14 Jan
2009
14 Jan
'09
5:06 p.m.
Now that I have a working PDP-11/23+ system, I find (as I should have known from many
similar projects) that the "fun" was really in accumulating the pieces and
getting it working. I don't really have anything I want to DO with it (although I
suppose that is the whole point of classic computing :) but I have run ADVENT.
anyway I was wondering if someone else would be interested. In brief, it's an 11/23+
KDF-11BA CPU (the chassis front panel is embossed "11/03" though) with max 4 Mb
RAM, two RL02's, VT220 and a 16-line serial card. Has a pack with RT-11 v5.mumble up
and running. I have what appears to be a TSX-Plus pack but don't know how to generate
a working system. "Corporate cabinet" in decent shape. Paint on the RL02 fronts
has seen better days. Can send pics this weekend.
It's in West Plains, MO (65775), about 200 mi southwest of St. Louis, 100 miles
southeast of Springfield, MO. If I could find someone to help me get it down the stairs I
could deliver it to St. Louis (or I could disassemble it if necessary and carry the pieces
down) since I work there every week.
Let me know if there's any interest - contact me offlist and make me a reasonable
offer. I hate to see it just gathering dust and my PDP-8/A system (two RL02's and
ASR33 Teletype, running OS/8) is enough vintage computing hardware for now :)
-Charles
16 Jan
16 Jan
10:52 a.m.
Now that I have a working PDP-11/23+ system, I find
(as I should have
known from many similar projects) that the "fun" was really in
accumulating the pieces and getting it working. I don't really have
anything I want to DO with it (although I suppose that is the whole point
of classic computing :) but I have run ADVENT.
Hahahahaha, just the same as me :)
BTW, I'm selling a huge lot of brazilian-made computers. Anyone wanting
to bid in? I can consolidate shipping and send everything at once.
11:43 a.m.
what is it about completing a classic computing project that does that?
I've completed two major projects, and find myself lacking,
constantly thinking now what?
I have a dozen vax3100/76 systems I could test, but I can't get motivated about it.
I keep feeling that if I finish that work, I'll be left with nothing. feeling empty.
Same goes for all the old code I have, if I restore it and post it, then what?
how does it's longevity get ensured? will anyone actually care?
and if I finish it all, what will I putter on for enjoyment?
the fun seems to not come from completing a classic computing project, but the doing,
I guess our wives will never understand that ;)
Dan.
From: alexandre-listas at e-secure.com.br
To: cctech at classiccmp.org
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:52:49 -0200
CC:
Subject: Re: thinking of selling my PDP-11/23+
_________________________________________________________________
Now that I have a working PDP-11/23+ system, I
find (as I should have
known from many similar projects) that the "fun" was really in
accumulating the pieces and getting it working. I don't really have
anything I want to DO with it (although I suppose that is the whole point
of classic computing :) but I have run ADVENT.
Hahahahaha, just the same as me :)
BTW, I'm selling a huge lot of brazilian-made computers. Anyone wanting
to bid in? I can consolidate shipping and send everything at once.
9:25 p.m.
On Fri, 2009-01-16 at 15:04 -0200, Alexandre Souza wrote:
Pu1BZZ Alexandre :)
Wait, wait, you're another radio amateur? Not surprised there's a
crossover with classic computing. Wonder who else? Fred van Kempen
was, but I haven't seen nor heard anything from him for at least two
years.
Gordon
17 Jan
17 Jan
2:42 p.m.
On Fri, 2009-01-16 at 15:04 -0200, Alexandre Souza wrote:
Me for another :-). Call G1XPF. That was a Class B license years ago --
for the non-UK people here, 'Class B' was a no-code license which let you
transmit on 6m and above, all modes. But in the great reshuffle of
licenses about 6 years ago, it bacame a 'Full' license (basically the
code requirement was removed)...
I'm not active, but I keep the license going just in case :-)
-tony
Pu1BZZ Alexandre :)
Wait, wait, you're another radio amateur? Not surprised there's a
crossover with classic computing. Wonder who else? Fred van Kempen 
3:44 p.m.
On 17 Jan 2009 at 19:42, Tony Duell wrote:
Me for another :-). Call G1XPF. That was a Class B
license years ago --
for the non-UK people here, 'Class B' was a no-code license which let you
transmit on 6m and above, all modes. But in the great reshuffle of
licenses about 6 years ago, it bacame a 'Full' license (basically the
code requirement was removed)...
That's very strange. The old US Technician license (5 wpm code)
limited operation to 2 Meters and *down* (i.e. VHF/UHF). It seems
odd to restrict no-code to HF--unless by "above" you mean up in
frequency, not wavelength.
Cheers,
Chuck
4:10 p.m.
On 17 Jan 2009 at 19:42, Tony Duell wrote:
Yes, I did, sorry for the confusion.
The old UK Class B license was a VHF/UHF license. At one time (before I
was licensed it was the UHF bands only (70cm and higher frequencies).
When I got my licence, it was 2m and higher frequencies, 4m came in
shortly afterwards. When the UK got a 6m band (even later), I think class
B's had access to that from the start.
I should get active, I guess. What's put me off is that 99% of the hams I
meet seem only interested by buying the latest black-ox transciever. I'm
interested in homebrrwing, restoring boatanchors, tinkering, that sort of
thing. The digital modes looked attractive at first until I realised that
for most of them you use a PC running pre-written (and often not
open-soruce!) software. No thanks. The sort of experimetnation that I am
interested in is not done with black boxes.
When I get a tuit composed of a set of points equidistant from a fixed
point, I'll get the AR88 on the bench. I hauled it out of a skip years
ago (literally), I've now found enough good valves to run it, so it's just
(!) a matter of replaicng defective capacitors and getting it running
again. Then I have to think of making a transmitter.... As I said, I
have shortage of tuits.
-tony
Me for another :-). Call G1XPF. That was a Class
B license years ago --
for the non-UK people here, 'Class B' was a no-code license which let you
transmit on 6m and above, all modes. But in the great reshuffle of
licenses about 6 years ago, it bacame a 'Full' license (basically the
code requirement was removed)...
That's very strange. The old US Technician license (5 wpm code)
limited operation to 2 Meters and *down* (i.e. VHF/UHF). It seems
odd to restrict no-code to HF--unless by "above" you mean up in
frequency, not wavelength.
9:50 p.m.
On Sat, 2009-01-17 at 21:10 +0000, Tony Duell wrote:
I should get active, I guess. What's put me off is
that 99% of the hams I
meet seem only interested by buying the latest black-ox transciever. I'm
interested in homebrrwing, restoring boatanchors, tinkering, that sort of
thing. The digital modes looked attractive at first until I realised that
for most of them you use a PC running pre-written (and often not
open-soruce!) software. No thanks. The sort of experimetnation that I am
interested in is not done with black boxes.
Once again, you haven't looked very hard, have you? There are plenty of
open-source implementations of digital modes out there - I use both
fldigi and gmfsk for PSK and RTTY modes, mostly.
If that doesn't float your boat - and I know you like to not have to
rely on "black box" hardware - how about the NUE-PSK digital
modem/terminal/whatever else? It is fully documented, has full source
for all the firmware, and uses commonly-available parts. If you wanted
to, you could just work out a way of implementing the DSP part in a
DSPic and feed the demodulated text and spectrum data to whatever host
machine you wanted.
If no-one around you is interested in homebrewing or restoring boat
anchors, has it occurred to you that you might be living in the wrong
place? Here in Glasgow we have a thriving amateur radio community,
where most of the younger members (at 35, that includes me! It's an
aging population, sorry guys, but you know it's true...) are heavily
into homebrewing and "experimental" radio.
Gordon
18 Jan
18 Jan
12:41 p.m.
On Sat, 2009-01-17 at 21:10 +0000, Tony Duell wrote:
No, I haven't. I can't possibly read every mailing list/newsgroup/(paper)
magazine that relates to all of my interests (which extend beyond old
electronics).
I should get active, I guess. What's put me
off is that 99% of the hams I
meet seem only interested by buying the latest black-ox transciever. I'm
interested in homebrrwing, restoring boatanchors, tinkering, that sort of
thing. The digital modes looked attractive at first until I realised that
for most of them you use a PC running pre-written (and often not
open-soruce!) software. No thanks. The sort of experimetnation that I am
interested in is not done with black boxes.
Once again, you haven't looked very hard, have you? There are plenty of open-source implementations of digital modes out there
- I use both
fldigi and gmfsk for PSK and RTTY modes, mostly.
The problem is that it's next-to-impossible to do a meaningful web search
for something that migth not ecven exist (like an open-source ham radio
related program).
And printed magazines rarely, if ever, consider the open-source versions.
I used to read a photographic magazine (until it went almost exclusively
digital), when I was reading it, it kept on about how to do things in
Adobe Photoshop and never mentioned GIMP. It never said which, if any,
digital camareas could be used sensibly with open-source unix-like OSes.
I no longer read a (modern) electronics mag at all. The last one I kept
reading was Elektor, I gave up because it described the (free as in beer)
tools for some microcontrollers, never mentioend there were open-source
alternatives. I must admit that's where I got my erroneous idea that
the only way to use many of these devices was with a modern PC running
Windows.
[...]
If no-one around you is interested in homebrewing or
restoring boat
anchors, has it occurred to you that you might be living in the wrong
place? Here in Glasgow we have a thriving amateur radio community,
Oh, doubtless I am. But he cost and logistics of moving rather means I am
stuck here for the near future.
where most of the younger members (at 35, that
includes me! It's an
aging population, sorry guys, but you know it's true...) are heavily
into homebrewing and "experimental" radio.
You are very lucky. Again, perhaps I've not looked very hard, but I know
of one group that holds local-ish meetings that in interested in hardware
hacking, electronics, engieering, etc. That group is HPCC (!).
-tony
16 Jan
16 Jan
12:13 p.m.
Dan Gahlinger wrote:
what is it about completing a classic computing
project that does that?
I've completed two major projects, and find myself lacking,
constantly thinking now what?
I don't think that's true for everyone in the hobby, but it certainly
is for me. I experience the same thinking in my job. Fortunately, as a
consultant, I build it or fix it and move on, leaving the day-to-day
drudge to somebody else. :)
Every job I've ever had was similar. When I made jewelry, I loved my
work, and apparently so did my customers, but the only piece that I wore
was the same plain silver earring that's been in my ear since '92 or so.
People who buy jigsaw puzzles almost never frame their work. The fun
is in solving the puzzles and seeing a result.
the fun seems to not come from completing a classic
computing project, but the doing,
I guess our wives will never understand that ;)
Our wives understand that perfectly. They just expect us to clean up
our puzzles when we're done. :)
Doc
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alexandre-listas＠e-secure.com.br -
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
cclist＠sydex.com -
charlesmorris800＠centurytel.net -
dgahling＠hotmail.com -
doc＠mdrconsult.com -
gordonjcp＠gjcp.net