FPS-6

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FPS-6 Long Range Height Finder Radar Set - A Long Range Height Finder Radar set built by General Electric Company. Deployed to long-range radar sites in the 1950s and early 1960s, usually in pairs and as part of the SAGE network. Variants include the FPS-6A, FPS-6B, FPS-90, FPS-116 and the mobile version MPS-14.

This is a nodding type height-finder, initially manually positioned by an operator. Under the SAGE System, it was positioned by the SAGE Direction Center. Target identification and height determination were made by an operator under both the manual and the automatic SAGE System. The FPS-6B incorporated a higher power magnetron and variable nodding feature not available in the other versions.

Othello AFS, two FPS 6 Height Finder Radars on the left, FPS 3 Search Radar in the bubble and Operations building on the right, circa 1959.
FPS-6 Height Finder Radar
Element Value Notes
Nomenclature FPS-6
Origins
Variants FPS-6A
FPS-6B
MPS-14
FPS-90
FPS-116
Manufacturer General Electric Company
Type Height Finder
Number Made 450~
IEEE Band S
Frequency 2700 to 2900 mhz
PRF 300-400 pps
Pulse Width 2 to 3 us
Avg Slew Rate 7-1/2 rpm
Power 3.5 mw
4.5 mw
QK-327A Magnetron
QK-338A Magnetron
Range 200 nmi Long Range
Altitude 60,000 feet
Introduced 1950s
Federal Stock No. 5840-505-0921
5840-561-9160 A Model
5840-679-3304 B Model
FPS-6 Radar Set Antenna on Tower.


FPS-6 Major Components (edit list)
Component Model Quantity Height Width Deep Weight Notes
Motor Generator PU-293
PU-293A/U
1 18" 16" 44.6"
Antenna Equipment 1
Antenna Control C-1050/FPS-6 4 18" 7.5" 13" 50 lb
Antenna Control C-1048/FPS-6 1 7" 6" 9.5" 25 lb
Radar Set Group OA-320/FPS-6 1 48" 24" 42" 1,200 lb
Heat Exchanger HD-188/FPS-6 1 21.37" 34.25" 30.5" 300 lb
Terminal Box J-470 1 7.25" 22.5" 57" 130 lb
Transmitter T-338 1 31" 31" 37" 800 lb
Modulator Group OA-329/FPS-6 1 60" 40" 34" 1,200 lb
Power Supply PP-783/FPS-6 1 27.5" 48" 61" 1,155 lb
Voltage Regulator CN-93/CPS-6B 1 45.5" 21.5" 22.5" 425 lb
Dehydrator HD-187/FPS-6 1 26" 26" 34" 300 lb
Radar Set Group OA-270/FPS-6 2 42" 32" 25" 700 lb
Indicator Height ID-331/FPS-6 4 11" 14.5" 6" 35 lb
Radar Set Group OA-357/FPS-6 1 48" 22" 44" 750 lb
Antenna Control C-1049/FPS-6 1 8 7 11.5 25 lb
Radome-Tower Group AN/GPA-89 1
FPS-6A Major Components (edit list)
Component Model Quantity Height Width Deep Weight Notes
Antenna Group OA-2035/FPS-6A 1
Motor Generator PU-293
PU-293A/U
1 18" 16" 44.6"
Blanker, Interference MX-1739A 1 11" 15" 12" 49 lb
Antenna Control C-1050/FPS-6 4 18" 7.5" 13" 50 lb
Control Group Assy OA-2036/FPS-6A 1 48" 24" 42" 1.200 ln
Ferrite Isolator CU-492
CU-492A/FPS-6A
1 14"
15.25"
24"
18.75"
24"
30"
90 lb
Heat Exchanger HD-188/FPS-6 1 21.37" 34.25" 30.5" 300 lb
Heat Exchanger HD-289/FPS-6A 1 18.125" 30" 19" 360 lb
Terminal Box J-470 1 7.25" 22.5" 57" 130 lb
Transmitter T-338A/FPS-6A 1 44" 41" 52" 1,100 lb
Modulator Group OA-329A/FPS-6A 1 70" 44" 42" 1,535 lb
Power Supply PP-783/FPS-6 1 27.5" 48" 61" 1,155 lb
Voltage Regulator CN-93/CPS-6B 1 45.5" 21.5" 22.5" 425 lb
Indicator Group OA-1385/GPA-40
3 Boxes
1
1
1
45.5"
27"
19.75
33.5
13.5"
14.5
26"
14"
16.5"
320 lb
60 lb
65 lb
Dehydrator HD-187/FPS-6 1 26" 26" 34" 300 lb
Indicator Group OA-1040/GPA 1 21" 21" 27.5" 150 lb
Indicator Group OA-929/FPS-6A 2 37" 36" 42.5" 500 lb
Indicator Height ID-331/FPS-6 4 11" 14.5" 6" 35 lb
Radar Set Group OA-2037/FPS-6 1 59" 34" 51" 1,100 lb
Control Antenna C-1830/GPS 1 45" 26" 33.5" 320 lb
Antenna Control C-1049/FPS-6 1 8 7 11.5 25 lb
Radome-Tower Group AN/GPA-89 1
FPS-6B Major Components (edit list)
Component Model Quantity Height Width Deep Weight Notes
Antenna Group OA-2040/FPS-6B 1
Motor Generator PU-293
PU-293A/U
1 18" 16" 44.6"
Blanker, Interference MX-1739A/FPS-6 1 11" 15" 12" 49 lb
Antenna Control C-1050/FPS-6 4 18" 7.5" 13" 50 lb
Radar Set Group OA-2036/FPS-6B 1 48" 24" 42" 1,200 lb
Ferrite Isolator CU-492
CU-492A/FPS-6A
1 14"
15.25"
24"
18.75"
24"
30"
90 lb
Heat Exchanger HD-188/FPS-6 1 21.37" 34.25" 30.5" 300 lb
Heat Exchanger HD-289/FPS-6A 1 18.125" 30" 19" 360 lb
Terminal Box J-910/FPS-6B 1 7.25" 22.5" 57" 130 lb
Transmitter T-338A/FPS-6A 1 44" 41" 52" 1,100 lb
Modulator Group OA-329A/FPS-6A 1 70" 44" 42" 1,535 lb
Power Supply PP-783/FPS-6 1 27.5" 48" 61" 1,155 lb
Voltage Regulator CN-93/CPS-6B 1 45.5" 21.5" 22.5" 425 lb
Indicator Group OA-1385/GPA-40
3 Boxes
1
1
1
45.5"
27"
19.75
33.5
13.5"
14.5
26"
14"
16.5"
320 lb
60 lb
65 lb
Dehydrator HD-187/FPS-6 1 26" 26" 34" 300 lb
Indicator Group OA-1040/GPA 1 21" 21" 27.5" 150 lb
Indicator Group OA-929/FPS-6A 2 37" 36" 42.5" 500 lb
Indicator Height ID-331/FPS-6 4 11" 14.5" 6" 35 lb
Control Antenna C-1830/GPS 1 45" 26" 33.5" 320 lb
Antenna Control C-1049/FPS-6 1 8 7 11.5 25 lb
Radome-Tower Group AN/GPA-89 1

See Also:

Sources:

  • Winkler, David F., Searching the Skies: the Legacy of the United States Cold War Defense Radar Program, USAF Hq Air Combat Command, 1997, 192 pages, Pdf
  • MIL-HDBK-162A, 15 Dec 1965.

Links:


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