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Autosim is a software package written to control and trigger the programmable instruments that are used to supply simulated signals to the recording devices on underground nuclear weapons effects tests at the Nevada Test Site. These instruments are located either in the tunnel or at a remote site, and may be controlled from anywhere on the Department 9320 Computer Network. Autosim incorporates commands to control the operation of the Laser Calibrator that is a fiber optic device that transmits a signal from down-hole to the uphole recorders. Autosim also supports the task of characterizing the cable links by communicating to some high bandwidth digitizers that are used to input the pulse of the downhole simulator. To minimize the learning interval, Autosim utilizes menus and offers on-line help on most of the selections in the menu options.

The Data Retention Chassis (DRC) is a data acquisition component based on the Motorola 68000 microprocessor. The purpose of the DRC is to download the correct set-up parameters into sixteen Tektronix 7912 digitizers, to verify that the digitizers retain their settings, and (once the digitizers have triggered) to load that data into the DRC battery back-up CMOS memory. The DRC also has a circuit built into it called the COMMAND LINK. With the help of the TA698 Alternate Common Equipment (ACE), the user employs this link to communicate interactively with the digitizers and the DRC. Another circuit built into the DRC is the data stream multiplexer (DSM) for high-speed data transfers.