PRECISION FATHOMETER RECORDER 



by 



Richard G. Popovici and Thomas K. DeWitt 

 Electro graphic Systems Department, Raytheon Company 

 Submarine Signal Division, Portsmouth Rhode Island 



INTRODUCTION 



With approximately 98 per cent of the ocean still unsurveyed, the 

 pboblem of compiling contour charts is ever so growing. Moreover, the 

 demand is increasing for surveys of numerous strategic areas which must 

 be executed with speed, accuracy, and reliability. 



Contour charting of the ocean floor is achieved by compilation of 

 profiles obtained along the ship's track with a sonic transceiver and 

 a precision paper recorder. The precision recorder is a vital instru- 

 ment in this operation since it provides a continuous integrated and 

 precise display of the bottom and sub-bottom topography on a permanent 

 record. 



rfeny of times we have heard statements from the Navy Oceanographic 

 Office expressing their deep concern over the reliability and maintain- 

 ability of oceanographic instrumentation. It was said recently at a 

 marine symposium that over 75^ of the instrumentation was inoperative 

 or not functioning properly at the time of delivery. 



This fact, coupled with the ever-increasing demand for precision 

 recorders in survey work, has prompted Raytheon to develop an instru- 

 ment that will do justice in this or' related assignments. The develop- 

 ment of the Precision Fathometer Recorder, PFR-193, was a challenge 

 for experienced engineers to break the barrier of technological 

 dissatisfaction. 



This paper covers in detail the design concepts and novel features 

 of the FFR-193. 



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