scope:

The equipment specified herein is the ground station of the Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS). The ground station is a ground bases interrogator comprised of transmitter, antenna, receiver, video remoting equipment, decoders, and remote control equipment. Space is reserved for later addition of defruiters, side lobe suppression equipment, and target center marking equipment. Provisions are also made for addition of altitude decorders, and addition of a complete ground station monitor. Design features are incorporated in the equipment to provide for ease of maintenance during continuous operation. These features include such items as dual channel equipment at both the transmitter site and indicator site, and remote channel change equipment with provisions operating the standby channel of the transmitter site equipment into a load while the other channel is in full operation. Local channel of the dual-channel common decoding equipment and the capability of isolating one channel for maintenance is provided. Provisions are made for the use of any non-common decoder as a spare unit. This equipment is normally operated in association with a primary radar, but is capable of independent operation with the addition of an antenna pedestal, servo control and display equipment. When operated with a primary radar the antenna will be mounted on the radar antenna, the beacon ground station pretrigger will be provided by the radar, and beacon will be displayed on the radar display equipment. In case of primary radar trigger failure the beacon ground station can continue to operate on its internally generated trigger. See Section 6.0 herein for additional details.