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-6AFPS-90
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
QK-327A Magnetron
Range
200 nmi
Long Range
Altitude
60,000 feet
Introduced
1950s
Federal Stock No.
5840-505-0921
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
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
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
1
14"
24"
24"
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
1
45.5"
33.5
26"
320 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
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
1
14"
24"
24"
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
1
45.5"
33.5
26"
320 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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