manual (06-15-01) - PDF document.
• Link Bridge Feature (06-15-01) - PDF document.
• For additional information and many screen displays, please refer to the DigitalSky Voice website.

• Mark V Binocular Viewer from Baader Planetarium (07-23-03) - PDF document
• 2.7" Focuser Dimensions (06-02-05)
• 4" Focuser Dimensions with Adapters (05-22-07) - PDF document
• Installing Feather Touch Focuser Upgrade - 2.7" Traveler and 4" Focusers (10-07-05) - PDF document
• 2" MaxBright Diagonal (10-23-03) - PDF document
• Cleaning Baader Planetarium AstroSolar™ Film (01-30-07) - PDF document
• Making an Inexpensive Filter Cell for BAADER AstroSolar™ Material (07-11-05) - PDF document
• Installing the CCD Adapter to Use the 2.7" or 4" Field Flatteners with a CCD Camera (07-30-02)- PDF document
• Attaching the Astro-Physics Field Flattener to Your Pentax 6x7 Camera (07-30-02) - PDF document
• Astro-Physics Prime Focus Field Flatteners (07-30-02) - PDF document
  • Exploded diagram showing the field flatteners with a variety of accessories.
• Astro-Physics Photo-Visual Telecompressor (07-30-02) - PDF document
  • Exploded diagram showing the Photo-Visual Telecompressor with a variety of accessories.
• Astro-Physics CCD Telecompressor (07-17-03) - PDF document
  • Exploded diagram showing the CCD Telecompressor with a variety of accessories.
• Proper Spacing to the focal plane / CCD chip with the 160FF, 160TCC and the 155TCC (05-21-07) - PDF document
• Using the TeleVue StarBeam and Qwik Point with QBASE or Sliding Bars (08-12-02) - PDF document
• Cleaning Instructions for Optical Surfaces (06-27-06) - PDF Document
• Astro-Physics Mounting Ring Hole Pattern (11-30-01) - PDF Document

• FAQ about www.astro-physics.com (09-08-03) This section will updated as soon as we have a chance.

This section of our website is currently under construction. Our goal is to provide a wide range of instructions and information that will prove to be valuable to those who own our products as well as those who are considering the purchase of our products. We realize that we have only scratched the surface and look forward to incorporating additional instruction pages.

If you have further questions, or the answer you are looking for is not included in this section.
You may contact Astro-Physics' technical support staff at support@astro-physics.com.

Copyright © 2004 - 2006, Astro-Physics, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
This page was last modified: May 8, 2008

Astro-Physics, Inc.
11250 Forest Hills Road, Machesney Park, IL  61115, U.S.A.
Phone: 815-282-1513   Fax: 815-282-9847