Yes you could use diodes to program the unit. In fact as it came the center module held a program I will be quite honest in that I never spent the time to figure that out because by the time I picked up 5360s a real computer could be adapted into the unit to do things. But never had a real need to go the extra mile. Indeed the panalplex displays were a later replacement for the nixies. I have seen thos counters and they look good. The LED replacement I built matched the nixie color so the filter could be retained. Fun stuff lots O little wires and yes today everything can be done on your favorite chip for $2. Not really but thats eviloution.
On Wed, Apr 13, 2016 at 4:44 PM, John Ackermann N8UR <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks, Tom (and others)! That's fascinating. > > I was interested in the mention of diode programming systems. It's a > little off topic, but I encountered a few of those in the 1970s amateur > radio world. A couple of the early synthesized (as opposed to > fixed-frequency-crystal) controlled ham radios had memory channels that > were "programmed" in BCD digits by installing or removing 1N914 diodes, > often in a row of DIP sockets. > > Another early design was in the first synthesized "police radio" scanner > by Regency. It used aluminum combs that looked like, well, combs. You > broke off the tines as instructed for a particular frequency and then > inserted the comb into a socket. The presence or absence of the tine > signified 1 or 0. > > ---- > > On 4/13/2016 3:57 PM, Tom Van Baak wrote: > >> John, >> >> I agree with Paul, an absolutely amazing instrument. The early models >> have nixie display, later ones plasma. 11 digits! In 1969! It was the first >> hp instrument that was capable enough to compute stability statistics. In >> real-time! Like Paul I have a couple, along with various the accessories. >> Built like a tank, even the keyboard. >> >> You'll find mention of the counter in old technical articles, sometimes >> including the programs people would write for automated statistics. I've >> always thought the 5360 was uniquely at the cross-roads between hp as an >> instrument company and hp as a computer company (not to mention hp as a >> printer ink company). You can see the DNA of each of these in the 5360 & >> its accessories. >> >> You were probably reading this major 5360A Computing Counter issue: >> >> http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1969-05.pdf >> >> Here's all about the 5375A keyboard: >> >> http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1970-03.pdf >> >> And this is where the diode and punch card interface is shown, as well as >> ADEV from 1 us to 1 s (see page 4, fig 4). >> >> http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1970-12.pdf >> >> More on ADEV on the 5360: >> >> http://www.hpl.hp.com/hpjournal/pdfs/IssuePDFs/1971-11.pdf >> >> Select high-res page scans from my own hardcopy HPJ collection are here: >> >> http://www.leapsecond.com/hpj/ >> >> For example, the 79-step ADEV program is here: >> >> http://www.leapsecond.com/hpj/v22n4/v22n4p10.jpg >> >> Finally, do not miss HP AN116 "Precision Frequency Measurements": >> >> http://www.hpmemoryproject.org/an/pdf/an_116.pdf >> >> /tvb >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "John Ackermann N8UR" <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2016 9:38 AM >> Subject: [time-nuts] HP 5360A History? >> >> >> I was browsing through the HP Journal archives and came across the May, >>> 1969 issue, dedicated to the new 5360A Computing Counter -- "An >>> Electronic Counter for the 1970s!" >>> >>> I don't recall hearing much about these in time-nuts lore. I can guess >>> from the Journal articles that it was a beast to keep running and was >>> very expensive (500 ICs and a 10A 5V power supply). >>> >>> Is anyone here familiar with the story of this product? >>> >>> John >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe, go to >> https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts >> and follow the instructions there. >> >> _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe, go to > https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts > and follow the instructions there. > _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe, go to https://www.febo.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/time-nuts and follow the instructions there.
