Miscellaneous Debris > Tech Corner
USAF AN/FPS-77 Storm Detection Radar
wxtech:
--- Quote from: Chris H. on September 27, 2009, 02:02:13 AM ---Saved all three to network drive..took five minutes. I guess that's a little fast, IDK. Wow. Not Doppler (meaning it doesn't pulse?) and not digital, which means it be old skool. And I have a question (I'll probably scan through the PDF's for the answer later), how does it detect storms if it uses a Polaroid cam and not digital or Doppler? Confusing..
--- End quote ---
All radars send pulses. FPS-77 wasn't Doppler meaning that it couldn't detect the shift in frequency of the returned echo. A moving target causes a shift in frequency indicating the direction and speed of the target movement.
All echos were displayed on CRTs. A PPI scan to show distance and azimuth bearing. An RHI scope to indicate height of storm tops, hail shafts etc. An A/R scope to measure the echo intensity & more accurately measure distance. The antenna could be made to sweep in azimuth or elevation, or the antenna could by pointed to a cell for height or distance analysis.
There was no means to electronically record the echos. We recorded the CRT image using a Polaroid camera.
The PPI scope used a long persistent phosphor that indicated the echos in black, not light green. The PPI echos would remain on the CRT up to 1 hour. The scope was back lighted so we could see the black storm images on the scope. The images were erased with a heating filament inside the CRT.
W Thomas:
This sounds very interesting!
Will definitely download! I still deal with tubes often. For a little longer anyway,
wxtech:
--- Quote from: W Thomas on September 27, 2009, 12:03:15 PM ---This sounds very interesting!
Will definitely download! I still deal with tubes often. For a little longer anyway,
--- End quote ---
Vacuum tubes are a lost art. In the 80s I worked for research physicists. They didn't know that thyratrons can heal themselves.
I worked with a young electronics engineer who was a musician also. He wanted to build audio amps with tubes but didn't understand them.
W Thomas:
--- Quote from: wxtech on September 27, 2009, 01:48:39 PM ---
--- Quote from: W Thomas on September 27, 2009, 12:03:15 PM ---This sounds very interesting!
Will definitely download! I still deal with tubes often. For a little longer anyway,
--- End quote ---
Vacuum tubes are a lost art. In the 80s I worked for research physicists. They didn't know that thyratrons can heal themselves.
I worked with a young electronics engineer who was a musician also. He wanted to build audio amps with tubes but didn't understand them.
--- End quote ---
I agree!! Some of the best sounding music I have ever heard was through tube amps and " old school" audio technology!
Really hate to see that sort of thing passed up but like you said it IS happening!
Chris H.:
--- Quote from: W Thomas on September 27, 2009, 03:52:58 PM ---
--- Quote from: wxtech on September 27, 2009, 01:48:39 PM ---
--- Quote from: W Thomas on September 27, 2009, 12:03:15 PM ---This sounds very interesting!
Will definitely download! I still deal with tubes often. For a little longer anyway,
--- End quote ---
Vacuum tubes are a lost art. In the 80s I worked for research physicists. They didn't know that thyratrons can heal themselves.
I worked with a young electronics engineer who was a musician also. He wanted to build audio amps with tubes but didn't understand them.
--- End quote ---
I agree!! Some of the best sounding music I have ever heard was through tube amps and " old school" audio technology!
Really hate to see that sort of thing passed up but like you said it IS happening!
--- End quote ---
MOst of my favorite music was done on tubes. Looks like if I become a musician, won't have that nice sound of tubes. Today's digital stuff just kills, and I don't like the Cher effect.
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