Re: Somewhat random QBus backplane / chassis question

[Josh Dersch via cctalk]

On 3/23/2018 9:55 PM, Tony Duell via cctalk wrote:


On Sat, Mar 24, 2018 at 4:00 AM, Josh Dersch via cctalk
 wrote:

Hi all --

I've got an 11/03 backplane here (designated as an "11/03 EA" originally but
marked as "Model changed from EA to AA") inside a small chassis w/power
supply, model "OH780-A."  (So it was at some point in its life the front-end
to a VAX-11/780.)  As far as I can tell, it has a standard H9270 backplane
(4-slot, quad width) in it.

The chassis appears to work fine when I have an actual LSI-11 in there (I've
been experimenting with an 11/23, but I do have an 11/03 boardset that works
in it).

What I want to do with the chassis is use it with a UNIBUS->QBus bridge I
have, as a Qbus backplane for a SCSI controller (and maybe other things) for
my VAX-11/750.  I have encountered an oddity in doing so, and I've looked at
the documentation and I remain puzzled.  The oddity is this:  If I don't
have an LSI-11 CPU board in place in the chassis, the power supply won't
come up properly.  (The +5V appears to pulse, the kind of behavior I'd
expect with a shorted or heavily loaded supply rail somewhere).

Here's a basic rundown of what I've observed:

- If I put an 11/23 or 11/03 CPU in, everything works fine.

My first thoughts are one of two things :

Insufficient load on one of the supply lines (may not be the +5V one),
the CPU board does load that line.


Ah ha! -- thanks for pointing that out, I'd neglected the +12 in this 
scenario.  Turns out all of the boards I'd used to load the system use 
only +5 by some stroke of luck.  I put a DHV11 in the backplane and the 
supply now works fine without a CPU.  I suppose I could use a few extra 
serial lines anyway, so I guess I'll leave it in there :).


- Josh



Lack of pull-ups on ACLO, DCLO. Possibly pulled up (or at least loaded)
on the CPU board)


I would start with tryng to get the power supply running on its own.
Disconnect it from the backplane. Add dummy loads. Put a pull-up
from 5V to ACLO and DCLO.

Once the PSU will run on its own, connect the backplane and try
again.

-tony

Re: Somewhat random QBus backplane / chassis question

[Tony Duell via cctalk]

On Sat, Mar 24, 2018 at 4:00 AM, Josh Dersch via cctalk
 wrote:
> Hi all --
>
> I've got an 11/03 backplane here (designated as an "11/03 EA" originally but
> marked as "Model changed from EA to AA") inside a small chassis w/power
> supply, model "OH780-A."  (So it was at some point in its life the front-end
> to a VAX-11/780.)  As far as I can tell, it has a standard H9270 backplane
> (4-slot, quad width) in it.
>
> The chassis appears to work fine when I have an actual LSI-11 in there (I've
> been experimenting with an 11/23, but I do have an 11/03 boardset that works
> in it).
>
> What I want to do with the chassis is use it with a UNIBUS->QBus bridge I
> have, as a Qbus backplane for a SCSI controller (and maybe other things) for
> my VAX-11/750.  I have encountered an oddity in doing so, and I've looked at
> the documentation and I remain puzzled.  The oddity is this:  If I don't
> have an LSI-11 CPU board in place in the chassis, the power supply won't
> come up properly.  (The +5V appears to pulse, the kind of behavior I'd
> expect with a shorted or heavily loaded supply rail somewhere).
>
> Here's a basic rundown of what I've observed:
>
> - If I put an 11/23 or 11/03 CPU in, everything works fine.

My first thoughts are one of two things :

Insufficient load on one of the supply lines (may not be the +5V one),
the CPU board does load that line.

Lack of pull-ups on ACLO, DCLO. Possibly pulled up (or at least loaded)
on the CPU board)


I would start with tryng to get the power supply running on its own.
Disconnect it from the backplane. Add dummy loads. Put a pull-up
from 5V to ACLO and DCLO.

Once the PSU will run on its own, connect the backplane and try
again.

-tony

Somewhat random QBus backplane / chassis question

[Josh Dersch via cctalk]

Hi all --

I've got an 11/03 backplane here (designated as an "11/03 EA" originally 
but marked as "Model changed from EA to AA") inside a small chassis 
w/power supply, model "OH780-A."  (So it was at some point in its life 
the front-end to a VAX-11/780.)  As far as I can tell, it has a standard 
H9270 backplane (4-slot, quad width) in it.


The chassis appears to work fine when I have an actual LSI-11 in there 
(I've been experimenting with an 11/23, but I do have an 11/03 boardset 
that works in it).


What I want to do with the chassis is use it with a UNIBUS->QBus bridge 
I have, as a Qbus backplane for a SCSI controller (and maybe other 
things) for my VAX-11/750.  I have encountered an oddity in doing so, 
and I've looked at the documentation and I remain puzzled.  The oddity 
is this:  If I don't have an LSI-11 CPU board in place in the chassis, 
the power supply won't come up properly.  (The +5V appears to pulse, the 
kind of behavior I'd expect with a shorted or heavily loaded supply rail 
somewhere).


Here's a basic rundown of what I've observed:

- If I put an 11/23 or 11/03 CPU in, everything works fine.

- Doesn't matter what slot the CPU's in either, as long as there's a CPU 
board somewhere in the thing, all's well.


- Doesn't matter how heavily or lightly loaded the backplane is; I've 
tried it with just a QBus SCSI controller, I've tried it with the 
backplane stuffed full of boards.


Since I want to use this as a simple QBus backplane, I don't want to 
have a CPU board in place.  I haven't seen this behavior before (but 
then, I can't recall trying to run a Qbus backplane without a CPU in it 
either).  I thought I knew QBus fairly well, so I assume I'm overlooking 
something obvious.  Or perhaps there is a fault here with the chassis, 
somehow.  I figure someone here will have the answer immediately and 
I'll slap my forehead...


Thanks as always,

Josh

Re: Remnants of local Commodore Users' Group being offered for free

[Sam O'nella via cctalk]

Whoever or whichever group does get it, i hope if they have any files or 
interesting info the rest of the clubs can help store.
null

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[John Foust via cctalk]

At 12:49 PM 3/23/2018, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
>Itty Bitty Computers
>I worked there one summer.
>The only place I ever saw an Apple I when it was for sale.

I was perhaps 13 at the time, living just down the street, learning
BASIC via ASR-33 dialup to UW-M from the high school with the Math Club.

I don't remember much of what they had on display.  I remember
the place being kind of bare.

I routinely checked the garbage behind a TV repair shop next-door 
to IBC perhaps, hoping for interesting electronic tidbits.

- John

Re: Shipping a Flexowriter

[Michael Zahorik via cctalk]

Kyle, my Friden is a Model SFD-V, although yours looks similar, apparently it 
is different. You will find that a lot of the old lube has combined with dust 
and dirt to make gummy grime. This sticky stuff will cause the relays and lever 
arms to stick and act sluggishly. I have found that a strip of paper pinched 
between the relay armature and pole piece then pulled out while pinching will 
remove a lot of it. So clean and oil, clean and oil. I have found a bunch of 
stuff on bitsavers and also had some help from the guys on GreenKeys. Good 
luck. Let me know if I can help.
 Mike Zahorik (414) 254-6768

  From: Kyle Owen via cctalk 
 To: General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts  
 Sent: Friday, March 23, 2018 12:44 PM
 Subject: Re: Shipping a Flexowriter
   
Thank you for the compliments! I'm looking forward to getting it going.

Any idea what the model (FIO) indicates?

Trying to locate some repair manuals and tips. Anything else I should look
for other than what's on Bitsavers?

The unit powers up and types with a few keys slow to act or return.
Carriage return doesn't latch when it gets to the left margin. Column 4 of
the punch is stuck on. Reader seems to work fine.

Thanks,

Kyle


   

Re: Unix-PC

[Steven M Jones via cctalk]

On 03/23/2018 14:32, Bill Degnan via cctalk wrote:
 
I will take it if no one else does, but where is it, missed this thread



Most recent reference I could find was May 2017:

http://www.classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2017-May/034691.html

Bill appears to be located near Scranton, PA. If I were within a couple 
hundred miles, I'd be writing to him instead of the list... ;)


Good luck,
--Steve.

Re: Unix-PC

[Bill Degnan via cctalk]

I will take it if no one else does, but where is it, missed this thread
B

On Mar 23, 2018 4:46 PM, "Bill Gunshannon via cctalk" 
wrote:

>
> Well, I don't know what happened to everybody who wanted it
>
> but that Unix-PC is still sitting here and it needs to go.  One more
>
> offer before I scrap it.  Needs to be someone who can pick it up
>
> real soon.
>
>
> bill
>
>
>

Unix-PC

[Bill Gunshannon via cctalk]

Well, I don't know what happened to everybody who wanted it

but that Unix-PC is still sitting here and it needs to go.  One more

offer before I scrap it.  Needs to be someone who can pick it up

real soon.


bill

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Noel Chiappa via cctalk]

> From: Al Kossow

> The only place I ever saw an Apple I when it was for sale.

Don't you wish you'd bought one - and kept it? :-)

Noel

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

Itty Bitty Computers
I worked there one summer.
The only place I ever saw an Apple I when it was for sale.


The Milwaukee Computer Store started before IBC's Milwaukee branch started.
Their original store was in Evanston, IL.


On 3/23/18 9:07 AM, John Foust via cctalk wrote:
> At 10:45 AM 3/23/2018, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
>> He was a good guy. He took the time to come out to Wisconsin back then
>> to demo his system for the Wisconsin Computer Society, back when the
>> Milwaukee Computer Store on North Avenue was the only one around.
> 
> There was one on Capitol near Maryland Avenue in Shorewood,
> I know I went there in '75 or so?  
> 
> - John
> 

Re: Shipping a Flexowriter

[Kyle Owen via cctalk]

Thank you for the compliments! I'm looking forward to getting it going.

Any idea what the model (FIO) indicates?

Trying to locate some repair manuals and tips. Anything else I should look
for other than what's on Bitsavers?

The unit powers up and types with a few keys slow to act or return.
Carriage return doesn't latch when it gets to the left margin. Column 4 of
the punch is stuck on. Reader seems to work fine.

Thanks,

Kyle

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[John Foust via cctalk]

At 10:45 AM 3/23/2018, Al Kossow via cctalk wrote:
>He was a good guy. He took the time to come out to Wisconsin back then
>to demo his system for the Wisconsin Computer Society, back when the
>Milwaukee Computer Store on North Avenue was the only one around.

There was one on Capitol near Maryland Avenue in Shorewood,
I know I went there in '75 or so?  

- John

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Al Kossow via cctalk]

On 3/23/18 7:46 AM, Lyle Bickley via cctalk wrote:

> Back in the mid-seventies, when I was COB of "Personal Computer
> Corporation", The Digital Group product line was our best seller for a
> couple of years. Our staff often had one-on-one contact with Doc.
> Suding. Those of us who knew him will miss him for sure...

He was a good guy. He took the time to come out to Wisconsin back then
to demo his system for the Wisconsin Computer Society, back when the
Milwaukee Computer Store on North Avenue was the only one around.

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Lyle Bickley via cctalk]

On Fri, 23 Mar 2018 08:27:35 +
Eric Smith via cctalk  wrote:

> I just learned from the April 2018 issue of QST that Robert T. "Doc"
> Suding, W0LMD, has died. Suding cofounded and was chief design
> engineer of The Digital Group, an early microcomputer company in
> Denver (1974-1979).

Back in the mid-seventies, when I was COB of "Personal Computer
Corporation", The Digital Group product line was our best seller for a
couple of years. Our staff often had one-on-one contact with Doc.
Suding. Those of us who knew him will miss him for sure...

Best,
Lyle 
 -- 
73  AF6WS
Bickley Consulting West Inc.
http://bickleywest.com

"Black holes are where God is dividing by zero"

Help with IC identification

[Adrian Graham via cctalk]

Hi folks,

I'm looking for info on a few 8 pin DIPs that are in a cache battery
module. They're marked thus:

4973 AK W79B
4965 AF W83A

Anyone? I've not traced pinouts yet but maybe someone else's google-fu is
better than mine today.

Cheers,

-- 
adrian/witchy
Owner of Binary Dinosaurs, the UK's biggest home computer collection?
t: @binarydinosaursf: facebook.com/binarydinosaurs
w: www.binarydinosaurs.co.uk

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Bill Degnan via cctalk]

Here is a photo from bytecollector.  I think it was Herb who showed one of
these at a VCF East, IIRC.

http://bytecollector.com/images/suding_001.jpg

On Fri, Mar 23, 2018 at 4:36 AM, Eric Smith via cctalk <
cctalk@classiccmp.org> wrote:

> http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/denverpost/obituary.aspx?n=robert-suding;
> pid=187748166
>

Re: R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

http://m.legacy.com/obituaries/denverpost/obituary.aspx?n=robert-suding=187748166

R.I.P. Robert T. "Doc" Suding

[Eric Smith via cctalk]

I just learned from the April 2018 issue of QST that Robert T. "Doc"
Suding, W0LMD, has died. Suding cofounded and was chief design engineer of
The Digital Group, an early microcomputer company in Denver (1974-1979).

Re: Shipping a Flexowriter

[CuriousMarc via cctalk]

Wow! Complete with the matching desk and in perfect cosmetic condition. What a 
find. Congratulations!
Marc



On Mar 21, 2018, at 10:55 AM, Kyle Owen via cctalk  
wrote:

I ended up going with PakMail and was not disappointed. It arrived safe and
sound yesterday, and though the cost of shipping was almost as much as the
unit itself, I felt much better about paying a little more to make sure it
arrived without damage.

Pictures are here: https://imgur.com/a/xW480

Looking forward to getting it going!

Thanks for the suggestions,

Kyle