[PaulM]

There was nothing there other than what appeared to be a control track, but even that wasn't quite right (too 'lumpy' looking on the waveform monitor).

Not a trace of sound, cue track sound, or video (high or low). Even tried 405 and 'opposite' way round. It can't have been bulk or machine erased, as red16v says, so what was going on, I don't know. The only thing I've thought of (but not investigated), is perhaps it was prepped for 'RF Copy' where the actual FM is dubbed from one machine to another, but then abandoned or didn't work. Without reading-up on it, I'm not sure how the 'RF Copy' facility works on these machines (never had anything to do with it), so it's a bit of a long shot and, in any case, why might the process have been abandoned half way through?

The tape is well worn, but not shedding, so just for the heck we recorded a few minutes of Test Card F (in low band black and white). The RF level coming back was a bit low, but it worked. Good to know that the TR70B still records and it will puzzle any future investigator even more!

One day - when there's time (huh!) - I would like to make one or more of my Ampex machines fly again. The VR1200 is quite close to working but it's an old machine. The AVR2 was 'pulled' hot but hasn't worked for a decade. Of the two AVR3s, one has had power in the last couple of years, but not the other. So much to do!

Looking at this 'mystery' tape was quite interesting, even though there was nothing on it in the end, and it was great to put a face to the name - and it turned out that we have mutual (ex)work colleagues in common!

Best regards,

Paul M