I just got off the phone with the shipper. No news yet, but he did confirm
that once we've given up hope, he'll refund my money.
Of course, what I _really_ want is for UPS to find the box. Aside from a
picture on Eric's brouhaha web site, this was the first one of the DEC
Computer Lab digital logic trainers I'd ever come across. I hate to think
that UPS has somehow managed to lose it.
-- Tony
> ----------
> From: Eros, Anthony
> Reply To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 5:12 PM
> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> Subject: RE: An alternative to UPS
>
> When I talked to the shipper, I confirmed that I wanted the package
> double-boxed and said I wanted it insured. UPS started a trace on the
> package last Friday afternoon, so I'll be following up tomorrow. I
> haven't
> given up _all_ hope, but it isn't looking good.
>
> -- Tony
>
> > ----------
> > From: Joe[SMTP:rigdonj@intellistar.net]
> > Reply To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> > Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 5:32 PM
> > To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> > Subject: RE: An alternative to UPS
> >
> > At 11:25 AM 7/27/00 -0500, Tony wrote:
> > >I'll definitely be looking at alternatives in the future. The other
> shoe
> > in
> > >this is that it appears the shipper didn't bother to insure the
> package,
> > >despite my instructions to the contrary. Of course, those instructions
> > were
> > >over the phone, not via e-mail, so I'm getting the "you didn't tell me
> > you
> > >wanted me to insure it". Gee, now why wouldn't I want it insured? :-(
> >
> > Did you pay the seller to insure the package? If so, then he owes
> you
> > even if he has to pay out of his own pocket.
> >
> > My 2 cents worth,
> > Joe
> >
>
When I talked to the shipper, I confirmed that I wanted the package
double-boxed and said I wanted it insured. UPS started a trace on the
package last Friday afternoon, so I'll be following up tomorrow. I haven't
given up _all_ hope, but it isn't looking good.
-- Tony
> ----------
> From: Joe[SMTP:rigdonj@intellistar.net]
> Reply To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 5:32 PM
> To: classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
> Subject: RE: An alternative to UPS
>
> At 11:25 AM 7/27/00 -0500, Tony wrote:
> >I'll definitely be looking at alternatives in the future. The other shoe
> in
> >this is that it appears the shipper didn't bother to insure the package,
> >despite my instructions to the contrary. Of course, those instructions
> were
> >over the phone, not via e-mail, so I'm getting the "you didn't tell me
> you
> >wanted me to insure it". Gee, now why wouldn't I want it insured? :-(
>
> Did you pay the seller to insure the package? If so, then he owes you
> even if he has to pay out of his own pocket.
>
> My 2 cents worth,
> Joe
>
>There really is nothing wrong with the plain old United States Postal
>Service. They are a bit more pricey and slower, but the boxes don't get to
>the point where they need to be looked at by an insurance agent.
Always use the potal service when you can. I would probably use FedEx if you don't like UPS. And Forward Air for the big stuff.
> > If we have a 300vdc source, positive with respect to ground, and we
> > have a 300vdc source, negative with respect to ground, don't we have
> > a 600vdc potential between the two sources (as long as they share a
> > common ground)???
>
> Absolutely. All voltages are relative to another point, and 2 300V
> sources in series as you describe would, indeed, give you 600V.
>
> Bu what puzzles me, as I'll explain below, is where the 300V
> sources are coming from.
Nowhere.
Ok, to make a long story short, I'm now seeing precisely the
voltages you say I should see. With nothing connected to the
outputs of the rectifer, I get 105vdc across the + & -.
With the rectifer reconnected and the electrolytics back in
place, I get just a hair under 160vdc between the caps'
terminals, and just a hair under 320vdc measuring between
what we're calling the +ve and -ve terminals.
So, either I did in fact misread the meter, or...
Well, the entire large PCB containing the secondaries
is completely disconnected, removed, and set aside.
In addition to the cable carrying +ve and -ve to that
board, there are a few (two? I should have written that
down) other cables that connect the two boards. So my
only other theory is that some of what's on that board
is involved in some kind of feedback process with the
primary to step it up even higher.
My original measurements were done with the entire
PSU assembled and connected, except that it was not
installed in the backplane (and thus had no load on
it). It's just not going to be possible to debug it
while installed in the backplane. Not in this Prime.
I still intend on shooting some shots of this stuff,
but yesterday someone ran off with the PCMCIA adapter
for the digital film chips, as well as the only chip
that didn't have important pics on it, so that has
yet to take place.
> > The components that I've shown as {MCI 307138} are what appear to be
> > either large disk ceramic caps, or, judging by appearance, more likely
> > MOVs. The one on the + side is discolored and cracked open along its
>
> They're thermistors. Their resistance falls when they warm up. The idea
> is to limit the current that flows into the PSU via the bridge rectifier
> when the supply is turned on and the capacitors are totally discharged.
> Once they've charged up a bit, then the thermistors warm up, and their
> resistance falls.
Are you sure? My Alled Electronics catalog has thermistors, but only a
few in the catalog is as large as these are- about 1 inch diameter.
With everything disconnected, the on in the + circuit has
1.2 ohms resistance, the one in the - curcuit has 1.0 ohms
resistance.
Can you help me cross-reference that part? Any idea what
manufacturer uses the initials "MCI"?
Additionally, the Allied catalog doesn't carry any of those
old-styled power resistors (the long, square-profile ceramic
things, this one with PCB-standoff feet)... in the needed
range, all they have are the newer jobs that come with a
built-in heat sink. It was 15k ohms, 5%, 20 watts, made by
Dale. I can get the exact part # from it tonight if needed.
Wel, that's all I got at the moment. Boy, this sure is fun!
regards all,
-doug quebbeman
Just curious, how many people here have Chieftain or Gimix systems?
Sellam International Man of Intrigue and Danger
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Looking for a six in a pile of nines...
VCF 4.0 is September 30-October 1
San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California
See http://www.vintage.org for details!
Besides bringing home a couple VT420 and the TK50 tapes, I found some other
curious stuff.
SweetP nifty little plotter I used back in 1983, explitive deleted missing
the pen holder, but otherwise looks OK.
A LOAD of printer ribbons, boxes of a dozen, single ribbons, too many to
sort just yet. I may just take a couple pictures and put the mess on my web
site. DEC, QUME, Epson, NEC, a bunch, most nicely still sealed in bags.
Another big box of bulk floppys (5.25").
1/2 gallon of Medieval madness, not 10 yrs old, but I think I will go try a
scoop.
(4) 1 MB 32 pin simms
Couple Sun IPC boxes, misc cables including a couple 13W3 to BNC adapters.
I've a collection of RSX11M-Plus manuals available for the
cost of shipping. Contact me off list if you'd like a
list of what's available.
-ck
--
Chris Kennedy
chris(a)mainecoon.com
http://www.mainecoon.com
PGP fingerprint: 4E99 10B6 7253 B048 6685 6CBC 55E1 20A3 108D AB97
> Universal Package Smashers...
ROFL! My first UPS experience was receiving a shipment of
lab glassware (as a 7th grader!) back in '69... the burettes
both arrived broken.
-dq
> It's as ridiculous as my horror story!
[..snip..]
> I haven't used UPS since.
While not meaning to defend UPS (whom I was once told by someone
who'd done "high-level" business with them that the firm is run
by hoods, and I mean hoods), it's because of problems associated
with leaving packages on my front porch that I just don't do it-
I have everything shipped to my place of employment.
If you work in a really large firm, or don't have much juice, this
might not work for you, of course.
regards,
-doug quebbeman
> As far as books and magazines go, it is always cheaper to ship using the
> US Postal Service book rate. You must request it at the counter. In some
> cases you can save up to half the shipping costs.
What they don't tell you is that this is the same thing as third class
postage, and when you send stuff third class, it moves from post office
to post office *only* when the trucks aren't full of first and second
class mail.
I had a guy mail me three boxes of Prime manuals from South Carolina
using the book rate; two boxes arrived in about 4 days; the third box
took another week and a half before it arrived.
Caveat emptor....
-dq