14 Dec
2007
14 Dec
'07
12:08 p.m.
On Fri, 14 Dec 2007, Gary Oliver wrote:
I didn't quite get to play with one, but I did
have the r/w head from a
SAGE computer after it was decommissioned at a base near here in
Corvallis Oregon in the late 60s (if I recall correctly.) I *did* read
one of the maintenance manuals, though, and it suggested strongly it was
not a flying head device. I seem to recall the drum was nickel plated
(rather hard) and the adjustment procedure was something like "turn the
screw to advance the head to the drum surface until you hear a squeal,
then back it off a bit." The heads were rather simple devices with a
single screw that drove the head to/from the media surface.
As someone who had to replace those heads (while the drum was spinning,
mind you), I can tell you that's NOT the procedure. :-) You hooked a
scope to the read amplifier, then SLOWLY turned the screw until you
started to see a level, then adjusted it for the proper output voltage.
You're correct, it was not a flying head system.
Mike Loewen mloewen at cpumagic.scol.pa.us
Old Technology http://sturgeon.css.psu.edu/~mloewen/Oldtech/