30 Dec
1998
30 Dec
'98
7:41 p.m.
Hi! I'm back! I've just been off the list for a few weeks - first a
course, then two weeks ill - and I came into work after Christmas to find
1200 messages waiting for me from Classiccmp.
I am trying to put replies to a few older threads together in this message.
SYSTEM/23
I too have a Datamaster, and a number of the manuals. I think these
machines ought to be kept running, so I'll provide what help I can. The
service manuals are mainly board swappers' guides, but there is some useful
info there if you dig hard enough...
SINGLE INSTANCE MACHINES
Do I have the only Tek 4052? I think there are at least three 4051s on the
list.
I also have an IBM 6150 but I doubt that's unique.
I don't have the only FTS Series 88 on the list - I distinctly remember
giving Tony Duell one for his 21st birthday - but I'd guess I have the only
FTS Series 86.
Oh yes. Tony's P850. Tony wrote:
Mine was made in about 1971. Last time I powered it up
was about 3 months
ago, and it behaved perfectly. I've had it for about 12 years, and in
that time it's needed the switch contacts on some of the frontpanel
switches cleaning, and one new TTL chip in the processor. In other words
it's pretty reliable.
And you had to re-solder some inter-board connecting wires on the core
memory modules. IIRC these wires were little strips of springy stuff.
Boards wired together with these while lying next to each other, and then
folded over, the springy connecting wire acting as a hinge. Unfortunately
springy wire doesn't take as well to soldering as ordinary wire...
Philip.