Chapter 6
Page 50
DDS-3 Track Geometry
The Scorpion 24 DDS-3 drive records to tape in a helical track pattern. This track
pattern is dependent upon the relationship of two items: 1) the direction of tape
motion and 2) the rotational axis of a pair of record heads located on the tape drive
cylinder. One recording head has a positive azimuth angle and the other has a
negative azimuth angle. (Chapter 8 of this manual, Theory of Operations , further
explains details relative to helical scan recording and the head to tape interface.)
The direction of tape recording is away from the tape reference edge .
Postive-azimuth track
Tape reference edge
Legend:
A – Tape width
B – Ideal tape centerline
θ – Track angle
Figure 24. Track Configuration
Direction of tape motion
Negative-azimuth track
T
L
P
θ
Positive
azimuth angle Negative
azimuth angle
L – Track length
P – Track pitch
T – Track width
Tape Formats
A
B
DAT Drives