Microdyne 1400-MRA Telemetry Receiver 1451-D PM Demodulator 1420 IF Amp 1411-VT

Microdyne 1400-MRA Telemetry Receiver 1451-D PM Demodulator 1420 IF Amp 1411-VT

The Microdyne 1400-MRA is a modular rackmount telemetry receiver system designed for reception and demodulation of FM and PM telemetry signals. This unit is equipped with three plug-in modules: the 1451-D PM Wide Angle Phase Demodulator, the 1420 I Series IF Filter Amplifier, and the 1411-VT(70) RF Tuner, forming a complete telemetry receive chain. Part number 106-912-01, manufactured by Microdyne Corporation in Ocala, Florida.

Specifications & What's Included

• Make: Microdyne Corporation (Ocala, Florida — Made in USA)
• Model: 1400-MRA
• Part Number: 106-912-01
• Form Factor: Rackmount (approx. 4U)
• RF Tuner Module: 1411-VT(70) — RF frequency range 50–90 MHz
• IF Filter Amplifier Module: 1420 I Series — Selectable bandwidth: 100 KHz, 300 KHz
• PM Demodulator Module: 1451-D — PM Wide Angle Phase Demodulator, loop bandwidth 30–10,000 Hz
• Demodulation Modes: FM and PM (Phase Modulation)
• Front Panel: Center frequency display, RF frequency readout, demodulator section, video bandwidth controls, numeric keypad, audio gain control, LOC/REC/PBK/CAL/FRZ status indicators, POWER ON switch
• Rear Panel Outputs: AM output, SDU output, Record output, Video output, CFM output, Combiner outputs
• Rear Panel Inputs: REF OSC input, 2nd LO external input/output, RF input, Playback input
• Interfaces: RS-232 (J26), IEEE/GPIB (J27), Accessory D-sub (J20), multiple BNC signal I/O
• Power: 115/230 VAC selectable, ~1.5/0.75A, 50–400 Hz, SLO-BLO fuse
• Power Transistor Array: Four heat-sink mounted power modules (U1–U4) on rear panel

Applications

The Microdyne 1400 series MRA (Modular Receiver Assembly) is a professional telemetry receiver platform used in aerospace, defense, and range instrumentation applications. These systems are designed to receive RF telemetry signals transmitted from airborne vehicles — aircraft, missiles, rockets, UAVs, and similar test articles — and demodulate the encoded data for real-time monitoring, recording, and analysis. The 50–90 MHz RF tuner range places this unit in the low-VHF telemetry band, commonly used for short-range and line-of-sight telemetry links under IRIG (Inter-Range Instrumentation Group) standards. The 1451-D PM demodulator module handles phase-modulated (PM) subcarrier signals, while the 1420 IF filter amplifier provides selectable bandwidths to match the telemetry link bandwidth. Microdyne Corporation was a major supplier of telemetry ground station equipment to U.S. military test ranges, NASA facilities, and commercial aerospace contractors from the 1970s through the 1990s, and the 1400-MRA platform was a widely deployed receiver in those environments. These units remain in use at legacy test ranges and in research facilities that maintain older telemetry infrastructure.