11 Sep
2005
11 Sep
'05
1:28 a.m.
I finished my Nixie tube clock. (My first try at this was around 1971.)
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/PopularElectronics/Dec1970/PE_Dec1970.htm
I could not figure out how to wire the tens of hours module to the hours
module. The magazine article was very vague and even misleading about that.
So one night I sent an email to Gary Kay, the designer, and the next morning
I had a response. How is that for tech support 35 years after the fact?
Gary Kay later designed many of the SWTPC 6800 computer systems.
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/History/Gary_Kay.htm
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/BYTE/BYTE.HTM
Michael Holley
11 Sep
11 Sep
2:45 a.m.
Michael Holley wrote:
I finished my Nixie tube clock. (My first try at this
was around 1971.)
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/PopularElectronics/Dec1970/PE_Dec1970.htm
I could not figure out how to wire the tens of hours module to the hours
module. The magazine article was very vague and even misleading about that.
So one night I sent an email to Gary Kay, the designer, and the next
morning I had a response. How is that for tech support 35 years after
the fact?
Grumble Grumble Grumble ... Gripe Gripe Gripe.
I would have updated the high voltage power supply to a simple
transistor regulator. I have about 128 AC around here and that
can really give over voltage on 115 V transformers.
PS. Where do you find a 300 V transformer ... I may build one
some day. Also any options for a ALARM feature? Say a analog
bird chipring sound?
Gary Kay later designed many of the SWTPC 6800
computer systems.
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/History/Gary_Kay.htm
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/BYTE/BYTE.HTM
I keep drooling over SWTPC products... I
wish that made it big
rather than PC's.
Michael Holley
.
10:13 a.m.
Michael Holley wrote:
And woodelf replied:
I finished my Nixie tube clock. (My first try at
this was around 1971.)
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/PopularElectronics/Dec1970/PE_Dec1970.htm
I could not figure out how to wire the tens of hours module to
the hours
module. The magazine article was very vague and
even misleading
about that.
> So one night I sent an email to Gary Kay, the designer, and the next
> morning I had a response. How is that for tech support 35 years after
> the fact? Grumble Grumble Grumble ... Gripe Gripe Gripe.
I would have updated the high voltage power supply to a simple
transistor regulator. I have about 128 AC around here and that
can really give over voltage on 115 V transformers.
PS. Where do you find a 300 V transformer ... I may build one
some day. Also any options for a ALARM feature? Say a analog
bird chipring sound?
<LURK OFF>
Grumble Grumble Grumble ... Gripe Gripe Gripe. WTF?
Michael has put a lot of time and effort into documenting the
history, people and products of SWTPC. Gary Kay was a brilliant
SWTPC engineer and the fact that he recently corresponded with MH
and facilitated MH's successful construction of the digital clock,
IMHO, was the point of the post. If you read the PE article you
would have seen that an alarm feature and means of implementation
was described.
Gary Kay later designed many of the SWTPC 6800
computer systems.
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/History/Gary_Kay.htm
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/BYTE/BYTE.HTM
I keep drooling over SWTPC products...
I wish that made it big
rather than PC's.
> Michael Holley I would have updated the high voltage power supply to
a simple
transistor regulator. I have about 128 AC around here and that
can really give over voltage on 115 V transformers.
Again, WTF? The recreation is as close to the original design
as possible. Transistor regulator? I'm sure the nixies can
handle any 128 VAC generated "over voltage" condition that may
be inherent in the original design. BTW, is that 128 VAC your
actual _RMS_ AC voltage? d8^)
PS. Where do you find a 300 V transformer ... I may
build one
some day.
P.S. You'll build a 300 V transformer someday? d8^), again.
</LURK OFF>
Bill
11:51 a.m.
New subject: SWTPC6800...Re: SWPC Digi-Vista Nixie Clock
Michael,
I remember reading about that project too back then. My old brother had
that mag and I would always borrow it. I just dug out my SWTPC 6800
(both) from the garage this past summer. An old buddy let me have these
way back after he was tired of it. This also came with the docs and a
bunch of boards too. I hope I can ping some questions to you when I'm
working on this. Right now, I'm getting our Altair 680b he bought back
then restored plus some other machines. I'm trying to get these ready in
time for VCF East 3 in NJ.
=Dan
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Michael Holley wrote:
I finished my Nixie tube clock. (My first try at this
was around 1971.)
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/PopularElectronics/Dec1970/PE_Dec1970.htm
I could not figure out how to wire the tens of hours module to the
hours module. The magazine article was very vague and even misleading
about that.
So one night I sent an email to Gary Kay, the designer, and the next
morning I had a response. How is that for tech support 35 years after
the fact?
Gary Kay later designed many of the SWTPC 6800 computer systems.
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/History/Gary_Kay.htm
http://www.swtpc.com/mholley/BYTE/BYTE.HTM
Michael Holley
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