Cubic Corporation EDM (Electrotape)
name: label: maker
content: Cubic Corporation
notes: label: Description
content: The Electrotape DM-20 is a transistorized microwave EDM. The first commercial
label: Description
content: unit, serial number 151, was unveiled in 1961. It yielded centimeter accuracy over
label: Description
content: distances from 100 meters to 40 kilometers, and in all weather conditions, day and night.
label: Description
content: Each unit cost about $6,000 and weighs about 25 pounds. For use, two units are needed,
label: Description
content: one to send the signal and the other to receive it. The DM-20 at the Smithsonian, serial
label: Description
content: number 402, was probably made in the early 1960s. The DM-20 remained in production
label: Description
content: for about 20 years.
label: Description
content: Cubic Corporation, founded in San Diego, California, in 1949 by electronics
label: Description
content: engineers from Consolidated Vultee Aircraft (Convair), specialized in microwave
label: Description
content: instruments. Their involvement with edms began in June 1958 when the United States
label: Description
content: Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory (ERDL) asked them to develop a
label: Description
content: domestic equivalent of the Tellurometer MRA/1. The first Micro-Dist, as the instrument
label: Description
content: was then known, was delivered early the next year. Like the Tellurometer, Micro-Dist
label: Description
content: used data compression by means of modulation side-band folding. With Micro-Dist,
label: Description
content: however, the two units were interchangeable. Other differences pertained to Cubic's
label: Description
content: diplexing system, receiver, and manner of digital readout. Micro-Dist operated at 10
label: Description
content: Gigahertz. Cubic claimed an accuracy of 1:150,000 ± 2 inches. Micro-Dist was advertised as early as March 1959. In 1960, owing to a conflict with Tellurometer's Micro-Distancer, Micro-Dist was renamed Electrotape.
label: Description
content: Ref: Cubic, Instruction Manual for Model DM-20 Electrotape.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: California, San Diego
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Physical Sciences
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content: Surveying and Geodesy
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content: Measuring & Mapping
publisher: label: Related Publication
content: Cubic. Instruction Manual for Model DM-20 Electrotape
label: Related Publication
content: Cubic. Cubic Model DM-20 Electrotape
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1996.0195.01
label: accession number
content: 1996.0195
label: catalog number
content: 1996.0195.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: edm
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 16 in x 15 1/4 in x 12 in; 40.64 cm x 38.735 cm x 30.48 cm