ULTRA-WIDEBAND, LONGITUDINAL MAGNETIC-TAPE RECORDING

Abstract

Signal frequencies from 100 kHz to 30 MHz with bias frequencies of 120 MHz and higher have been recorded longitudinally on magnetic tape with a SNR better than 15 dB. The upper frequency of zero-bias-recorded signals was 36 MHz at a tape velocity of 2800 ips. The recordings were reproduced on a standard Mincom wideband recorder/reproducer at 60 and 120 ips. This laboratory recording system includes a Newell-type tape transport, which has been redesigned to comply with requirements of higher tape velocity and faster acceleration. At present, this transport accelerates tape at a rate of approximately 8000 in/sec^2 to a maximum speed of about 3000 ips. The magnetic recording heads developed for this system represent the state-of-the-art in head design., These are combination heads having a ferrite core with Alfesil pole tips and an insulated conductive gap spacer.