CORRELATION BETWEEN TAPE DROPOUTS AND DATA QUALITY

Abstract

This paper will present the results of a study to correlate tape dropouts and data quality. A tape dropout is defined in the Telemetry Standards as “a reproduced signal of abnormally 1 low amplitude caused by tape imperfections severe enough to produce a data error” Bit errors were chosen as the measure of data quality. Signals were recorded on several tracks of a wideband analog instrumentation magnetic tape recorder. The tape tracks were 50 mils wide. The signal characteristics were analyzed when bit errors or low reproduce amplitudes were detected.