March 2016 - vcf-midatlantic

Trenton / museum report
by Evan Koblentz 20 Mar '16

20 Mar '16

It was a VCF-ful weekend! Saturday -- Todd and I worked the VCF table at the Trenton show. Lots of our members stopped by (I miss saying "MARCHins"). My talk about "the present and future of computer history" was well attended. Jeff G., Herb, and Justin all reported doing well in the sales room. Dean, Drew, and I went to the banquet. Sunday -- Tony, Jeff G., Dean, Drew, and I all worked in the new museum space. We focused on two projects: preparing the double doorway for paint and building a workbench. A lot of times, InfoAge volunteers (and people in the Army before us) would add layer after layer after layer of paint. We decided to do it right -- we're stripping the old paint almost down to the wood. We also built most of the workbench. There were a few mistakes along the way (thanks to incompetent leadership... me!) but it turned out fine. Jeff G., Tony, and I are all going back Tuesday to finish the door and improve the workbench. The picture at http://vcfed.org/evan/benchbottom.jpg shows a storage shelf that we built to go under the workbench. It's 16" tall and 12" deep. Yes, I know it's strange to have the shelf hanging by the brackets instead of sitting on top of them. There was a good reason why we did this :) and we'll be able to put them back the regular way on Tuesday. The picture at http://vcfed.org/evan/benchmain.jpg shows the main bench over the lower shelf. It's 33" tall, 24" deep, and almost level! :) We are making two improvements on Tuesday: stabilizing the bottoms of the three front posts so they don't wiggle around, and extending the right side another 20" to the wall. Original plan was to put a file cabinet between the right side and the wall, but it won't fit because of old pipes and a radiator. In theory we could move the whole bench to the right and put a file cabinet on the left side... but we like it where it is, and we have another file cabinet elsewhere on-site anyhow. Jeff G. observed that the bench looks "rustic" (he was being nice!)... perhaps we'll paint it. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the doors.

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May need to borrow for VCF: working C64s, working 1702s
by Jeffrey Brace 20 Mar '16

20 Mar '16

Who has working C64s and 1702s that I can borrow for my VCF exhibit? I will be testing out my C64s and 1702s next week. I will need nine of each. Once I see how many are working I can determine how many I need.

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Reminder - Trenton is tomorrow
by Evan Koblentz 19 Mar '16

19 Mar '16

I anticipate seeing the usual people at Trenton tomorrow -- you know who you are! :) For everyone else: - The show is not really in Trenton. It's at The College of New Jersey, 2000 Pennington Rd., Ewing, NJ, 08628. That is northwest of Trenton. - Follow the TCF parking signs starting at the campus main entrance. The show is in the education dept. building. There are two lakes along the outside of the campus perimeter road. The education building is between them on the inner side of the road. - Hours are 9am-5pm. Tickets are $15 each. I don't know their policy about whether they charge for kids' admission. - VCF Mid-Atlantic table will probably be upstairs in the center of the building with all the other club tables (same as last year). Todd and I will take turns staffing the table. - My lecture, "The present and future of computer history," is scheduled for 2:35-3:30 in room ED-208. Hecklers welcome, but remember: I heckle back! :)

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Museum next Tuesday?
by Evan Koblentz 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

Can anyone give me a full day's assistance in the museum next Tuesday (March 22)? There is a decent chance that we may have to cancel this Sunday's museum work day due to snow. Even if we can be there Sunday, there is still a lot of work to do and very little time before VCF East.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Wanted to borrow: CRT TVs for VCF exhibit...
by Duane 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

Bill, >>grab a couple off Freecycle and then recycle them after the show Might be best for VCF to keep a stock of them in the warehouse for that purpose, Duane -----Original Message----- From: Bill Sudbrink via vcf-midatlantic Sent: Friday, March 18, 2016 10:59 AM To: 'vcf-midatlantic' Cc: Bill Sudbrink Subject: [vcf-midatlantic] Wanted to borrow: CRT TVs for VCF exhibit... Hi all, Dazzler output looks much nicer on a CRT than on an LCD display. Does anyone have a couple of mid size (18-20 inches) TVs with composite input that I could borrow for VCF? If worse comes to worse, I'll probably do what I did last time and grab a couple off of Freecycle and then recycle them after the show. It does really cramp my Mini-Cooper, resulting in a few new scratches in my IMSAI lid the last time. Thanks, Bill S.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] DEC serial console cable wanted
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

william degnan via vcf-midatlantic writes: >See pictures of example VAX 3100 with the cable I need: > >http://www.vintagecomputer.net/digital/MicroVAX-3100/DEC_MicroVAX-3100_syst… >(attached to top unit, looks like a phone cable with an "un-centered >plug pin" > >http://www.vintagecomputer.net/digital/MicroVAX-3100/Microvax3100_detached-… >(shows what the "un-centered plug pin" looks like) > >I need both a cable AND on the other end I also need a detachable 25-pin >Digital adapter that connects to the DEC un-centered plug pin. See 2-11 >in MicoVAX 3100 and VAXserver 3100 Owner's manual. > >Yes I could make a cable, but I'd prefer the DEC cable or clone >commercially mass produced if possible. > >BIll Just for VCF?

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] need MS DOS 3.1
by Bob Aviles 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

Hi Joe, Have to check if I still have it? Bobby On Friday, March 18, 2016 9:09 AM, Joe Herdler via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: Does anyone know where I can find MS=-DOS on 5 1/2 inch floppy disks? I have a working Leading Edge Model D and need the op system. Believe it or not, I was quite the batch programmer way back when. Also, I am looking for a Leading Edge Model 86. Thank you very much, Joe Consciousness affects the medium. Think happy, be happy, and happiness will follow you.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] Wanted to borrow: CRT TVs for VCF exhibit...
by Bob Aviles 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

Hi Bill, I got Three CRT you can use or trade for? If you want to keep them. Bobby On Friday, March 18, 2016 10:59 AM, Bill Sudbrink via vcf-midatlantic <vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: Hi all, Dazzler output looks much nicer on a CRT than on an LCD display. Does anyone have a couple of mid size (18-20 inches) TVs with composite input that I could borrow for VCF? If worse comes to worse, I'll probably do what I did last time and grab a couple off of Freecycle and then recycle them after the show. It does really cramp my Mini-Cooper, resulting in a few new scratches in my IMSAI lid the last time. Thanks, Bill S.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] DEC serial console cable wanted
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

David Riley via vcf-midatlantic writes: >On Mar 18, 2016, at 10:46 AM, Jameel Akari via vcf-midatlantic = ><vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: >=20 > That >said, does anyone have an MMJ crimper they could bring to VCF? = And I >good source for the connectors themselves? > >Yes and yes. I brought mine last year (have dies for MMJ and standard = >8p8c as well as standard 6p6c and various wire terminal crimpers), and = >will bring again. I have pretty full bags of MMJ and both solid and = >stranded 8p8c plugs. > >For the connectors, they're actually surprisingly easy to come across. >= For example: >http://www.pacificcable.com/Picture_Page.asp?DataName=3DMMJ = or = >http://www.neobits.com/pan_pacific_pt_066dec_rj_11_mmj_dec_plugs_qty_100_p= >3962335.html?atc=3Dgbp&gclid=3DCImikZTDyssCFYclgQodjdQPQA (I've used = >Pacific, but the other one is probably just as good for $10 less). > >If you have a Paladin Crimp-All 8000 frame (and you should, because it's >= a great tool), the Paladin die for MMJ is 2067. I do, I do!

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] DEC serial console cable wanted
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 18 Mar '16

18 Mar '16

william degnan via vcf-midatlantic writes: >> > >>> >>> BIll >>> >> >> Just for VCF? >> > > I can look and see if I >have MMJ parts I could loan. > > That said, does anyone have an MMJ >crimper they could bring to VCF? And I > good source for the connectors >themselves? > > I have a 1000' spool of "silver satin" 6-wire cable to >share, and places > where the authentic DEC parts aren't important to >me. > > -- > Jameel Akari > > >I am looking to buy and have shipped to my home, I need to have another >cable to help me set up the cluster machines for VCF E. I will take >some at VCF E, but before I that I need at least one. Will pay $$. OK. The DECconnect cable isn't a problem; albeit, it might not be a literal off-white DECconnect branded cable. I can make a cable for you and sent to you. Specify a length. As for the DECconnect to 9 or 25 pin adapter, you'd need to specify which H-# adapters you'd want/need.

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