Lubricated cart tape

[arjoll]

I'm looking at an application using a cart machine (NAB carts) to fire a message automatically into a radio programme feed, triggered by a relay closure on a satellite receiver.

At the moment I'm arranging cart machines etc (Sonifex) but after talking to the guys I'm getting them from it sounds like the old carts they have are shedding - they've been digital playout for >10 years (PCM Gold on Amigas, then Startracks, Wavestation and now RCS Master Control on PCs) and the carts have had less and less use over this time - I'm not even sure if they still have cart machines are in the studios. I was quering the machines needing some 'TLC' (these things are normally bulletproof, designed to run for years with idiot jocks slamming carts into them and trying to wrench them out while still playing, that kind of thing), and it turned out that "it might be the carts because the pinch rollers are getting dirty really quick."

The upshot is that I'm going to have to learn how to re-load NAB carts and source some new tape to load them with. Apparently they used to use a 3M lubricated tape (1/4 inch). Does anyone here know what kind of tape would be best to use for this application, and where to get it from?

If anyone knows where I can get my hands on some please let me know here or PM me!

Thanks
Andrew

 

[technoplayer]

Years ago ( I shudder to think how many) I was creating stereo tapes on an open reel and then manually loading carts for radio staion playback. (lo-buck educational radio station). It wasn't terribly difficult. The main thing I recall was to NOT use a backcoated tape, as it did not slide out of the center of he cart smoothly and would be prone to hanging up. I don't know anything about lurbicated tape...I was just using whatever we ahd in the studio ...Shiny back tape...I seem to recall using Ampex 611??