Abstract: An adjustable tape head mounting mechanism includes a housing for engaging the tape, and comprises structure for supporting the head housing relative to a head carriage at at least three spaced positions on the housing for head adjustment.

Abstract: An arrangement for aligning single-track magnetic record/reproduce heads in magnetic tape transports in both azimuth (skew alignment) and track position (vertical alignment) employs a single test tape. Dual test tracks within the width of a single head contain prerecorded blocks of pulses of alternating polarity, respectively uniformly and nonuniformly spaced. The nonuniformly spaced pulses are increasingly separated from each other in each block from a value below to a value above, and passing through, the uniform spacing of the other track. Reading the two tracks simultaneously from the head being aligned mixes the separate pulse trains to form a wave pattern with a symmetrically centered null in each block when the head is properly aligned and a nonsymmetrically located null of varying depth when the head is improperly aligned. It is unnecessary to move the head while the type and degree of misalignment is being determined. Alignment adjustment can be performed while the test tape is being read.