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RAYDAC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The RAYDAC (for Raytheon Digital Automatic Computer) was a one-of-a-kind computer built by Raytheon. It was started in 1949 and finished in 1953.[1][2][page needed] It was installed at the Naval Air Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, California.

The RAYDAC used 5,200 vacuum tubes[3] and 18,000 crystal diodes. It had 1,152 words of memory (36 bits per word), using delay-line memory, with an access time of up to 305 microseconds. Its addition time was 38 microseconds, multiplication time was 240 microseconds, and division time was 375 microseconds. (These times exclude the memory-access time.)[4][self-published source]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "PROJECT HURRICANE COMPUTER (RAYDAC)". Digital Computer Newsletter. 5 (4): 2. October 1953. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019.
  2. ^ Oral history interview with Richard M. Bloch, Charles Babbage Institute, University of Minnesota.
  3. ^ Research, United States Office of Naval (1953). A survey of automatic digital computers. Office of Naval Research, Dept. of the Navy. p. 81.
  4. ^ McMurran, Marshall William (2008-12-11). ACHIEVING ACCURACY: A Legacy of Computers and Missiles. Xlibris Corporation. p. 48. ISBN 9781462810659.