AEROGRAPHER'S MATE 3 & 2 



SATELLITE TRACKING SET 



AN/SMQ-6(V) 



The Meteorological Data Receiver Recorder 

 Set AN/SMQ-6(V) is the ground equipment used 

 by most NAVOCEANMET units that receive and 

 reproduce signals from weather satellites. This 

 system is capable of receiving APT, SR, and 

 land- line transmissions. 



Purpose of th9 Equipment 



The receiver recorder set provides three 

 modes of operation, APT (Automatic Picture 

 Transmission), DRIR (Direct Readout Infrared), 

 and MAP (recording of weather maps and charts). 

 The purpose of each mode is described in the 

 paragraphs that follow: 



Description of Equipment 



The AN/SMQ-6(V) ground station equipment 

 consists basically of an antenna system, a re- 

 ceiver, a tape recorder, and a facsimile re- 

 corder. The variable (V) equipment portion of 

 the system is the antenna, and the power and 

 distribution control. The main components of 

 each set are pointed out in figure 6-8 and 6-9. 

 Shipboard installations utilize a steerable an- 

 tenna system with a programmed mode of op- 

 eration to automatically track the satellite, and 

 a power and distribution control. 



Shorebased installations utilize a conical 

 spiral omnidirectional antenna, and a power and 

 distribution control. The receiver is an FM 

 receiver designed primarily for APT satellite 

 reception. The receiver is equipped with both 

 an aural and visual means of detecting signal 

 presence. Tie tape recorder is utilized to pro- 

 vide storage capability and for playback to 

 obtain additional pictures. The facsimile re- 

 corder reproduces the satellite data line by 

 line on a wet electrolytic paper producing a 

 sepia printout. 



There are two configurations of the receiver 

 recorder set. The configuration shown in fig- 

 ure 6-8 has a steerable antenna that is di- 

 rected toward the satellite automatically (PRO- 

 GRAM Mode) or manually (MANUAL Mode) 

 through the antenna control located in the con- 

 sole. This directional feature enhances recep- 

 tion in high RF environments. The configuration 

 shown in figure 6-9 has an omnidirectional 

 antenna that eliminates the need for the antenna 

 control. In general, the set with the steerable 

 antenna is used on ships because of inter- 

 ference due to high RF electromagnetic radia- 

 tion. The set with the omnidirectional antenna 

 is used at any tracking station where RF inter- 

 ference is at a minimum. 



1. APT Mode. In the APT mode, the re- 

 ceiver recorder set receives, tape records, 

 and facsimile reproduces cloud and land im- 

 agery that is sensed by the SR in the visible 

 region of the spectrum and then transmitted 

 from the satellite. 



2. DRIR Mode. In the DRIR mode, the re- 

 ceiver recorder set receives, tape records, 

 and facsimile reproduces cloud and land im- 

 agery that is sensed by the SR in the infrared 

 region of the spectrum and then transmitted 

 from the satellite. 



3. MAP Mode. In the MAP mode, the fac- 

 simile recorder components of th9 receiver 

 recorder set are used to receive and repro- 

 duce wire (landline) transmissions of weather 

 maps and charts. 



Another purpose to which the receiver re- 

 corder set may be used is weather facsimile 

 (WEFAX). WEFAX transmissions however, are 

 not received directly from the satellite that 

 transmitted the original pictures. The original 

 pictures are transmitted to certain ground sta- 

 tions which then select and relay the pictures 

 to various geostationary satellites that are in 

 orbit for retransmission to the APT receiving 

 stations, thereby enlarging the area of coverage 

 available to the APT system because of the 

 higher altitudes at which the geostationary sat- 

 ellites are orbiting. 



Operation of Various Components 



Descriptions of the various components and 

 specific operating instructions are given in Tech- 

 nical M;inual Operation and Maintenance In- 

 structions, Receiver Recorder Set Meteorological 

 Data AN/SMQ-6(V), NA 50-30SMQ8-1. The pro- 

 cedures for setting positions on the control 

 panels, prior to applying power to the equip- 

 ment, must be carefully followed. (For the 

 GKR-4 and the GKR-7, refer to the appropriate 



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