DECTape head problem

[Paul Koning]

> On Feb 8, 2022, at 2:53 PM, Wayne S via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> Since so many audio tape players and computer magtape units were made it would stand to reason that there has to be a stash somewhere of tape heads and it’s just a matter of finding where they are.
> Are there any part numbers on the dectape heads?

The schematics are bound to show DEC part numbers, but how those translate into supplier part numbers is anyone's guess.  Or perhaps they were made internaly by DEC?

In any case, DECtape heads are unusual.  Computer tapes are normally 1/2 inch wide (a few old tape drives had different widths, like the 14 track 1 inch CDC tape).  But DECtape and LINCtape are 3/4 inches wide, with 10 head positions.

Audio tapes are unlikely to be helpful; consumer reel to reel tape is 2 tracks (interleaved for when you flip over the reel?) 1/4 inch; professional decks might have 8 tracks or more on 1/2 or 1 or 2 inch wide tape, but I don't remember ever seeing 3/4 inch wide audio or instrumentation heads.

	paul