-----Original Message-----
From: Jon Healey <museum(a)techniche.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, 19 December 1998 15:02
Subject: Re: PDP-8 for free, ACT FAST!!!! Like, This afternoon
> I asked if this was the "right" dumpster.
>
>He said that it was but that there was a line of MIT students
>waiting when the computers hit the loading platform. They
>apparently didn't last long.
Good. It didn't wind up as razor blades or beer cans.
I hate it when that happens. Sounds like it found a
home.
cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
Hi folks,
This gentlemen could use some expert advice.
I don't know diddly about IBM stuff of this magnitude,
so, at his request, I have reposted his plea here.
Can someone respond directly to him with some
useful information?
Thanks in advance.....
I've also suggested that he join the CC list...:^)
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Epton <aceware(a)iinet.net.au>
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers
Date: Saturday, 19 December 1998 18:04
Subject: *URGENT* moving IBM 5360 to museum-need advice
>On Tuesday we will be moving an IBM 5360 10 Km from a warehouse to our
>museum.
>
>Can anyone please give me any advice on issues such as how to lock
>down drives and any other steps which should be taken to protect the
>machine while moving it.
>
>I already have another IBM 5360, with a disk expansion bay. But this
>machine is of rather dubious origins. I bought it from a scrap metal
>yard and I don't know how badly treated it was before I obtained it.
>Also, to move it I had to dismantle the power supply to reduce the
>weight. I carefully labelled every lead but unfortunately some of the
>labels fell off. Hence I have been reluctant to power it up for fear
>of it errupting into a molten ball of flames.
>For these reasons I was thinking of gutting the present machine for
>any good parts and replacing with the newer machine.
>The new machine has no expansion bay but was working two years ago
>when turned off.
>How hard would it be to add the expansion bay on to the new machine ?
>In terms of configuration steps ?
>
>Some guys are going to use a forklift to move the machine on Monday
>and stick it in a storage area - what do I need to do beforehand ?
>
>Many thanks in anticipation.
>
>Tony Epton
>Hardware Curator
>Australian Computer Museum Association (Western Australia)
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
>Well Don't feel too bad everyone,
>at least we were represented.
<...>
>He said that it was but that there was a line of MIT students
>waiting when the computers hit the loading platform. They
>apparently didn't last long.
Sorry your detour was unproductive, but I'm really glad that the
machines didn't end up in land-fill somewhere...
Megan Gentry
Former RT-11 Developer
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
| Megan Gentry, EMT/B, PP-ASEL | Internet (work): gentry!zk3.dec.com |
| Unix Support Engineering Group | (home): mbg!world.std.com |
| Compaq Computer Corporation | addresses need '@' in place of '!' |
| 110 Spitbrook Rd. ZK03-2/T43 | URL: http://world.std.com/~mbg/ |
| Nashua, NH 03062 | "pdp-11 programmer - some assembler |
| (603) 884 1055 | required." - mbg |
+--------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
Well Don't feel too bad everyone,
at least we were represented.
I was kind of passing by Boston this evening (on my way
>from Connecticut to New Hampshire). So I made plan for
a little detour when I saw this original message.
I was not familiar with the "alley" in question so it proved
to be a pretty painful adventure (for any of you familiar with
the streets of downtown Boston).
I knew I wouldn't arrive by 6pm, but when I finally found the
right dumpster, it was closer to 8pm. All that was left were
two empty steel racks.
While I was rummaging an employee happened by on a
cigarette break. I asked if this was the "right" dumpster.
He said that it was but that there was a line of MIT students
waiting when the computers hit the loading platform. They
apparently didn't last long.
Now, aren't you glad you didn't all drive into Boston like I did?
Merry Christmas,
Jon
==========================================
>< That is today! If you're in Boston and want a PDP-8 or want to help
>< someone get one, please act fast! Please pass this note on to anyone
>< you feel could help rescue this system.
>
>Damm, no wau I could make it in there and I want one too.
>
>Allison
>
>
Since DECnet I can get files from my Linux box to the VAX, and from there
to the PDP-11 when it's running RSX-11M 4.2 it's now easier to get stuff
transfered to the PDP-11, and this weekend I hope to have TCP/IP working
under RT-11 since I figured out how to transfer files from the RSX disks to
the RT-11 disk.
Now the first quesiton is this. I've got a bunch of RL01's and RL02's with
software on them, and when I got them I backed them up onto my Linux box so
I could play with them in the Emulator without having RL01/02 drives in the
house. Using the network I should be able to transfer those Disk Images
over to the PDP-11. However, can I mount those disk images under RSX-11M
4.2 like I can RT-11 disk images under RT-11? If so what do I need to do
this?
Second question. As I understand it, using DECnet it is possible to use
the tape drive on VAX from another VAX. Well, the VAX in the house doesn't
have a tapedrive, and I've not run the network out to the garage. So is it
possible to have the VAX access the TK-50 on the PDP-11/73 via DECnet?
Zane
| Zane H. Healy | UNIX Systems Adminstrator |
| healyzh(a)aracnet.com (primary) | Linux Enthusiast |
| healyzh(a)holonet.net (alternate) | Classic Computer Collector |
+----------------------------------+----------------------------+
| Empire of the Petal Throne and Traveller Role Playing, |
| and Zane's Computer Museum. |
| http://www.dragonfire.net/~healyzh/ |
All,
I wrote:
>...Village Thrift Store in Laurel, MD, on the north side of 198 about a
>mile west of 95. (Same place as last time I found a cool computer ...
That would be a mile west of the Balt.-Wash. parkway, *2*95. I hope nobody
wasted a trip due to my abysmal map-reading skills. Sorry about that!
- Mark
All,
Next time I come to Maryland I am $^&(*& well going to bring more
luggage. Awright, gentlemen, start your engines. The finish line is the
Village Thrift Store in Laurel, MD, on the north side of 198 about a mile
west of 95. (Same place as last time I found a cool computer while
travelling and couldn't carry it home.)
The prize is a Hewlett Packard Portable Plus together with an HP
9114B box (which I think is just an external battery powered 3.5" floppy.
Anyone?). It runs Lotus 1-2-3 and there are a couple of other programs on
it which I didn't have time to explore. There was only one power supply for
the computer plus the external box. Price was not marked. The store worker
quoted me $30 for the two of them, but (already aware that I could not pack
it) I said "hmph" and walked off. Hopefully he'll now quote you a lower
price. There were HP-IL (?) cables connecting the two. The computer said it
had a 300/1200 boud modem, and did have an RJ-11 jack. It also said "file
not found" on drive A: and had about 2.7 Mbytes left on drive B: That's
about all I remember about it. Let me know how it is...
- Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Max Eskin <kurtkilg(a)geocities.com>
To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
<classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu>
Date: Saturday, 19 December 1998 8:47
Subject: TI 9900N
>I just got this curious item from somebody. It's labelled LORAN C
>NAVIGATOR on the back. I haven't powered it up yet, but I guess this is
>something similar to GPS
Well, sorta. ie both are navigation systems.
LORAN is a civil version of a radio hyperbolic navigation aid developed by
the Brits
in WW2. The Germans had a similar thing, which was originally based in the
Bay
of Biscay, when the Brits found out about it, instead of destroying it,
they had charts
made to suit it, and it was used extensively by Coastal Command in the area.
It was continued as a nav service after the war, last I heard, it was
actually still operating,
but that was about 7 or 8 years ago now.
The British version was called GEE and was used to navigate (mostly) bomber
command aircraft, although I believe Coastal Command and possibly
the RN minesweepers and other small ship also used it. In those days
it was mostly used by aircraft though.
>(only LORAN is on the ground, isn't it?).
LOng Rnge Area Navigation. No, it doesn't really matter, it will work in a
ship,
a plane or a car. (Or on foot if you have a small enough one to carry.)
>It looks pretty old, and certainly has digital electronics in it. Could
>someone tell me what to do with this thing? Would it be useful in a car or
>an airplane? (I have neither)
A small boat, like a yacht or a power boat could use it. If they do, and
you
have the the special maps it needs, then yes, you should be able to use
it ok. I know it was popular with small boats in the US area til a few
years ago,
yachts especially used it quite a bit.
I found the following web site, info there says LORAN-C is still operating,
and it
now seems likely it will continue til 2005 at least.
http://www.illgen.com/ila/news/LoranDecision.htm
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Geoff Roberts
Computer Room Internet Cafe
Port Pirie
South Australia.
netcafe(a)pirie.mtx.net.au
< > I just got this curious item from somebody. It's labelled LORAN C
< > NAVIGATOR on the back. I haven't powered it up yet, but I guess this i
< > something similar to GPS (only LORAN is on the ground, isn't it?). It
< > looks pretty old, and certainly has digital electronics in it. Could
< > someone tell me what to do with this thing? Would it be useful in a ca
< > an airplane? (I have neither)
<
< Loran is a system of radio transmitters that ships and planes use to
< navigate by triangulating the direction of the signals from two or
< more stations. Can't thing of too much use for it in a car, unless
< you're going _way_ off-road.
It's loran C, still in use for aircraft and ships that cannot afford or do
not yet have NAVSAT(GPS) hardware.
IT's basically a specialized 100khz reciever and signal processing system
coupled to a microporcessor to translate LOP to lat/long. Accuracy better
than 1mile and typicaly .2mile. I have a smaller one in my plane
and still use it.
I wouldn't mind having one of the old TIs as they were amoung the first
commercial loran C.
Allison
< That is today! If you're in Boston and want a PDP-8 or want to help
< someone get one, please act fast! Please pass this note on to anyone
< you feel could help rescue this system.
Damm, no wau I could make it in there and I want one too.
Allison
