The recorder (Figure 1-12-15) is the main unit of the recording system and is remotely controlled from the control panel on the SENSO/Sonar Operator station. The recorder itself is mounted on a shock mount base on the cabin floor alongside the system interface box. Four indicators located near the supply side of the tape run, and visible when the recorder cover is removed, provide indications of the operating condition of the unit. Two of the indicators are elapsed time meters marked “SYSTEM” and “CAPSTAN” respectively and the remaining two are lamps marked “POWER” and “SPEED LOCK” respectively.

The transport is run at a tape speed of 7 1/2 inches per second for system recording. Forward and reverse shuttle speeds are at 60 inches per second. End of tape and beginning of tape reflective foils are affixed at the beginning of the trailer and at the end of the leader to provide automatic shut down of the transport in either direction.

Mounted on the front end of the unit are three cable connectors, to which cables for input power, input sonar signals, control, and output recorded sonar signals are connected. Visible from the top of the unit, when the cover is removed, are the record and reproduce heads and the indicators. The indicator functions are as follows:

a. SYSTEM Elapsed Time Indicator. Presents a digital display of the accumulated hours the recorder has been in operation.

b. CAPSTAN Elapsed Time Indicator. Presents a digital display of the accumulated hours the capstan has been in operation.

c. SPEED LOCK Lamp. Illuminates when the tape is in motion and the capstan is operating at the correct speed.

d. POWER Lamp. Illuminates when normal power is applied to the recording system.