The "Telemetry Van" is a motor home converted to function as a mobile telemetry receiver station.

The Mobile Telemetry Van's primary purpose was mobility for the the Instrumentation Loading, Integration, Analysis and Decommutation (ILIAD) systems, consisting of both software and hardware components, which is the primary ground-based support system for the airborne data acquisition equipment.  This equipment collects data from various sensors and buses. Using ILIAD, an instrumentation engineer creates programs that tell the units what data to collect and how to format it.  Later, when telemetry data is received from a test article, ILIAD provides the capability to decommutate* the formatted data – picking out the parameters of interest.  Data can be graphically displayed for analysis and decision-making.

ILIAD is a software suite operating under Windows NT.  One very important and innovative process that has been incorporated in ILIAD is the capability to decommutate infrared (IR) video, display it in real time, and record the data both in binary and Audio Video Interleave (AVI) formats concurrently.  This unique capability was developed at the request of the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Program Office and will shortly become the standard IR display capability at White Sands Missile Range and other weapons system testing locations.

Equipment supporting data acquisition inside the
mobile telemetry receiver station.

In addition to JASSM, the incentive to develop the Mobile Telemetry Van (MTV) has been for the numerous smart weapons coming into test.  Key to each weapon program is telemetry of important weapon parameters from the Test Instrumentation Kits (TIKs), either integrated into the missiles, or attachable as tail-kits.  The MTV has proven invaluable in being on the spot to verify operation of the TIKs – at the munitions facility and on the flightline, in or out of hangars.  The utility of the MTV has been demonstrated over and over again as a low-cost, flexible alternative to fixed infrastructure and control rooms.

In addition to its use as a mobile TIMS platform, the MTV provides a number of work-multiplying capabilities.  The on-board telemetry equipment can be used to test, troubleshoot and preflight aircraft telemetry systems, both to receive and transmit.  A suite of test equipment is installed to facilitate a level of troubleshooting which would otherwise be available only in a lab environment, or with time-consuming relocation of equipment.  Test signals can also be wired directly to and from an aircraft instrumentation system to verify operation.  The van can also be used as a mobile base of operations for ground test, preflight, and troubleshooting, and has made a number of trips to remote test locations.

Equipment supporting pulse code modulation
decommutation inside the mobile
telemetry receiver station.

The MTV is able to both record and playback DataTape Multiple Application Recording System IIe (MARS IIe) and Metrum Very Large Data Storage (VLDS) tapes, for verification of tapes recorded on the aircraft, as well as for playback of known-good tapes for simulation purposes.

Reinforced roof w/ removable telemetry antenna.

The MTV has been extremely successful in its functionality and has proven to be well worth the investment.  More importantly, its mobility and flexibility has helped many projects maintain schedule and execute efficiently.