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During the lifespan of the instrument, the specifications and included options were altered several times. A major upgrade was the introduction of the '''492A''' in 1987 which added marker functionality and resolution bandwidths and the '''492BP''' in 1989 which added a counter and increased the displayed dynamic range. The '''492PGM''' is a cost reduced version introduced in 1990. Also see [[49X Series Comparison]]. | During the lifespan of the instrument, the specifications and included options were altered several times. A major upgrade was the introduction of the '''492A''' in 1987 which added marker functionality and resolution bandwidths and the '''492BP''' in 1989 which added a counter and increased the displayed dynamic range. The '''492PGM''' is a cost reduced version introduced in 1990. Also see [[49X Series Comparison]]. | ||
Regarding the 492, [[Linley Gumm]] says, | |||
<blockquote> | |||
Given how complicated it was, many people contributed to the design. | |||
I currently have a list of 20 people. | |||
The problem is that I’m sure that I am missing several people and I hate to submit a list without them. | |||
The 492 was designed at the request of the military. | |||
They asked for a modern replacement of the 491. | |||
It was required that it provide coaxial input coverage of the lower microwave bands (~18 GHz), | |||
be very rugged, be a one person carry and fit through a submarine hatch. | |||
There was a lot more than that of course. | |||
When the 492 program started I was the project leader of the 7L18 | |||
and was still working to finish it off. | |||
The 7L18 was the first instrument at Tektronix to use a microprocessor. | |||
We had worked long and hard to learn how to electronically switch and control all the elements | |||
that were controlled by physical switch closures in the earlier instruments. | |||
Understand that to position the frequency of a YIG filter correctly | |||
with respect to the frequency of a YIG oscillator | |||
one must generate very quiet DC voltages accurate to roughly 1 part in 20,000 (I.e. 1 MHz in 18 GHz), | |||
so new control techniques were required. | |||
Plus the TEK made YIG filter designed for the 7L18 was therefore ready for use in the 492. | |||
We had also learned quite a number of things not to do and this was also used to anchor the 492 program. | |||
I say this to note that most of the long lasting, “classic”, Tektronix products were often the second, | |||
but more often the third generation product by the same design group. | |||
The 492 was definitely a second generation product in its use of | |||
microwave components and a microprocessor based control system; | |||
perhaps a third if you lump the 7L12, 7L13 (microwave systems) | |||
and the 7L5 (electronic bus control system) together as a first generation. | |||
Larry Lockwood led the first part of the program. | |||
He defined the RF and microwave frequency conversion architecture of the 492. | |||
As the program progressed, Steve Morton became the project manager of the initial 492 program. | |||
Recognize that beyond that initial project, | |||
follow-on design work went on for years as new features were added. | |||
Further, after their initial design work in the initial portion of the project, | |||
designers often went on to do rather different subsystems in the follow-ons. | |||
I worked on the 492 as a circuit designer in the initial design | |||
and in several other roles later, none of which were leadership roles. | |||
The other people I can recall having worked on the 492 at some point in its life were: | |||
Roberto Alm, | |||
Bob Bales, | |||
Carlos Beck, | |||
Bill Benedict, | |||
Craig Bryant, | |||
Russel Brown, | |||
Wes Hayward, | |||
David Leatherwood, | |||
Gordon Long, | |||
Dave Morton, | |||
Bill Peterson, | |||
David Shores, | |||
Steve Skidmore, | |||
Dennis Smith, | |||
Phil Snow, | |||
Leighton Whitset, and | |||
Norman Witt. | |||
Be aware my spelling is often “inventive”. There are at least two other names I can’t bring to mind. | |||
</blockquote> | |||
{{BeginSpecs}} | {{BeginSpecs}} |