LA PALMA,  CA -- Thanks to the latest board set from Sabtech Industries, the Navy and NATO have enlisted in the PC revolution.
   Using a special adapter card set, engineers and programmers can directly link into the standard Navy or NATO data buses, Instead of using expensive dedicated test sets, low-cost IBM PC/XTs, ATs or compatibles can monitor and diagnose shipboard systems.
   The ANEW board set is compatible with both the US NTDS (Navy Tactical Data System) and NAT STANG (NATO standard agreement 4146) parallel bus interfaces. With it an engineer or technician can hook into the bus using type A, B or C channels.
   The Idea is to take advantage of the low-cost PC equipment, noted Sabtech president Rahim Sabadia. "With the upcoming tighter budgets, it makes sense to use as much commercial equipment as possible, especially for non-embedded test equipment.”
   Also, using a Pc allows testers to make use of commercial peripherals like disks and printers, rather than more expensive ruggedized military parts.
   Engineers and test technicians can use the PC‑based system to emulate military equipment during software development. Additionally, they can capture and analyze tactical data from shipboard systems for test.
   The tester can be used off‑line for system simulation and training. Driving actual military consoles and displays.
   The type C channel is relatively new for Navy computer equipment and is specified for the NATO bus. It features differential drivers and receivers; its balanced line drivers and receivers allow remote operation with cable length, up to 4,000 feet. The channel can handle up to eight peripherals.
   Implemented on a daughter board, the type C channel supports a bus bandwidth of up to 400k, 32‑bit words/s (12.8 MB/s). The daughter board mounts onto Sabtech's NT1632FS adapter, which takes up a single card slot on the PC motherboard.
   The adaptor automatically adjusts to either an 8‑bit PC slot or a 16‑bit AT bus.
   The board set can be configured to drive type A or B channels fast and slow, from the main board, or Type C channel from the daughter board. The switch to and from the type c is not software settable.
   "With this board set, a PC can be used with the full range of NTDS bus configurations,” Sabadia said.
   The set emulates standard NTDS computers such as the AN/UYK-7, -20, -43, and –44. Test generator software running on the PC host eases building NTDS test sequences. The board set and software can play with any PC or clone running from 4.77MHz to 12 MHz.
   ANEW consists of the ANW1632 daughter board and NT 16832FS main board, which cost $950 and $2,300, respectively.