Student Operating Chart Recorder in Electronics Laboratory, San Francisco State College (Updated last month)
You can view this bundle in the SFSU Over the Years collection area.
A student operates a chart recorder in an electronics laboratory at San Francisco State College, adjusting controls while monitoring the instrument’s output. The chart recorder produces a continuous paper record of analog signals, providing a visual log for analysis of system performance during laboratory experiments.
Tags: faculty, staff, and administration , historic technology
Added to SFSU Over the Years on July 31, 2026.
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Information
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Identifier:
TP-ATA-1837
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Context:
<p><strong>What the devices are:</strong></p>
<h5><strong data-start="258" data-end="298">1. Strip Chart Recorder (foreground)</strong></h5>
<ul data-start="299" data-end="684">
<li data-start="299" data-end="356">
<p data-start="301" data-end="356">This is the wide device with paper threading across it.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="357" data-end="467">
<p data-start="359" data-end="467">A <strong data-start="361" data-end="385">strip chart recorder</strong> creates <strong data-start="394" data-end="429">a continuous ink trace on paper</strong>, recording voltage changes over time.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="468" data-end="540">
<p data-start="470" data-end="540">It functions like an oscilloscope but with <strong data-start="513" data-end="539">permanent paper output</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="541" data-end="684">
<p data-start="543" data-end="552">Used for:</p>
<ul data-start="555" data-end="684">
<li data-start="555" data-end="586">
<p data-start="557" data-end="586">Tracking <strong data-start="566" data-end="586">sensor responses</strong></p>
</li>
<li data-start="589" data-end="614">
<p data-start="591" data-end="614">Logging <strong data-start="599" data-end="614">signal data</strong></p>
</li>
<li data-start="617" data-end="684">
<p data-start="619" data-end="684">Observing <strong data-start="629" data-end="657">control system stability</strong> or slow-changing variables</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h5 data-start="686" data-end="735"><strong data-start="694" data-end="735">2. Analog Simulator Rack (background)</strong></h5>
<ul data-start="736" data-end="1072">
<li data-start="736" data-end="835">
<p data-start="738" data-end="835">A <strong data-start="762" data-end="793">patch-panel simulator unit</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="836" data-end="1072">
<p data-start="838" data-end="988">The spaghetti of wires, modular knobs, and meters are part of a system designed to <strong data-start="921" data-end="960">model real-world physical phenomena</strong> using analog signals:</p>
<ul data-start="991" data-end="1072">
<li data-start="991" data-end="1013">
<p data-start="993" data-end="1013">Servo motor behavior</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1016" data-end="1033">
<p data-start="1018" data-end="1033">Thermal systems</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1036" data-end="1072">
<p data-start="1038" data-end="1072">Dynamic responses to input voltage</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h5 data-start="1074" data-end="1119"><strong data-start="1082" data-end="1119">3. Panel Meters and Dial Controls</strong></h5>
<ul data-start="1120" data-end="1307">
<li data-start="1120" data-end="1215">
<p data-start="1122" data-end="1215">Below the patching zone is the <strong data-start="1162" data-end="1214">signal output and parameter adjustment interface</strong>.</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1216" data-end="1307">
<p data-start="1218" data-end="1307">The man is using these dials to <strong data-start="1250" data-end="1270">fine-tune output</strong> or perhaps calibrate for a test run.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>What the person is doing:</strong></p>
<p data-start="1351" data-end="1363">He’s likely:</p>
<ul data-start="1364" data-end="1586">
<li data-start="1364" data-end="1438">
<p data-start="1366" data-end="1438"><strong data-start="1366" data-end="1416">Adjusting the signal output or input variables</strong> in the simulator rack</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1439" data-end="1504">
<p data-start="1441" data-end="1504"><strong data-start="1441" data-end="1471">Monitoring system behavior</strong> as it gets recorded on the chart</p>
</li>
<li data-start="1505" data-end="1586">
<p data-start="1507" data-end="1586">Possibly running an <strong data-start="1527" data-end="1586">experiment on stability, error feedback, or oscillation</strong></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Educational context:</strong></p>
<p data-start="1864" data-end="1886">This would be part of:</p>
<ul data-start="1887" data-end="2052">
<li data-start="1887" data-end="1917">
<p data-start="1889" data-end="1917">A <strong data-start="1891" data-end="1917">control systems course</strong></p>
</li>
<li data-start="1918" data-end="1946">
<p data-start="1920" data-end="1946">An <strong data-start="1923" data-end="1946">analog modeling lab</strong></p>
</li>
</ul>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p><strong>Credits:</strong> </p>
<p>Some technical descriptions and historical interpretations were developed with the assistance of ChatGPT, an AI language model by OpenAI.</p>
</div>
<div> </div>
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Geographic Coverage:
San Francisco, CA
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Type:
Still Image
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Format:
Negative
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Source:
San Francisco State University Archives
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Rights:
Public
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