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Avionics + mil-spec teardowns

Reverse-engineering (mostly-)cheap eBay finds

don-straneyDon Straney
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  • Rocketdyne mystery boards: Analysis & Photos
    Most likely from a rocket engine controller
  • Hughes Space RF-generator box: Analysis & Photos
    Looks like an FM Tx exciter for a microwave link, somewhere in the 20-40 Ghz ballpark
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  • Digital processing boards from aircraft radar (Westinghouse)
  • Broad Reach spacecraft I/O board: Analysis & Photos
  • Hughes Space TWT HV power supply: Analysis & Photos
  • Vibro-Meter Central Maintenance Computer: Analysis & Photos
  • Honeywell RZ-220 Roll Rate Monitor: Analysis & Photos
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  • Bonzer Mini-Mark Radar Altimeter: Analysis & Photos
    Includes interesting multi-Ghz RF section from the 70's
    • Related - Bonzer Digital DH Converter: Analysis & Photos
  • Voice encryption/decryption unit from British helicopter: Analysis & Photos
  • Mystery signal conditioner card from navigation system: Analysis & Photos
  • Fire Control Computer from M1 tank: Analysis & Photos
  • Litton mystery military boards: Analysis 1, Analysis 2, Analysis 3 & Photos
  • Teledyne Control & Display Unit from military aircraft: Analysis & Photos
  • Northrop AN/ASN-112 Navigation Computer control & display from military aircraft: Analysis & Photos
    Includes impressive hand-wiring
  • McDonnell Douglas A05A0241-1 Voice Warning Generator from military aircraft: Analysis & Photos
    Includes shiny gold hybrids
  • Honeywell NZ-920 Navigation Computer from a small jet: Analysis & Photos
    Less circuit analysis, but looks very nice
  • SINCGARS military radio RF boards: Analysis & Photos
    PLLs as far as the eye can see
  • Raytheon old military radio UHF receiver for frequency-hopping: Analysis & Photos
    Includes a frequency synthesizer built from generic digital logic
  • Cubic Defense mystery RF boards & hybrids: Analysis 1, Analysis 2 & Photos
  • L3 Communications mystery RF boards & VCO hybrids: Analysis & Photos
  • Old aerospace/military computer boards with individual logic gates
    • Univac CP-901 early military aircraft computer: Analysis
    • Univac AN/UYK-7 standard Navy computer: Analysis
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  • Interpoint aerospace DC-DC converter: Analysis
  • Smiths Aerospace Remote Interface Unit: Analysis & Photos
    More modern than most of these, from 2004
  • Raytheon AN/USC-38 Submarine Satellite-Communications-Terminal boards: Analysis & Photos
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    Gold hybrid modules & circuit-tracing (have extras for sale at-cost)
  • Mystery Martin-Marietta digital board: Analysis
    Probably from a digital telemetry system as part of a military-aircraft "tactical data display"
  • RF frequency multiplier from AN/APQ-120 radar: Analysis & Photos
    60's microwave components in an X-band fighter jet fire control radar
  • Interstate Electronics Corp. mystery CPU board: Analysis & Photos
  • Merrimac PSD-4-30.7/27741 RF Phase Shifter: Analysis & Photos
    Includes sketchy construction methods & questionable reliability
  • Elliott Air Nautical miles Indicator from Nimrod military aircraft: Photos
    I didn't do any analysis on this one because Le Labo De Michel has already done an excellent job of reverse-engineering the circuitry here: https://youtu.be/iOEhtORQKAQ
  • Honeywell/Sperry DS-125A TAS/Temperature Indicator: Analysis & Photos
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    Includes incomprehensible diode logic
  • Electronique Aerospatiale (EAS) Windshield Temperature Regulator: Photos
  • Lockheed-Martin mystery digital logic board: Photos
    Haven't yet figured out what this does, or what system it's from, or even what all the ICs are (a couple remain with un-searchable part numbers)

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Discussions

Tom Nardi wrote 09/15/2024 at 23:19 • point

What an incredible effort, can't believe I haven't seen this until just now.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Ken Yap wrote 01/12/2024 at 23:34 • point

Thanks for publishing the photos and teardowns to give vicarious pleasure to those of us who don't (intentionally and not) have enough space.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Don Straney wrote 01/19/2024 at 18:38 • point

Glad you like them!  Yes, space can definitely become an issue: I've been recycling enclosures and the uninteresting parts (as well as giving away/selling off bottom-of-the-list items and duplicates) to keep it limited to one small set of shelves, and intending to maintain the collection at that size indefinitely :)

  Are you sure? yes | no

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