Digitrac for handling radar data

Digitrac is one of the new generation of data handling systems where digital techniques used with semiconductor circuits, in preference to the earlier analogue/valve methods, are used with a computer to provide a system where automation reduces the human operator's participation to a monitoring level as nearly as possible. Digitrac converts the usual analogue outputs from radar sets into a digital form suitable for transmission over telephone lines and is basically a "block-building" system from which the hardware to meet particular operational requirements can be assembled. The main "blocks" are the computer, display, azimuth sweep unit, symbol generator, and links to other data centres, and the paper describes their operation in broad technical outline. The computer performs the operations necessary for tracking, control of symbols and synthetic data, and interception and/or flight-plan computations. The model used, the "Censor" is designed for parallel operations in real time with one or more Censor computers having memory sizes from 2048 words up to 37 768 words of 40 bits each. The paper includes a section on the organization and operation of an air defence centre based on a Digitrac installation as the nerve centre.