Early-warning radar communication system ferrite core memory cube

A cube from the 5TS19 (5Ц19) "Rezeda" military system intended for data exchange between the computing centers of early-warning radars and spacecraft ground control points. The cube is enclosed in an aluminum case, sheathed with foam rubber on the inside, and on the outside covered silver-colored fine-porous foam for heat-insulating. On the front side there is a massive heat sink and two handles for carrying and facilitating mounting the cube in a rack. On the back side are two connector plugs. Nameplate marking as "OOZU" (possibly meaning Main RAM). Three same cubes were installed in the rack.

Internal structure and specifications

The cube consists of 18 ferrite plates, each containing 1024 ferrite rings (one group of 32 x 32). Total memory capacity is 2.25 kilobytes. Ferrite plates alternate with special plates containing parallel wound threads of wire to heat the air inside the cube body. Despite the fact that the rack with the cube had to function inside the heated building of the computing center, in order to maintain a stable temperature regime of operation, technically it is easier to initially heat the air inside the cube body, insulate the body, and then maintain the set temperature . Each thread starts from a special contact on one side, passes in parallel turns through the entire plate, ending at the other contact on the opposite side. The number of turns is different for different plates (on the outer 29 turns, on the inner 14). Along the ends and in the center of the cube, the plates with threads go in pairs, in other cases they go alternately with ferrite. To control the temperature, plates with two MMT-1 thermistors (a pair from each end and a pair in the middle) are added to the cube.

Additional information

The cube maked in 1978

Images (click to enlarge)