I need your help identifying some information

Originally posted by JewAgainstZionism
reply to post by Brotherman

 

If you can't afford a 10 k project like this, find a real ball buster like Jessie Ventura
or Alex Jones, someone with money, and NO fear of the government,
let them spend 10 k to play it out.

edit on 27-12-2012 by JewAgainstZionism because: (no reason given)

Oh brother. Those are entertainers with no real knowledge of astronomy or spaceflight. All they're going to do is get some kook to come on their show and claim the tapes are evidence of something kooky. The OP had the right idea to ask specifically for people who are knowledgeable about spaceflight. LOIRP is a private initiative (www.collectspace.com... ) so no, it is not necessary to leave the country to get non-governmental help in reading these tapes.

Made an inquiry and showed the picture of your tapes to someone at a private museum who knows more about it than I. He suspects it contains data from experiments but it could be just about anything. They do have the equipment needed to play back those tapes and they have in their collection gemini and mercury tapes as well. One guy there is currently copying some of the mercury audio to CDs and can help you find out what's on the tapes. PM me if you want me to send you the info to get into contact with him.

OK I did a bit of research on this.

Based on the labels, these are rehabilitated tapes... previously used tapes that have been certified for re-use.



This document (an interesting read) describes the use for these tapes as "restricted to engineering tests or voice recordings only"

1970 Report to Congress



So, unfortunately, there is probably not anything particularly interesting on them (pictures/video), but you never know for sure until they are read.

ETA: I suppose some voice recordings could be interesting depending on what they are from.

reply to post by ngchunter


Ok PM sent out to ya bro.


I'm not trying to leave America or send these tapes to someone that isn't related in any way to space or cannot tell me anything about space or this type of technology.

reply to post by Zarniwoop


Thanks for that last bit of info, I was trying to find something along those lines that would explain the data on the stickers since I can't just go play them. Again thanks a ton!

reply to post by Brotherman


You bet

So, to summarize... The tapes were certified on 2-7-68 and acceptance tested for re-use by J, Crehan on 2-14-68, who worked at GSFC in building 18 room W-1 rehabilitating tapes. The tapes were then shipped to a NASA scientist or experimenter, possibly to a satellite tracking station, and their contents most likely contains experimental data or voice recordings... or nothing at all, if they were never re-used.

Keep us informed on what happens next

reply to post by Zarniwoop


I don't think they were I didn't want to focus on how they were acquired but this may be something to consider at least something I have considered. A friend of mine (long dead now) used to work there as a computer scientist at Goddard as a consultant, other things that he did back then was computer security for Sears, sigintel with the Army and various other things. He just one day found these tapes in his work van and realized I guess that someone may have accidentally loaded the wrong box into his truck as he worked in an area there that alot of tapes like this were apparently in abundance, he used to actually fix those really old reel to reels and left a plethora of old computer gear when he passed away, but nothing big enough to play these. I would be guessing that it is like you said voice data or other computer data I may have some video as there are other tapes I didn't post about because the info on them is not as good and would probably be harder to research. Anyways thanks again either way I think stuff like this is really really neat anyways even if it is just tests experiments or actual mission data no matter what it is if anything I will get it to the people that can make a copy and hopefully have them put in a home that others can appreciate them, also try to get it archived here on ats for all you guys that like stuff like this too.

This is a direct quote from Keith Cowing to me he had emailed me this afternoon:

"Those tapes will not play on our FR900 tape drives - ours only play 2". They may be data tapes requiring another format that we do not support."

This leaves him out as a viable option to help uncover the information off of these tapes, this isn't entirely bad news though as the information he presented just rules out some things which is helpful. Thanks to another member of this web community I have another option to explore so I will keep updating this as I learn more.

I cant help you in anyway, but thanks for bringing this to Ats. What a story, im hooked. And now that I have commented I'm subscribed.

I wish you the best of luck, I cant wait to see what your results turn up.

reply to post by CitizenJack


Thank you for subscribing I will do what I can to get this solved, to some it may seem trivial but I just think it is really neat and executable task. It gives me something to do at the least and also brings other members with serious talent out of negative threads and all that, I really appreciate all the help I have been getting there will be more to come!

reply to post by Brotherman


Just a thought . You may be wise to insure ASAP that they are protected from exposure to any type of magnetic forces.

reply to post by ajay59


They are protected in vaccum sealed plastic and also encased in some really tough plastic that is tinted and then stored away in thick cardboard in a dark area but anything else you could suggest to further protect them ill certainly consider

reply to post by Brotherman


There are several materials out there. Here is one link. www.lessemf.com...

reply to post by ajay59


thanks for the link, I have to ask you arent a spokes person for this company lol I'm just kidding I don't know if I could afford anything like that at this time but if it comes to sending them out I would be very angry if all the security stuff they do with mail these days would de mag them so I am glad you brought that up. Next step is make them mail proof

reply to post by Brotherman


You are most welcome. There are many places you can search. My biggest worry in your place would be, a device or weapon able to discharge a small yet powerful directed EMP.

I have to agree with a couple of the posters who suggested these are data tapes and not video tapes especially given that they are magnetic in nature and not photographic.

As to exactly what the data is, now that is something I would be interested in knowing, but, NASA probably had hundreds of thousands of these tapes being used during the 10 year hay day of the space race. I doubt they will contain anything earth shattering...unfortunately.

reply to post by phantomjack


I have other tapes reel 2 reel that are more likely video than just raw info they are a different size and make, those will be next on the agenda after these, I hope there is info on these that if anything give us a sense of how awesome the scope of this project is, more than likely it is old computer data or audio this has been the most likely as you also agree with but again to me this is a worthwhile pursuit to give to people that like this kind of thing. I have something I think is interesting and hope it turns out to be something other people can enjoy and we did it here on ATS.

reply to post by Brotherman


I hope you can find a way to discover what is on them, have you thought about taking this to reddit?, nerds and geeks of every description pass through the bowels of reddit on a daily basis.

reply to post by Brotherman


You know what Brotherman, I will post one last post and forever disappear from your thread

YOU are not the man for this job,

Evey man is suited for something, some people are meant to be sophisticated
high frequency stock traders, some guys are meant for digging dirt etc

You don't have the kind of mental mindset for this job.

You are way in over your head. Don't hate me, I don't have a dog in this fight,

I don't think it is likely tapes contain anything important, I am just being honest with you.

You actually trust, former government people, and government affiliated people to
be completely honest with you (even if tapes contain secret materials)

That screams naivety to me.

It makes me think that you don't even know how good FBI/CIA is at covering things up,
or switching tapes, or erasing and giving back ETC ETC ETC

And I doubt you even saw my post because it is LAST post on page 2,
which further tells me you don't have what it takes.

I will not be back to read reply, so don't bother
Good luck
Don't hate me, I am just calling it like I see it.

And you are welcome to think that I am just some paranoid freak who doesn't
know what he is talking about.

Other industries that use this equipment (mostly as data loggers, Ampex is probably the most used and available.)
Seismology (USGS)
US Military (in AWACS, P-3's)
NOAA (Hurricane Aircraft, P-3's)
Insurance Companies ( Like Factory Mutual, monitoring risk tests)
Universities that have sound labs.