The HP 3205A - TELEMETRY - FM Signal Generator

The Boonton Radio Company pioneered the development of FM signal generators, which were intended for mobile radio test and maintenance. Boonton was acquired by Hewlett-Packard and renamed the Rockaway Division. The 202 Series, still manufactured in 1969 under the Boonton Radio name, had established themselves as the standard of the FM industry. The Models 202D, F, G, and J have been, and were still being used in the VHF telemetry band.

By the end of the 1960s, the Pentagon proclaimed that all telemetry applications would move up to two new bands. Thus, requests started to come in for an FM generator for these new system frequencies. The specifications and operational features of the 3205A have been worked out with major customers to fulfill the majority of the needs in the telemetry market. The 3205A brought new generation and stabilization technologies into the design of the product.

Inside Views of the 3205A FM Signal Generator

The HP Model 3205A in the 1968, HP General Catalog

The HP Model 3205A Field Training Manual

Below are copies of three pages of the HP 3205A field training manual which give interesting information about the telemetry market and technology of the time. It was unusual for the formal writing of HP, but occasionally they would even include a cartoon. They are also a good example of the comprehensive kind of technical support that factory marketing provided to the field engineers to help their customer relations.

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