The AMPS computer system: design and operation
September 9, 1982
Project Report
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MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-110
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Summary
The Lincoln Laboratory Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) Monopulse Processing System (AMPS) is a mobile, stand-alone, ATCRBS surveillance sensor for processing and disseminating target reports from transponder-equipped aircraft. AMPS is essentially the ATCRBS portion of the Mode Select Beacon System (Mode S), a system designed to be an evolutionary replacement for the present third generation ATCRBS. AMPS utilizes several new features introduced by the Mode S sensor concept. In particular, the use of monopulse angle estimation permits more accurate aircraft azimuth estimation with fewer replies per scan, and improved decoding (identification) performance when garble is present. This report provides a description of the details and philosophy of the AMPS computer system implementation and operation. In particular, specific and detailed descriptions of the interrelations between AMPS's several subsystems and subtasks are provided as well as a guide on how to run them.