29 Aug
2003
29 Aug
'03
4:43 a.m.
From: <TRASH3(a)splab.cas.neu.edu>
To: <cctalk(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2003 3:06 PM
Subject: RE: 7 track tape drives
I also have been meaning to resurrect my 7 track
drives and an 800
bpi 9 track, for the purpose of reading a couple of dozen useless tapes.
I have at least 12 drives, from 7 track up to 9 track 6250 bpi, a couple
of dilog and emulex qbus tape controllers, and two or three external
formatters (for the older drives) I have some manuals from datum, pertec,
kennedy, digi and maybe others, BUT I just don't have the time or
inclination to start putting these together.
A cooperative venture maybe?
Joe Heck
I would be happy to participate. I occasionally get request for converting 7-track tapes
(conversion gives me my daily bread), so if we can get something up and running, I could
bill the sh... out of rich customers.
About 10 years ago, there was a company really needing the data from some geophysical
tape. It cost them about 50.000 DKK (8-9.000 USD today), as the recoverer had to buy a new
9 track drive and modify it to 7 track. That is the drive I have today, for free. So I
have an almost new drive, but the formatter has disappeared somehow somewhere.
I also have the manual for the drive, a genuine Pertec.
Rumour has it that Al Kossow has managed to do without the formatter, but I have no
further information.
One thing should be considered however : freight costs. I live in Denmark, so shipping
tape drives back and forth across the pond would be rather costly, to say the least
Maybe a European and a US activity in parallel ?
Nico