Re: tape baking

> On Jul 4, 2017, at 08:16, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > > The 'out-gassed material' is water, which has been absorbed > by the binder, which is hydroscopic. Has anybody experimented with drying media in a vacuum chamber at room temperature? My abortive attempt to play with an old TK50 tape

Re: tape baking

> On Jul 6, 2017, at 09:55, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote: > > > > On 7/6/17 9:47 AM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote: >> Maybe I could make a machine to allow me to unspool a TK50 tape while wiping >> on cyclomethicone and then re-spool it, perhaps by hacki

Re: tape baking

> On Jul 6, 2017, at 10:59 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk > wrote: > > That's what I do when baking doesn't do the trick; e.g. binder > bleed-through. But, as Al says, don't overdo it. I used a thick felt > wiper to deposit a thin film on a 2400' reel of tape. I added more to > the wiper about h

Re: tape baking

> On Jul 6, 2017, at 11:20 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk > wrote: > > On 07/06/2017 11:09 AM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote: > >> Did you apply it to the whole tape prior to reading it, or did you apply it >> in place on the tape drive while reading the tape? > &

Re: tape baking

> On Jul 6, 2017, at 12:42 PM, Rob Jarratt wrote: > > > Why not give baking a go then? Or have I missed something? I would of course > recommend trying with an unimportant tape first until you get a time and > temperature that works for your setup. Oh, it's on my get-around-to-it list. I'll st

Re: tape baking

> On Jul 6, 2017, at 11:50 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk > wrote: > > I've uploaded the files to my Box account: > > https://app.box.com/s/liuljs46noaz58grdwuj170mjh66qzm8 > > I have the permission of the owner to share these. Note that many of > them depend upon first-character FORTRAN carriag

Re: tape baking

> On Jul 6, 2017, at 3:34 PM, jim stephens via cctalk > wrote: > > > > On 7/6/2017 10:59 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: >> Go figure. Perhaps nobody owns a line printer that takes continuous >> forms any more. > I'm moving a Data Products 2230 this weekend. Oooh, congratulations! I don't

Re: Cipher F880 with S100 interface card on local CL

> On Jul 10, 2017, at 09:15, Jon Elson via cctalk wrote: > > You could do a controller using the Beagle Bone black and the PRU devices, > which are 200 MHz 32-bit microcontrollers built into the Bone's processor. That's the scheme I have in mind for making a Pertec interface one of these days

Re: Convex documentation online (C220 arrived)

Wow! I fondly remember the air exhaust from the power supply cabinet of the Convex C240 as being the warmest spot in the UCI computer room at 6AM, when the main Computer Science building A/C turned on and the computer room temperature plummeted. Maybe I should finally learn how to use one for it

Re: Convex documentation online (C220 arrived)

> On Aug 7, 2017, at 12:13 AM, Camiel Vanderhoeven > wrote: > > That would have been the CPU cabinet for the C240 (which is twice as wide > as the C220¹s CPU cabinet. The C240¹s CPU consumes - i.e. converts to heat > - about 20 kilowatts of power, so that would indeed have created a hotspot > i

Re: The Name of the disk (Was: Disk imaging with IMD - question

> On Aug 9, 2017, at 12:08, Fred Cisin via cctalk wrote: > > [...] > I'm keeping your rant as reference material. Thanks! The Tandy Portable Disk Drive (TPDD) for the Model 100 series is one of the odd-ball "rare" configurations: 3.5", 40 track (later, 80 track on the TPDD2), single sided

Re: Wanted: small composite CRT monitor

I suggest that you keep your eyes open for a small CRT-based CCTV monitor. Possible sources include eBay, Craigslist, Goodwill, etc., as well as folks on lists like this one. I've been looking for an old Sanyo VM-4209 or VM-4509 monochrome monitor for a while, to put on my SOL-20. One of those

Re: RL02 Spinup fails

> On Nov 6, 2017, at 10:21, Aaron Jackson via cctalk > wrote: > > I based my terminator off Mark > Blair's RL02 to USB project: > > https://github.com/NF6X/RL02-USB/blob/master/pcbs/RL02-USB-terminator/RL02-USB-terminator.pdf Hi there! Just one warning: My project stalled after I ordered boa

WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

I just got my HP-85 working for the first time over the weekend (except for its tape drive, which is still a work in progress). I'd like to acquire some accessories for it: 1) HP 82903A 16k RAM module 2) HP 9122C dual 1.44M 3.2" floppy diskette drive Do any of y'all have either of those items

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 5:24 PM, william degnan wrote: > > Those drives are 720 each 3.5". No, the 9122C model has two 1.44M drives. HP made several earlier 3.5" drive units with either 360k or 720k drive capacities. I don't have a compatible IEEE-488 card for use with the HPDrive software. I'm

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 6:35 PM, Paul Berger via cctalk > wrote: > > Well I do have a surplus 9122C however only one drive works and I am on the > other side of the continent. Hmm, I'll consider yours if a more workinger one doesn't appear. That locational thing can be solved if you're willing

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 7:24 PM, Ed Sharpe via cctalk > wrote: > > try 9121 drives!!!. ed! No, thanks. I'd like a 9122C drive. -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 20:11, Ed Sharpe via cctalk wrote: > > wondervifcthec9122 drives,will work on 85? > I think I can guess what you meant to say there... :) I’ve ordered a PRM-85 (a modern reprogrammable ROM drawer replacement) which includes the HP-85B version of the Mass Storage ROM, a

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 20:33, Ed Sharpe via cctalk wrote: > > ok back in my day.. I do not think 85 adressed modern drive of 1.44 meg..? so > that was what I was going on.. yes if you can use 1.44 do so.. older new > media hard to find... I am still new to this HP-85 stuff, but I think you a

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 20:44, Ed Sharpe via cctalk wrote: > > remember too.. there were hpib 8 inch and 5 inch drives wish I had saved > some!!! Those would certainly interest me if I happen upon any at a price that I like. Same goes for an HPIB 9 track tape drive. But since the HP Se

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 14, 2017, at 10:57 PM, Ed Sharpe via cctalk > wrote: > > you have me real curious,as to what is in that padded hp case.. What are you referring to? -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 15, 2017, at 01:31, Christian Corti via cctalk > wrote: > > No, the 9122C has two high-density, two-sided 80 cylinder drives. A drive has > no capacity, this is the function of the on-disk format. > ;-) Ah! That's technically correct, which is, of course, the best kind of correct. W

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 15, 2017, at 09:33, Paul Berger via cctalk > wrote: > > 720K media is pretty easy to get as well, I bought 100 "used" disks from > floppydisk.com, and it is hard to tell they have ever been used and I have > not had any problems with them. I also bought a lot on eBay that where > p

Re: Drive capacity names (Was: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 15, 2017, at 09:44, Fred Cisin via cctalk > wrote: > >>> No, the 9122C model has two 1.44M drives. HP made several earlier 3.5" > On Wed, 15 Nov 2017, Christian Corti via cctalk wrote: >> No, the 9122C has two high-density, two-sided 80 cylinder drives. A drive >> has no capacity, thi

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 15, 2017, at 4:45 PM, Eric Schlaepfer wrote: > > It'd be interesting to find out how well that PRM-85 works. I've laid out a > board for a rough equivalent but I haven't fabbed it out. It may be cheaper > for me to buy that instead. > > I've also got a 9122C but I don't have the mass

Re: "Personal" Computers (Was: Details about IBM's early 'scientific' computers)

> On Nov 15, 2017, at 5:09 PM, Paul Koning via cctalk > wrote: > > > Earlier, there was the SAGE computer (the air defense one, not the PC by the > same name), which had built-in ash trays at each operator station. With all of the possibly apocryphal stories of computer users mistaking CD d

Re: WTB: HP-85 16k RAM Module and HPIB Floppy Drive

> On Nov 15, 2017, at 8:27 PM, Curious Marc wrote: > >> I think that the upgraded B model ROMs in the PRM-85 are supposed to let it >> use the newer drives. > Yes it does. I have an HP 85A, the PRM 85 and a 9122, and that combo works > beautifully. I am not sure I ever tried it with high dens

Re: Dec-10 Day announcement from Living Computers: Museum + Labs

> On Dec 10, 2017, at 00:21, Rich Alderson via cctalk > wrote: > > Happy DEC-10 Day! > > It is my honor to announce that we at Living Computers: Museum + Labs > are releasing to the computing community our Massbus Disk Emulator > and all the associated software. This is wonderful! And the tim

Attaching SIMH devices without halting simulation?

I've been experimenting with the SIMH VAX simulators a lot lately. The only way I know of to mount a tape, disk pack, CD-ROM, etc. after boot time is to halt the simulation with ^e to get to the SIMH command prompt, ATTACH the desired image, and then resume the simulation with CONTINUE. Is ther

Re: Attaching SIMH devices without halting simulation?

> On Dec 31, 2017, at 13:47, william degnan wrote: > > Yes, but you were not able to attach in your startup script? That's when to > do it. > It's common practice, and frequently a necessity, to mount media such as tapes without rebooting the machine they're being mounted on. -- Mark J.

Re: Attaching SIMH devices without halting simulation?

> On Dec 31, 2017, at 13:52, J. David Bryan wrote: > > See section 3.15, "Remote Console" in the SIMH User's Guide. The "SET > REMOTE TELNET" command will allow you to attach and detach while the > simulator is running. That appears to work perfectly. I don't know what I did wrong when I tri

Re: Attaching SIMH devices without halting simulation?

> On Dec 31, 2017, at 14:10, william degnan wrote: > > I thought you set all devices you planned to use "online" so you could mount > them later? I don't simh vax much so thanks for the correction as to the > procedure. I mostly do pdp8 or pdp11 stuff, or esoteric hardware. > > That's wha

Re: Attaching SIMH devices without halting simulation?

> On Dec 31, 2017, at 5:07 PM, J. David Bryan via cctalk > wrote: > > > You mentioned that you "tried putting the system console on a telnet port," > so you might have used the "SET CONSOLE TELNET" command (section 3.14 in > the user's guide). Ah, yes, I think that's what I did. -- Mark J

Re: QSIC update and request

This looks pretty interesting! I think I've managed to miss previous discussion of it. I wonder if it might also be useful in any of the QBUS MicroVAXen? -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: DECtape madness

> On Jan 13, 2018, at 08:52, Bill Gunshannon via cctalk > wrote: > > So, where were all these people when I was trying to clean out > my old house a couple years ago? I threw out piles of tapes of > various formats because I couldn't find anyone to take them for > postage. I'm sorry that I m

Re: A walk through of my legendary warehouse sale in the 1990s.

> On Jan 20, 2018, at 18:26, Paxton Hoag via cctalk > wrote: > > This is a digitized HI8 tape of a walk through of an early Warehouse Sale I > ran from 1995 to 1998. There is a small sections of collectable computers > in the middle of the tape with a few others scattered through the sale. > F

Re: ultrasonic cleaning for disk heads

I thoroughly enjoyed Marc's video of the head cleaning. Some dumb questions from a guy who has not yet experienced his first head crash on a removable-pack hard drive: When it happens, am I correct in assuming that the pack is toast, and should never be loaded again? My removable-pack drives a

Re:

> On Jan 27, 2018, at 10:23, Adrian Stoness via cctech > wrote: > > ipa as in beer? Isopropyl alcohol. Not very good for drinking; even store-brand vodka in plastic jugs is less harsh. :) -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: ultrasonic cleaning for disk heads

Speaking of these drives, I have a single decpack cartridge which hitchhiked along with a purchase of RL02 packs. It's marked "decpack 2200 BPI-12" and has 12 sector notches in the hub. Does that mean that it was most likely used with an RK05 drive in a PDP-11 system? I seem to recall that packs

Re: A couple of RL02 questions

> On Jan 28, 2018, at 20:56, Marc Howard via cctalk > wrote: > > I've got two RL02 units. One is a parts unit and has an access plate for > the door solenoid. I can open it. The other has no access plate nor is > there a cutout for one. How do I open this cover with the power off? This >

WTB Intel 7110 Bubble Memory Subsystem or Chipset

I'm about to acquire a couple of 1980s-vintage military surplus AN/UGC-137A terminals (i.e., glass TTYs with some local message preparation and storage capabilities) which have a bubble memory subsystem. They use plug-in cartridges containing 256 kbytes of storage in the form of two Intel 7110 1

Re: WTB Intel 7110 Bubble Memory Subsystem or Chipset

> On Feb 22, 2018, at 12:29 PM, Pete Lancashire wrote: > > Doing a paper napkin design, should be pretty easy to build a bubble emulator > in the same size Yes, and I plan to do just that (assuming I ever actually get around to it)! But the first priority will be archiving the firmware that's

Re: WTB Intel 7110 Bubble Memory Subsystem or Chipset

> On Feb 22, 2018, at 1:23 PM, dwight via cctalk wrote: > > Do not remove the chip from the bias magnets. All will be lost if you do. Is my understanding correct that removing the entire 7110 module as a unit (whether socketed or soldered in) should be somewhat safe, but any attempt to disass

Re: WTB Intel 7110 Bubble Memory Subsystem or Chipset

> On Feb 22, 2018, at 2:33 PM, Eric Smith via cctalk > wrote: > > If you do lose the formatting of an Intel 7110 bubble memory device, to > reformat it you need something Intel called a "seed module". The > instructions to build a seed module are in the BPK72 manual. I've seen those instructi

Re: WTB Intel 7110 Bubble Memory Subsystem or Chipset

> On Feb 23, 2018, at 07:11, Anders Nelson wrote: > > That's one of the most beautiful machines I've ever seen! Are they > rare/expensive? (I'm guessing yes) Yes to both! I don't know how many are out in the wild today, and I don't know how many were made. I don't even know yet whether they

Re: IBM 6094-010 "Dials" protocol?

> On Mar 24, 2018, at 22:29, Michael Brutman via cctalk > wrote: > > Picture here: https://i.imgur.com/ClCw070.jpg > Neat! I haven't seen one of those since 1987, when I briefly played with a workstation that had one of those in an unguarded computer room i

Re: Identifying vacuum tube module

> On Mar 25, 2018, at 12:34, Kyle Owen via cctalk wrote: > > Anyone knows what these go to? > > https://imgur.com/a/CpxLs If the 5815 is a Federal Supply Classification, then the module would most likely be used in some sort of teletype or facsimile equipment. --

Software for AN/UGC-144 Communications Terminal?

I posted this originally on the ArmyRadios mailing list, but I think it's just computery enough that it may be of interest here, too. And maybe somebody here even has the answers to my questions! I just got an AN/UGC-144 communications terminal. It looks unused, and it came with cables and man

Re: 8085 Dissasembly?

> On Apr 18, 2018, at 2:50 AM, Torfinn Ingolfsen via cctech > wrote: > > Since it has not been mentioned yet: NF6X's dismantler supports the > 8085 (and a couple of other CPUs): https://github.com/NF6X/dismantler > It is written in Python, so it should run on any platform where Python > is avai

Re: new disassembler vs IDA (was Re: 8085 Dissasembly?)

> On Apr 19, 2018, at 9:19 AM, Eric Smith via cctalk > wrote: > > For the 1802, I've used a really crude disassembler written in C. The 1802 > instruction set isn't very complicated, so a disassembler for it isn't > either. It's been so many years since I actually disassembled 1802 code > that

Re: Rick Dickinson, ZX Spectrum designer, RIP

Over here in the US, I remember seeing the Sinclair QL in a magazine (probably Byte?) and thinking it looked exotic and interesting. I thought the little tape drives looked neat, and didn’t know enough to appreciate how much better a floppy drive would have made the system. I have no regrets at

Re: TRS-80 Fragmentation

> On Apr 26, 2018, at 14:25, Geoffrey Oltmans via cctalk > wrote: > > TRS-80 Model II and 16, 68k based "business" machines The Models II and 12 were Z80 based machines. The models 16 and 6000 were the same Z80 based machines with 68k subsystems added via additional cards to allow them to ru

Re: (OT) Re: Is This A Shill?

On May 2, 2018, at 09:08, Chuck Guzis via cctalk wrote: > > Although eBay in the past has tried to kill off sniping because it > reduces the number of visits an individual might pay to their site, I > think they've given up with trying to kill the sniping system. If eBay really wanted to kill sn

Re: Full immersion emulation

> On Mar 1, 2017, at 11:39 AM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk > wrote: > > There are certain experiences that I would not rather relive for the > sake of nostalgia. Computer room noise would be right up there with > kidney stones and root canals. Having experienced both 1980s computer rooms and passi

Re: Full immersion emulation

> On Mar 4, 2017, at 1:22 PM, Jon Elson wrote: > > On 03/04/2017 03:13 PM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote: >> For some reason, I fondly remember the scream of a DEC TU77 drive, and would >> like to have one in my collection. Clearly, I must be somewhat touched in >

Re: Full immersion emulation

> On Mar 4, 2017, at 17:09, Jon Elson wrote: > > Hmmm, on our TU77, the vacuum pump was not that audible, but then it was in a > room with a LOT of noise. My memory might be faulty, since it has been about 25 years since I've heard a TU77. I don't suppose anybody near southern California has

Re: Full immersion emulation

> On Mar 4, 2017, at 21:42, Jon Elson wrote: > > Oh, get a TU78, for sure! I would settle for either! -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Magtape write rings [Was: Re: Full immersion emulation]

> On Mar 5, 2017, at 09:49, Chuck Guzis via cctalk > wrote: > > I don't recall many who used those yellow rings for their intended > purpose. It was just too easy to forget to remove one. You mounted > tapes without and reached around the back of the reel with a punch card > and tripped the "

Re: Magtape write rings [Was: Re: Full immersion emulation]

That all makes perfect sense now. Thanks! -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: FTGH (you come get): VAXstation 100 terminals

Ugh, this leaves me feeling so conflicted. One or more of these rigs sounds so tempting, but both my house and my 11/730's Unibus cage are full. Do I stash one in one of my sea containers in the hope that someday find time to let it timeshare a desk in my house, and also find a place to plug it

Re: FTGH (you come get): VAXstation 100 terminals

> On Mar 6, 2017, at 6:34 PM, Jason T via cctalk wrote: > > Before getting rid of them all, maybe you (or someone on the list who > receives one) could consider taking some photos for the Terminals > Wiki. I don't believe it has an entry there yet: If I get them, there will (eventually) be pic

Re: Introducing the UUCP/Usenet Project

For a year or two in college, I was running UUCP on my Amiga 1000. I had it dialing into the SPARCstation IPC on the computer support desk at UCI. Gack, I still remember the pain of hacking the sendmail.cf without the benefit of the later m4 macros, in order to get the mail forwarding working.

Re: DCC-116 E / DATA GENERAL NOVA 2/10 / Nixdorf 620 - Restoring and restarting

I do not have anything useful to say, but I liked your pictures and video. Congratulations on a successful first boot! -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: Directory of old computer collectors

> On May 22, 2017, at 1:19 PM, steven stengel via cctalk > wrote: > > Please let me know if I may, or may not, place your information on the public > webpage. As long as it's just city and email address, I don't mind being on the list. My email address and city are already all over the place

Re: Fixing flakey floppies

I have also encountered many drives in which the grease inside the hub spindle and/or hub clamp bearings had dried out. When I am cleaning up a new-to-me old floppy drives, I check all of the ball bearings in the spindle and hub clamp to make sure that they spin freely. If they drag noticeably,

Re: VT-320 interfacing

> On Nov 9, 2020, at 5:53 PM, Grant Taylor via cctalk > wrote: > >> The VT320 only has the DEC-423 MMJ, no RS-232. > > I /thought/ that Modified Modular Jack was simply a physical thing and > completely independent of Recommended Standard 232. DECconnect (aka MMJ) interface uses RS-423 ele

Re: misc stuff - free

> On Dec 15, 2020, at 11:09 AM, Johan Helsingius via cctalk > wrote: > > This is one of the reasons why I miss good old USENET - with a public list > of groups, and a clear hierarchy. USENET is still around. But much like the rest of the infinite groups, it's not where everybody is. Sigh.

Re: Looking for VAXSET Software Engineering Tools for VMS 4.x

> On Apr 16, 2021, at 11:38 AM, Malte Dehling via cctalk > wrote: > > Whether VAXSET is on there or not, I would be very interested in ISOs of > both of these either way! If Antonio does not mind sharing them a bit more widely, I would also like to have ISOs of them. I'm interested in runni

Re: DEC BA11-K KY11-L mounting brackets -- how?

I'm not at home with the machine now, but if I remember (or get reminded in the next day or three), I'll try to take some pictures of my PDP-11/34A to help you out. -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X https://www.nf6x.net/

Re: PDP-11/44 gas struts

Like Steve, I don't know about the original application. My own 11/44 project pile has the slide out and rotate style of slides, to the extent that it has any slides at all. When I need gas struts and cannot identify a source for exact original replacements, I usually look at McMaster-Carr first

Re: tamayatech let down

> On Dec 26, 2021, at 10:00 PM, Chuck Guzis via cctalk > wrote: > > I got a kick out of the eBay sellers flogging logic analyzers without > the pods, advertising them as "working". How can you tell? I guess that at least reveals sellers whose item condition statements cannot be trusted.

Re: VAX 780 on eBay

The poles supplying my rural property just have one phase of 12kV on them, so even if SCE was willing to provide 3ø service to me, I bet it would be *expensive* to get the whole line upgraded to 3ø service all the way up to the last pole with all three phases present. I think that's probably wit

Re: 11/785 on ebay (2018) - was Re: VAX 780 on eBay

> On Jan 2, 2022, at 1:03 PM, Toby Thain via cctalk > wrote: > > On 2022-01-02 2:48 p.m., Noel Chiappa via cctalk wrote: >> > From: Jonathan Chapman >> > Last one that went auction-style on eBay went for $1,178.00 >> When was that? >> Do you have any details of the machine's config? >

Re: VAX 780 on eBay

In the unlikely event that I win the lottery before that 11/780 batch sells, I'm going to buy it, buy a box truck, go pick it up, and then leave the box truck parked outside while I build a new building to put it all in. :D -- Mark J. Blair Blog:https://www.nf6x.net Git: https://gitlab

Re: VAX 780 on eBay

> On Jan 2, 2022, at 4:20 PM, Chris Zach via cctalk > wrote: > > On 1/2/2022 6:21 PM, Mark J. Blair via cctalk wrote: >> I am seriously lusting after that VAX-11/780 system on eBay > I keep thinking about it, but no. The 780 was neat from a historical > perspect

Re: I ran across this strange modernistic? Data General ...odd?

> On May 26, 2018, at 9:38 AM, Bruce Ray via cctalk > wrote: > > And 'yes', Novas and its derivatives are still used today... That's news to me, and it sounds quite interesting. Would you mind elaborating on that? -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: Modifying microcode

> On Jun 3, 2018, at 7:37 PM, Ethan Dicks via cctalk > wrote: > > We used to purchase 11/725s for parts to keep our 11/730 running. > Much cheaper because "nobody" wanted an 11/725 in the early 90s (I > still have one. I wish I could afford a Unibus controller to replace > the KLESI/U and RC2

Re: CDC 6600 display character generation

> On Jun 6, 2018, at 11:50 PM, Rick Bensene via cctalk > wrote: > > Believe me, the console did spit out a lot of sparks and little blobs of > molten metal, along with quite a bit of smoke. I still have a small > scar on my left leg where one of the little blobs of metal burned me > after bur

Re: Thicknet/10base5 Test Segment: The Cable is In!

> On Jun 25, 2018, at 2:20 PM, systems_glitch via cctalk > wrote: > I do have a very > few NOS Cabletron ST-500-01 transceiver/non-intrusive tap kits as well. What does non-intrusive mean in this context? I thought that thick ethernet taps always required drilling a hole in the cable. --

Re: Pdp 11/34 System for sale in Riverside,ca

It looks lovely, and I live just outside the Riverside city limits. I'm awfully short on both money and indoor storage space right now, though. :( -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: Pdp 11/34 System for sale in Riverside,ca

Ok, I've studied the pictures carefully and given it some deep consideration, and I've decided that I do not want it. I hope that somebody adopts it! Judging by the power tools that are also listed in the same event, I'd say that the person whose estate this is from was definitely One Of Us. --

Re: Pdp 11/34 System for sale in Riverside,ca

> On Aug 1, 2018, at 8:32 AM, Wayne S via cctalk wrote: > > http://www.ctonlineauctions.com/detail.asp?id=746466 > > From the pictures it looks to be a fairly complete system with Kennedy tape > drive. > Has a System industries controller but doesn't appear to have a disk drive. Looks like s

Oddball Terminals (Was: Re: VT100's)

A long time ago, I had the incomplete remnants of an oddball terminal which I retrieved from a junk pile at a small, obscure school in Pasadena. I'll try to describe it as best I can, based on old memory. I could have sworn that it had a dataplate label identifying it as a DEC VT02, but that c

Re: Oddball Terminals (Was: Re: VT100's)

> On Sep 7, 2018, at 8:41 AM, Bob Rosenbloom via cctalk > wrote: > > The display was most likely a Tektronix 611. DEC used them with their point > plot display systems like the VC8E. I am pretty sure that the display was a 611 in its vertical configuration: http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/611

Re: Oddball Terminals (Was: Re: VT100's)

Thanks for digging that up! I had never managed to google up any details before. -- Mark J. Blair http://www.nf6x.net

Re: Oddball Terminals (Was: Re: VT100's)

That’s it! The terminal I had was definitely the one in this picture: http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/terminal/vt02/vt02_1.jpg -- Mark J. Blair http://www.nf6x.net

Re: Fall cleaning - 9-track drives available

I'm sure relieved that you didn't say "DEC TU77 drive" and "near Riverside, CA", because I lack spare cash, empty floor space, and impulse control! :) -- Mark J. Blair http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: Fall cleaning - 9-track drives available

> On Sep 21, 2018, at 7:44 PM, Bob Rosenbloom via cctalk > wrote: > > > All are located in Santa Cruz, CA and need to be gone soon, I need the room > in my hangar. Come get them! > > Photos here: http://dvq.com/fall_cleaning/ If I'm not mistaken, that CDC drive uses the same mechanism as

Re: Advice requested on proper disposal of Seagate ST3000DM001 disk drives

How about removing the (presumably aluminum) platters, case castings, and any other aluminum parts, grinding it all down to fine aluminum flakes, making thermite out of that, then using it to slag the rest of the non-aluminum parts? Then shoot the slag pile with a .50 BMG. Then drop that into

Re: desoldering (was Re: VAX 9440)

On the topic of desoldering tweezers: I don't like them. I've done tons of rework of components down to 0201 size. I consider 0201 to be difficult, but I found that once I could work on 0201 components at all, 0402 suddenly seemed easy to work with! Anyway, the tweezers I've used had poor tip a

Re: VAX 9440

What a majestic system! When I saw the teaser picture of the backs of racks on Twitter, I was assuming something in the 11/78x series. I don't know anything about the 9440 yet, so it'll be fun to read up on that. -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: Newbie Punch Tape Questions

> On Dec 24, 2018, at 11:33 AM, Columbia Valley Maker Space via cctalk > wrote: > > The Mylar reel would have been the programming for a CNC machine. I > suspect the first part of the reel may be some boot loader or init > routine. I could definitely be mistaken, but my first guess would be

9-Track Magtape Drive ID

Does anybody here recognize the make and model of this tape drive? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D7_mfdfUIAMcTly.jpg -- Mark J. Blair, NF6X http://www.nf6x.net/

Re: 9-Track Magtape Drive ID

Thanks! I am taking the whole system. It's in a rack with a PDP-11/34A, a System Industries 9400 controller, and what looks to me like a Fujitsu M228x series hard drive: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D77fRMFU0AEQtSO.jpg I grabbed the M228x manuals from Bitsavers to look up how the spindle and p

Re: 9-Track Magtape Drive ID

Cool. So that means that this 11/34A has more backplane slots than the base model? The programmer panel is also appealing. I presume that the Kennedy 9000 doesn’t have a Pertec interface, then? It remains to be seen whether I ever start my 11/44 restoration vs. moving it along to another collec

Re: 9-Track Magtape Drive ID

> On Jun 1, 2019, at 14:57, John H. Reinhardt via cctalk > wrote: > Is this the system that was on Reddit? Yes. I’ll be fetching it next weekend. I’m excited! I wonder if the hard drive is still usable, and if there is anything interesting on it? By a chance meeting with my neighbor today, I l

Re: 9-Track Magtape Drive ID

> On Jun 1, 2019, at 15:27, John H. Reinhardt via cctalk > wrote: > > Congrats!! Should be fun to play with. I just picked up a Micro PDP-11/53 > which is about the biggest I can fit into my office/computer room. lol > Neat! I’d like to get a PDP-11 in that form factor someday.

Re: 9-Track Magtape Drive ID

> On Jun 1, 2019, at 4:22 PM, Steve Malikoff via cctalk > wrote: > > BTW If the old rubber rings one the hubs are too > expanded and won't allow a tape reel to slide on, just replace with a # BS336 > O-ring > from a bearings/seals/gasket shop. These are cheap, readily available and > takes

Re: Kids these days...

I wouldn’t invest in an IoT buzzword company whose web page admits that the products they are talking about don’t exist yet, headed by a non-engineer, even without the fishy international money laundering smell. It’s interesting how quickly you ferreted that out, William. I don’t have a clue abo

Re: Recovering the ROM of an IBM 5100 using OCR (among other things)

> On Jun 27, 2019, at 8:21 AM, Warner Losh via cctalk > wrote: > > Back when I got to school and I was hanging around the computer room on > campus (back when it was THE room on campus with computers), I saw this > half-dollar sized plastic fob on the desk and asked what it was for. The > on-

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