July 2016 - vcf-midatlantic

OT: Hamfest Sunday July 17th Augusta NJ
by Kelly Leavitt 19 Jul '16

19 Jul '16

Unfortunately I won't be there this weekend. Held at the Sussex County Fair Grounds, 37 Plains Road Augusta, NJ 07822 Gates open at 6AM for vendors and our food service area will have coffee and breakfast sandwiches for our early arrivals. Fair Grounds overnight camping fee is $10 to $25 depending on type of vehicle. Cold drinks, Hamburgers and Hot Dogs will be available later in the morning Buyers are asked to arrive closer to 8AM so vendors can finish getting set up. We will have a VE Session at the Fairgrounds Administration building at 10 AM. DXCC card checking will be available. For the VE Session details, go to: http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session and type in Zip Code: 07882 and CITY: Augusta Our fees for 2016 are the same as last year. * Buyers $7 * Tailgate spot $20 (includes one admission) additional persons $7 * Indoor Tables $20 each We have major vendors already planning to attend: * KJI Electronic * Quicksilver Radio * Hy Power antennas * Fisher Cable * Eagle One * Total Electronic Concepts (W1TEC) * Art W2REN * Manual Man WA2CWA * Satellite Sam * Towaco Imaging * The Wooden Ham * KD Cubed Door prize: Yaesu FT-1900R (50w 2meter rig) donated by KJI Electronics For more information our webpage is http://www.scarcnj.org/hamfest/<http://www.scarcnj.org/hamfest> Email Hamfest(a)scarcnj.org<mailto:Hamfest@scarcnj.org?subject=July%20Hamfest>

4 3

DOS question
by Evan Koblentz 19 Jul '16

19 Jul '16

I'm using a Compaq 386. Rather than typing CD DOS every time that I need to run a program (BASICA) in the DOS directly, how can I create a shortcut that loads on boot to let me type BASICA at the C:\ prompt and have it run automatically? Also, is there a shortcut I can use (for example in autoexec.bat or config.sys) to make Caps Lock automatically enable on boot?

8 12

WWW Proxy Translation for Older Computers?
by John Heritage 19 Jul '16

19 Jul '16

Hi folks! I was playing around and finally got my Amiga 1200 running NetSurf. Obviously it's horrendously slow, www.amiga.org took 141 seconds to render.. but still fun :). Does anyone know if there is a proxy server or similar out there that could 'simplify' web pages browsed through it.. for older computers like this? Examples of simplification might be: - Remove Ads - Convert JPGs to something simpler to process (reduce colors, resolution) - Strip Javascript or other 'difficult' stuff out I can't find anything like this, and maybe it's on the super complex side.. but I figured I'd ask.. www.google.com appears to load 200 KB of text.. not counting the google image, and even that takes ~ 15 seconds to render on this Amiga.. (68020 @ 28 mhz, 35MB total RAM, no FPU). Thanks! John H

2 1

OT: FIOS Voice Backup Battery Replacement for 12V 7.2Ah
by Herb Johnson 19 Jul '16

19 Jul '16

> How do I know that the battery needs recharging vs. failing? Look for a date code, stamped or printed on the battery. But frankly, given the application - your phone and networking! - I'd say replace it every three-four years with a fresh battery. And keep one around on-charge for backup. You can trickle charge old batteries with a few-dollar 12V trickle charger - anything that puts out 10% of rated current at voltage (720mA at 14 volts max) will not cook your battery. Safety compels me to say: don't charge batteries unattended. There's a small chance of overcharge or shorting and excessive current, to lead to a fire. As to where to get these batteries. Many places that sell electroniics and car batteries locally sell them, at higher prices. Alarm companies use them, emergency lighting uses them, so those vendors may source them. Or you can mail-order them, and pay several dollars shipping. Jeff, without further comment - this is a once every three-four year purchase, so you decide how much shopping you want to do. This is a $15-$30 purchase. check the date of any battery you buy off the shelf. If it's more than a year old, I'd not buy it at retail prices. The size and placement of the terminals matters, as noted previously. So carry the old one to compare, or measure and photograph it, so you don't "ooops, the terminals are backwards, the wires won't reach, the connectors won't fit". Rule of thumb for lead type batteries: the heavier the battery for the same "ratings", the more capacity you'll actually have. The lead carries and produces the current; more lead means more current. battery makers won't waste lead but a more expensive brand won't cut lead. Herb PS: this is vaguely on-topic, for the robot builders. Gel batteries are often used in hobby robots, they are common and cheap as used/discards. -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

1 0

OT: FIOS Voice Backup Battery Replacement for 12V 7.2Ah
by Jeffrey Brace 19 Jul '16

19 Jul '16

So I heard this beeping about every 30 minutes or so. I thought it was a watch. My sister heard it too and didn't tell me so I was going nuts trying to find it. It turns out that it was the replacement battery light on our FIOS box. This is the battery backup in case power fails and lasts about 8 hours. It didn't help with Sandy because the power was out for 8 days. So anyway I need to replace it. It is 12V 7.2 Ah. The one that Verizon sells is 12V 8Ah: https://www.verizon.com/home/accessories/fios-voice-backup-battery/?&skuPar… . I figure that I can get a cheaper or better one (longer lasting). Before I start searching eBay, Google search are there any recommendations or warnings? Thanks! == Jeff Brace

7 9

OT: Will be in Philly, anything I should check out
by Christian Liendo 19 Jul '16

19 Jul '16

Hi. This week I'm going to Philly to prep for the Democratic National Convention. I know there are some locals on this group and I'm asking if there is anything I should check out in the ways of finding food to some cool places to go. I figure Mon-Fri I will be nuts, Sat/Sun I should have some time. Any advice is appreciated.

11 16

WTB: RCA VP4801 Terminal
by Herb Johnson 18 Jul '16

18 Jul '16

I'm looking for the RCA VP4801 terminal, that looks like a keyboard with video port and serial port. Here's some photos of one, from Josh Bensadon, he showed on at VCF-Midwest: http://www.retrotechnology.com/vcfmw9/josh_vp4801_5.jpg http://www.retrotechnology.com/vcfmw9/josh_vp4801_6.jpg Has to be in working condition and look decent. Contact me directly, please, at retrotechnology.com. Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

1 0

Vintage computer finds at the Sussex Hamfest
by Herb Johnson 18 Jul '16

18 Jul '16

I was at Sussex as a buyer, got there about 9:30AM. Of course I saw Jeff Galinat, he showed me the KIM he obtained. It was a good show as is usually the case, Sussex is one of the largest hamfests in NJ now. But there was not much vintage computing there, or it was sold earlier in the day if brought. I left around noon, when most but not all the vendors left: by then it was hot, clear and muggy - probably upper 90's heat index. I saw a 8086 in-circuit emulator, but I do very little with the 8086, more with the 8088, so I let it pass. A few books were on 70's computing or on robotics, I bought those. Parts were of all kinds, I got some discounted IC sockets and on a lark, 200 removed NE2 neon lamps. A Radio Shack bulk-tape eraser was cheap - the grey device that looks like a hand-mixer without the twirley-bits. Handfuls of parts, otherwise. I see a number of 20Mhz-40Mhz oscilloscopes at the hamfests, which go begging. Most are secondary brand, some are not; most work. Seems to me, for not much more spent than for a logic probe, one can get a much MUCH more informative test instrument. I acquired two, which worked back home but need some mechanical repairs. I may make these available at a convenient venue. I saw several people in our vintage-computing world who recognized me, or I them. It's a good opportunity to see people who live north of New Jersey. It's pretty low-mountain country up there, and there's good mid-20th-C. diner food. The geology in Sussex County is interesting and in some cases world-class (the Sterling fluorite mine, colonial iron-mines). Herb Johnson -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

2 2

WTB: VAXstation 3100 Memory Module (MS42-CA or MS42-BA)
by Systems Glitch 18 Jul '16

18 Jul '16

I'm looking for a memory module for my VAXstation 3100. Mine is one of the smaller Model 10 slabs. The memory modules I'm interested in are MS42-CA (16 MB) or MS42-BA (12 MB). I'm particularly interested in the MS42-CA since it's the only one with a stacking connector, which you need to increase memory beyond 20 MB. Thanks, Jonathan

1 0

OT: Maintenance around 9010-A & 9036A
by Herb Johnson 18 Jul '16

18 Jul '16

While InfoAge grounds maintenance is a good idea, you might consider that most of New Jersey has been under high-temp, high-humidity alerts, and thunderstorms alerts, through this summer. Consider scheduling such work in the spring or fall. - Herb -- Herbert R. Johnson, New Jersey USA http://www.retrotechnology.com OR .net

1 0