I would be tempted to remove the tape and try to play it on a normal 4 track machine (2 of the tracks will probably play backwards though) - may need to put the tape on a normal tape reel first
I really like this type of content. I appreciate the amount of engineering that has gone into designing these units and although modern flight data recorders are solid state one can learn a lot from your videos. I recon the metal of the casing is what we call mu-metal. A material that shields from strong magnetic fields. If that unit was used in MIL (B52?) you want to have some EMP resistance. Anyhow: continue to produce this kind of content. Remember that engineers put a lot of thought im building this
Not the same but it could be used in a radar system. The US Army used counter-mortar and counter-artillery radar systems in the 1980's that used tape drives. The one I'm familiar with used a Raymond model 6401 TCU (tape cartridge unit). If I remember correctly it was a 9 track tape. They were AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 (known as Q-36 and Q-37 FireFinder) weapons locating systems. Probably a tape drive out of a similar system. edited to add: We (the USA) sent several Q-36 systems to Ukraine in the mid 2010's. They are/were serviced in my home state of PA at Tobyhanna Army Depot. ruclips.net/video/O4r6wXMRdJk/видео.htmlfeature=shared
I have two nagging questions: What’s with the double tape? To reduce crosstalk? To prevent the tape from sticking? Finally, I can’t see an erase head? Is this playback only or are the tapes erased before they are put into the drive?
double tape is the drive system it's a loop of tensioned tape that drives the spools, it's similar to some data backup cartridges, you drive a capstan which drives the second tape loop and that drives the spools, it's *really* reliable and could stop the entire tape unspooling or snapping if there's a jam
I salvaged some airliner flight data recorder tapes from work. Quarter inch tape. Has been transferred onto 7 inch reels which is what I wanted. Not alot of tape on the reels. I did put one on my RTR deck and at slow speed you hear alot of white noise and buzzy sounds and occasionally a weird tone. But it may record at a much lower rate than my deck. I don't know if it is out and out digital or analog data, I did not look on a scope at the output. I could bulk erase the tape to use but you might get an album side on each side is all. Now tape is obsolete in flight recorders.
Green is chomed aluminium, along with the outer covering being plain cast aluminium alloy. Not a flight recorder, but definitely a data recorder, as this does not have the fire proof casing that a flight recorder has, and being designed to be removed easily it likely is a mission recorder, probably having one channel of pilot audio, and the other 3 being a digital data stream of altitude, attitude and airspeed, along with likely engine parameters, throttle position, fuel flow rate, oil pressure, oil temperature, EGT reading, RPM and then a position, ground speed, weapons status, and likely a single track that is a timecode. 2 channels as the digital data would be too much for 1 channel at the likely running tape speed. Probably only records for 1 hour before it reaches end of tape, and the clear leader triggers the data recorder to rewind the tape and start recording from the beginning again. But as most missions are under one hour (one pass haul ass) or if longer the recorder is only turned on when reaching mission area, and turned off after to preserve it, starting the mission with the data recorder being reset to start of tape.
That's so cool. It should be easy to play back the tape if you hook the head up to 2 strereo cassette decks, (bypassing the original heads), and power up the motor. Are you sure though that it's 1/4 inch tape ? It looks smaller than that.
Im only guessing here but if it's an aviation related device it might be driven by 28V DC. I would try to playback the tape in a different machine. Be aware that magnetic tapes can degrade rapidly just by spooling it on another spindle. One layer copies a faint echo on the underlying one. We are really curious if there's something if the tape was properly erased.
Waiting for the next episode 😁 BTW RUclips automated stupid AI translation (into french in my case) with a female voice can't be removed. I needed to change my whole Google account to US. Now, many RUclips channels from my country a stupidely AI translated into english 😩
Looks like a pop from MissionImpossible. "Good Morning Mr. Phelps".
Love it. Has a big Nagra vibe to it. I can't wait to see it working again!
I would be tempted to remove the tape and try to play it on a normal 4 track machine (2 of the tracks will probably play backwards though) - may need to put the tape on a normal tape reel first
That's what Techmoan would do. He might have a compatible tape machine.
Will self destruct 24 hours after opening..... So how can this be a four part story.
The explosion shattered the story into four pieces.
I really like this type of content. I appreciate the amount of engineering that has gone into designing these units and although modern flight data recorders are solid state one can learn a lot from your videos. I recon the metal of the casing is what we call mu-metal. A material that shields from strong magnetic fields. If that unit was used in MIL (B52?) you want to have some EMP resistance. Anyhow: continue to produce this kind of content. Remember that engineers put a lot of thought im building this
Be carefull.... it may self destruct!
Beautiful specimen; brings back memories of having worked on flight data recorders.
Actually manufactured in 1975, must have been checked in 1987 according to the sticker.
You know that fort has a special hotel you don't want to end up at. Hey Army, he has some property of yours.... hahaha
Both Curious Mark and Usagi Electric would LOVE to get their hands on this Unit.
Collab???
Don't take it apart, turn it on!
And techmoan
Not the same but it could be used in a radar system. The US Army used counter-mortar and counter-artillery radar systems in the 1980's that used tape drives. The one I'm familiar with used a Raymond model 6401 TCU (tape cartridge unit). If I remember correctly it was a 9 track tape. They were AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 (known as Q-36 and Q-37 FireFinder) weapons locating systems. Probably a tape drive out of a similar system. edited to add: We (the USA) sent several Q-36 systems to Ukraine in the mid 2010's. They are/were serviced in my home state of PA at Tobyhanna Army Depot. ruclips.net/video/O4r6wXMRdJk/видео.htmlfeature=shared
I believe you are right. They were referred to as "Raymond Cassettes" and contained the system software.
Alien technology, maaaan.
I have two nagging questions: What’s with the double tape? To reduce crosstalk? To prevent the tape from sticking? Finally, I can’t see an erase head? Is this playback only or are the tapes erased before they are put into the drive?
double tape is the drive system it's a loop of tensioned tape that drives the spools, it's similar to some data backup cartridges, you drive a capstan which drives the second tape loop and that drives the spools, it's *really* reliable and could stop the entire tape unspooling or snapping if there's a jam
@@M0UAW_IO83That’s cool! Thanks for the info!
That's interesting! I didn't see the double tape until you mentioned it. I think it drives the two spindles just by friction.
The weight mentioned on the label is netweight without the reels and the tape.
It's minus the mounting hardware
used to make a lot of black boxes for aircraft but the fun fact is that our black boxes are black, the other black boxes are red. 🙂
Does higher altitude affect weight?
It will affect the weight but will not affect its rest mass.
With its age, careful the magnetic particles on the tape may rub off if you try playing it.
That Wahl Temp-Plate is pretty interesting too.
Asking for information when you've already done four part project...
Yes. I have lots of questions
😮 This thing is the same age as me. Thanks for the content :)
I salvaged some airliner flight data recorder tapes from work. Quarter inch tape. Has been transferred onto 7 inch reels which is what I wanted. Not alot of tape on the reels. I did put one on my RTR deck and at slow speed you hear alot of white noise and buzzy sounds and occasionally a weird tone. But it may record at a much lower rate than my deck. I don't know if it is out and out digital or analog data, I did not look on a scope at the output. I could bulk erase the tape to use but you might get an album side on each side is all. Now tape is obsolete in flight recorders.
Green is chomed aluminium, along with the outer covering being plain cast aluminium alloy. Not a flight recorder, but definitely a data recorder, as this does not have the fire proof casing that a flight recorder has, and being designed to be removed easily it likely is a mission recorder, probably having one channel of pilot audio, and the other 3 being a digital data stream of altitude, attitude and airspeed, along with likely engine parameters, throttle position, fuel flow rate, oil pressure, oil temperature, EGT reading, RPM and then a position, ground speed, weapons status, and likely a single track that is a timecode. 2 channels as the digital data would be too much for 1 channel at the likely running tape speed. Probably only records for 1 hour before it reaches end of tape, and the clear leader triggers the data recorder to rewind the tape and start recording from the beginning again. But as most missions are under one hour (one pass haul ass) or if longer the recorder is only turned on when reaching mission area, and turned off after to preserve it, starting the mission with the data recorder being reset to start of tape.
That's so cool. It should be easy to play back the tape if you hook the head up to 2 strereo cassette decks, (bypassing the original heads), and power up the motor.
Are you sure though that it's 1/4 inch tape ? It looks smaller than that.
Im only guessing here but if it's an aviation related device it might be driven by 28V DC.
I would try to playback the tape in a different machine.
Be aware that magnetic tapes can degrade rapidly just by spooling it on another spindle. One layer copies a faint echo on the underlying one.
We are really curious if there's something if the tape was properly erased.
That would make a seriously cool tape delay….
Doesn’t appear to have any discrete playback/recording heads, so wouldn’t work. Really neat tape deck though.
Waiting for the next episode 😁
BTW RUclips automated stupid AI translation (into french in my case) with a female voice can't be removed.
I needed to change my whole Google account to US. Now, many RUclips channels from my country a stupidely AI translated into english 😩