TRIP TO TSS/APD CONTRACTOR ON(SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03642A001200050006-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 24, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: December 18, 1958
• Content Type: MEMO

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO01200050006-7
1.8 Dec?r!her 1980
SUBJDCT: Trip to TSS/APD Contractor on Project
25X1
1. Jr. 11 December 19c;8_
, accomLanied by David Cubbage 1?RL, I visited
Edgerton, Germeshausen & Grier. 6 Boston, :Sass.
Here I met, The remai :der 25X1
of the day a : o.. ow ng day a genera run-down on all.
pha-le'l of project ' was presented. 25X1
2. It appears that I?RL has re^ponsibllity of modifying the vehicle
for transporting the black boxes to be e:~ployed. This consists of
modifications to the weather station device. IML has modi- 25X1
fied the less of the u.-righting device; relocated some of the gas lines
and control- to wide room for the black boxes; and in addition, they
are working on rat is known as Phase I of the detection device. To
date NRL has not been entirely successful in developing equipment which
will receive and transmit signals simultaneously. apparently 25X1
questions the value of continuing Phase I work when this development is
not providing the stop-gap equipment until Phase II work is ready.
Phase II is a more elaborate system which will receive, store and trans-
mit on demand information desired. Phase II equipment can record up to
12 events, each event holding up to 16 bits, and transmit this data
on demand.
3. The discussion centered around the practical operation of the
equipment. It was pointed out that incoming and outgoing information
cannot be handled simultaneously and that a definite sequence of opera-
tion must be followed to assure effective operation. The device must
be erased after transmission, if it is to receive once more.
It. It is believed that the device can be made insensitive to ex-
tranenus effects such as lightning but probably at the cost of failure
to record some events. The E. C. & G. people feel Phase II is theo-
retically possible but reliability under all conditions of operation
is not completely assured. They appeared to need guidance on all phases
of operation of the equipment. They would like to know where compromises
can be made, and what characteristics must be obtained at all costs.
5. In addition to the discussion concerning the electronic gear, a
demonstration of the mechanical functioning of the search head was made.
This head mounts on top of the and is simple and ingeneous 25X1
in design. By means of a commercially available airplane type compass
an azimuth setting can be preselected. When th sets itself. 25X1
up the compass orients the search head. The head then levels itself by
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO01200050006-7
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO01200050006-7
`.'ENT14L
being released from its shipping position and then clamps itself in a
level position, pointed in the desired direction. The device will orient
properly even up to angles of 30?; that is if the Grass hopped sets up on
a 300 slope.
`. E. G. Sc G. engineer, stated that he felt the) 25X1
was an appropriate vehicle but that probably modification in addition to
that already being done by NRL was in order. Tests have indicated that the
in a high wind is not sufficient) stable to prevent il?. effects 25X1
being introduced to the sensing mechanism, feels that a redesign 25X1
of the legs might be in order to secure a greater degree of flexibility.
7. As a result of this trip it is concluded that:
(1) The value of continuing Phase I work is in
question
(2) Phase II is theoretically practicable
but its reliability of operation is in question
(3) The present design of the does not pro-
vide a sufficiently stable platform to operate
from under adverse conditions.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/05/25: CIA-RDP78-03642AO01200050006-7