Abstract: A drive for a magnetic tape including a tape deck, a skew plate having an opening in each end thereof for attachment by means of screws to the face of the tape deck, one of the openings being internally threaded, a read/write head affixed to the skew plate between the openings and having a longitudinal read/write surface thereacross engageable by a magnetic tape, the longitudinal read/write surface extending generally perpendicular to the skew plate rearward surface, a cup screw received in the threaded opening in the skew plate, the cup screw having an opening through it receiving one of the screws by which the skew plate is held to the tape deck, whereby the angle of the skew plate relative to the tape deck and thereby the angle of the read/write head relative to the path of tape across it, can be adjusted by rotational adjustment of the cup screw.

Abstract: A portable tester for testing tape drive units, which provides means for generating a selective repetitive composite data pattern, which includes a direct pattern and a reverse pattern which is an inverted image of the direct pattern, and writing the composite pattern on tape. Means are provided for reading the composite pattern off the tape and providing a read signal which is the result of amplifying and differentiating the signal from the read head. Means are provided for applying this read signal to an oscilloscope in a conventional manner, and to trigger the sweep of the oscilloscope at a selected time in advance of a critical portion of the read signal, for each of the direct and reverse patterns. Thus, an analog pattern signal will be displayed on the oscilloscope screen for the critical parts of both the direct and reverse portions of the pattern, for tape movement both direct and reverse.