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museum report
by Evan Koblentz 25 Apr '16

25 Apr '16

I went to the museum today for normal operating hours. Happy to report that I didn't do anything at all :) except clean our workbench and generally spruce things up a little. There's already a decent list of stuff that needs building and/or fixing. We will start working on that stuff in a few weeks. For now, we all deserve plenty of rest!

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June Workshop - June 11
by Jeffrey Brace 24 Apr '16

24 Apr '16

June 4 & 29 are unavailable. And June 19 is Father's Day. So unless someone objects with some good reason, I will put in the reservation for June 11/12 for the workshop. --- Jeff Brace

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MMJ cables for cheap
by David Hoelzer 24 Apr '16

24 Apr '16

If you are in need of DEC MMJ cables, I have some good news and bad news. First, the good news: http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Modular-Cable-RJ12-6x6MMJ/dp/B000AA2SL4?ie=UTF8&… <http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Modular-Cable-RJ12-6x6MMJ/dp/B000AA2SL4?ie=UTF8&…> The picture is definitely an offset key (MMJ) six strand cable, 7 feet long, for only $3.92. The bad news… It’s not actually an MMJ, it’s just a regular MJ (Modular Jack). Even so, there’s still good news. With some strategic dremeling it is completely possible to trim one side of the MJ down so that it will fit quite well into a DEC MMJ socket. :)

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LSSM event announcement
by Dave McGuire 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

[I'm sending this around to several mailing lists] Most of you have heard of the Large Scale Systems Museum, a public museum in the Pittsburgh area that is focused on minicomputers, mainframes, and supercomputers. LSSM opened its doors to the public for the first time in October of 2015, coinciding with a city-wide festival. We have been doing tours by appointment since then, averaging 3-4 tours per month. On April 30th, there will be another such festival here in town, called "New Kensington Better Block". It's a large block party that will encompass much of the downtown area. There will be more than sixty street vendors offering food, handmade crafts from local artists, and just about everything else you can think of. There will be two stages' worth of live music, games, a beer garden featuring great brews from the historic Penn Brewery, lots of kids' activities like face-painting and caricature artists, drawings and raffles, the grand openings of three new businesses, and lots of other great stuff. Another star of the show, Pittsburgh-based C/PMuseum, as a guest of LSSM, will also be returning to Better Block with a special exhibit this time covering the history of the world's largest technology company, Apple Computer. From the humble beginnings of two friends named Steve, through today, Apple's 40th anniversary. See running examples of the actual machines that launched Apple in the 1970s and 1980s. In addition, the gaming wing of C/PMuseum will feature a display with running examples of game consoles from the earliest generations through the most modern 3D immersive virtual reality. Where else can you start out playing on a Magnavox Odyssey, and end up inside the VR world of an HTC Vive? The C/PMuseum pop-up at New Kensington Better Block, that's where! The LSSM will be participating in that event just as we did last October, by being open to the public all day. (I'm aware that this is very short notice; for that I apologize) Many of the Very Large Computers here will be running and demonstrated on a rotation throughout the day. Come and hack on DEC PDP-8, PDP-11, and VAX systems, IBM System/36s, and everything in between. See Cray supercomputers, DECsystem-20s, IBM System/370 and System/390 mainframes, and real rarities such as a Symbolics Lisp Machine, and minicomputers from the 1960s such as an HP 2116B (one of their first!) and a Varian 620-L. See a Heath H-1, a tube-based analog computer from 1956. See nearly all of the IBM "midrange" line. See how SSP, the operating system from the IBM System/36, can run in a virtual environment on an AS/400. See what an 800-pound hard drive looks like. All are invited! The LSSM is located at 924 4th Avenue, New Kensington, PA 15068, right in the middle of the block party area. New Kensington is about ten minutes' drive from the Allegheny Valley exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Exit 48. It's a very easy area to reach, and there are a number of decent and inexpensive hotels nearby. I hope you can make it. Once again I apologize for the short notice. And of course if you cannot make it, feel free to contact the LSSM via email to info(a)lssmuseum.org or on Facebook (search for "Large Scale Systems Museum") to set up a visit at your leisure. You can also see some photos of our first big public opening on that page. Please feel free to forward this message to anyone whom you think might be interested. Thanks, -Dave McGuire President/Curator, LSSM -- Dave McGuire, AK4HZ New Kensington, PA

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] MMJ cables for cheap
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

David Hoelzer via vcf-midatlantic writes: >If you are in need of DEC MMJ cables, I have some good news and bad = >news. First, the good news: > >= >http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Modular-Cable-RJ12-6x6MMJ/dp/B000AA2SL4?ie=3DUT= >F8&psc=3D1&redirect=3Dtrue&ref_=3Doh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00 = ><http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Modular-Cable-RJ12-6x6MMJ/dp/B000AA2SL4?ie=3DU= >TF8&psc=3D1&redirect=3Dtrue&ref_=3Doh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00> > >The picture is definitely an offset key (MMJ) six strand cable, 7 feet = >long, for only $3.92. > >The bad news=E2=80=A6 It=E2=80=99s not actually an MMJ, it=E2=80=99s = >just a regular MJ (Modular Jack). Even so, there=E2=80=99s still good = >news. With some strategic dremeling it is completely possible to trim = >one side of the MJ down so that it will fit quite well into a DEC MMJ = >socket. :) Why? MMJ plugs are still available even if complete cables might be a rare find. Make your own by crimping an MMJ plug on a piece of flat 6-conductor cable. Flip the cable over and crimp on the other end. Done! If you have to buy them: http://www.cabledepot.com/05MCPhoneMMJ.html Me? I just open up one of many boxes of them and put one out, even though I have ample MMJ plugs and crimper tools to make them. I only manufacture my own if/when I want a cable of a specific length to avoid having to take up the excess with zip-tied loops.

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Re: [vcf-midatlantic] MMJ cables for cheap
by VAXman＠tmesis.org 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

David Riley via vcf-midatlantic writes: >On Apr 23, 2016, at 3:11 PM, Dave Wade via vcf-midatlantic = ><vcf-midatlantic(a)lists.vintagecomputerfederation.org> wrote: >=20 > >Dave, >=20 > I think several folks have the crimp tools and jacks/plugs >needed to = make MMJ leads. The problem I have had is finding 9 or >25-pin adaptors = when I want to plug into a non-DEC terminal. The last >cables I made = were "bodged" from a similar cable. I cut one RJ12 off >and replaced it = with an MMJ plug, so I ended up with an MMJ<->RJ12 >lead. I then tweaked = an RJ12 DE-9 Socket to connect to a laptop with >serial port. In fact = these leads are a cheap source 6-Way cable... > >DE9 and DB25 to 8p8c adaptors with completely customizable pin = >selections are easily available from Monoprice, though they insist on = >calling them DB9 and RJ45 (you really DON'T want actual RJ45 going into >= your motherboard; those buffers are tolerant, but 50v is a lot): > >http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=3D1152 = ><http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=3D1152> >http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=3D1159 = ><http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=3D1159> Those are all 8-pin modular vis-a-vis RJ45. Blackbox sells MMJ adaptor kits akin to the 8-pin kits you posted. https://www.blackbox.com/store/US/SearchResults.aspx?term=mmj >Making 8p8c->MMJ cables is really the best way to go, especially with = >the presence of these little D-sub adaptors. I beg to differ.

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July Workshop Date?
by Jeffrey Brace 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

While I'm at it What does everyone think about July 16/17 for another workshop?

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Looking ahead to future workshop dates
by Jeffrey Brace 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

I'd like to reserve workshop dates for the next few months before the big area becomes unavailable. Unlike some people who like to wait until the last minute, I'm a planner and like to get things done way in advance and get them off my mind and prepare. August 20/21 is a good date. Any objections? September 17/18 is also good. Any objections? October, November, December are difficult because of InfoAge Base of Terror and Holiday Train show. It would have to be a smaller group in a smaller area if there was enough interest. December Festivus is open for now, but usually earlier in the month is better, how about Dec. 3/4?

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Tall display case needed for museum
by Evan Koblentz 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

Everyone, I'm hunting for the perfect display case for our ENIAC/UNIVAC exhibit. Currently we are using a black wooden case that's about 4 ft. tall x 4 ft. wide x 2 ft. deep. But the bottom 2 feet are storage; only the top half is a display space. It looks like this: http://www.achievedisplay.com/prodimages/half-glass-display-case-l.gif except the bottom is black. It has three redeeming qualities: it's lighted, it's on casters, and the inside back doors are mirrored. Anyway, we have more artifacts that should be shown and no extra floor space, so we could use something taller with multiple levels. What I envision: - shelves at (approx.) 2, 3, and 4 ft. tall - mirrored and locking back doors - all shelves lighted - black or metal exterior - hidden casters on all corners - glass or plexi front Does anyone have something like this or know where one could be obtained inexpensively? I could make it (stop laughing!) but the materials would be expensive.

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OT: I have too many phone systems
by Jason Perkins 23 Apr '16

23 Apr '16

Guys, I have a problem. I have too many PBXs and not enough space to put them in. System 1: AT&T Partner Plus. R4.1 processor card. Has one 206E card giving 6 stations and 2 CO lines, and a 200E card giving 2 additional CO lines. Has a Partner Mail VS 4.0 2 line voicemail card. Also comes with an original 2 port Partner Mail system. This is a 386 PC running concurrent CPM! I have several display and non display phones for this system. One nice thing about the AT&T Partner is that all station ports can drive both a MLS system phone and an analog / bell station. One bad thing about these early partner systems is that they forget their configuration when the nicad battery on the processor board runs out, but the programming is so simple it doesn't take long to put it back in. System 2: NEC UX5000. Has 16pt digital station card, 8 CO line card, and 4 port analog station card. Also has UX Mail card, however the CF card containing the OS died :( Has 4 display phones, one with a button sidecar. These are nice backlit displays, and the phone buttons light up too! If you buy a license from NEC this system will support IP phones. System 3: Comdial FXII. Has 2x 16pt small display station digital cards, 8 pt CO card, and an E&M tie line card. Also has battery backup cabinet, dead batteries removed. I administer a similar system at my day job, and really like the Comdial equipment. If this system had an analog station card I'd be more tempted to keep it. Bonus Item 1: Adtran TotalAccess 850. Has 6x 4pt FXS cards. This takes a T1 in and spits out 24 analog POTS lines. Has battery backup cabinet attached, dead batteries removed. If you're interested let me know and we'll talk price. I want this stuff gone, so my pricing will be very reasonable. I'm located in Springfield VA, just outside Washington DC. Thanks, -- Jason Perkins 313 355 0085

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