Right about the scope. Can't remember the model; it was dual trace, think maybe 565 (I remember it was 3 digits). The system occupied 180K Sq.Ft. 32 racks of logic including peripherals, 18,000 vacuum tubes, plus 6000 pencil tubes in the output converter, 130 tons of A/C, 60 miles of coax connecting the racks (under the floor). If an air conditioner failed in one rack and the alarm didn't work (happened!) the envelop on all the tubes would melt. Looked like a Dali come to life. The core memory stack was about 4 feet high and 1 foot square. Held 16K. The 10 tape drives held 20" diameter reels of 3" wide tape. Looked about the size of automobile wheels. The whole enchilada had a throughput capability that might match a low end PC. We've come a long way!
You two have started something here. That Tektronix may be a 535. I just loaned an album of old photos to a friend, and a couple of them feature me as a 22 or 23 year old, conducting electromagnetic interference testing on some export model of the Lockheed F-104, surrounded by Tektronix scopes, HP meters, John Fluke meters. It was quite a project and we at Lockheed ended up doing such testing on every new model of the 104, and thereafter, all other airplanes. MIL SPEC MIL-E-6051C stuff. Once I get the photos back I'll post one here. Good times remembered.
I don't think it was a 535. The 535 had two columns of five knobs each to the right of the CRT, whereas the one in Comsic's photo has only four knobs in each column. As I remember, the number of traces, be they single, dual, or quad, were determined by the plug-in module below the CRT on the left. So now my task is to find a photo of a 500 series O'Scope that matches Comsic's photo....and I was wondering what I was going to do with the rest of the evening. LOL Tektronix 535 -
Wish I could help more, just can't remember. 531 doesn't ring a bell. If it's any help in addition to two time bases it had delayed sweep, and yes, the dual trace was a plug in. That's all I know any more.
Well, looks like we exhausted this topic. I'll move presently to the appropriate board and disclose my plans for this "enterprise".
