To aid the elaboration of hydro-meteorological data by means of computers and at the same time to reduce to a minimum the work of the operator in obtaining such data, eliminating the perusal of diagrams and data extraction from them, a cartridge magnetic tape recorder has been built with a long recording run, low current consumption to permit battery operation, and above all with cost kept to a minimum to allow its installation as normal in the stations of a hydro-meteorological data gathering network.