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Problems using tu58em with VAX-11/725 / VAX-11/730

NF6X said:
I wonder if any of the retrocomputing podcasters might like to interview folks like Don and John?
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I was only with DEC for 7 years in the middle of its existence (DEC existed for 18 years before I got there and lived on for 16 years after I left). I was there for a mere blip in its existence. That being said, it was a wonderful first job for a noob out of college and I wouldn't do it differently even if I had a time machine. Great learning experience for a new engineer at the height of the PDP-11's reign and the birth of the VAX.
 
Hi All;

Don, You said it all, """ Great learning experience for a new engineer at the height of the PDP-11's reign and the birth of the VAX. """ ..

THANK YOU Marty
 
Marty said.....

"Before You all loose what You remember or are no longer here with us..
And we loose a Very Precious Resource.. YOU !!"

People have estimated that if NASA were given the necessary funding it would still take 10 years to land a man on the moon because so much of the technology and expertise gained by the Apollo program has been lost.
 
I worked at DEC from January, 1973 until October, 1996, about 23 years, 8 months, and few days. Overall it was a great experience and I learned a lot, both things to do and things to avoid.

That is, it was a great experience until the final years. I still learned a lot (that's when I got into Windows programming, which worked out well for me), but it was nerve wracking to go into work each day wondering if the axe was going to fall. During that time I used to put up various "black humor" things on my cubicle wall, including the Gary Larson cartoon showing a rooster realtor showing off a hen house that was now available since the previous tenants had all had their heads chopped off.

I worked with or met many interesting people, including

- Russ Doane, the designer of the R303 module. Among other things, he told me about the use of "rope memory" in the PDP-9L
- Dale Jensen and Bob Giacomo (I think I have his last name right)
- Dick ?, VP of Engineering back around 1975 - once or twice he came through the PDP-11/60 lab during third shift. Unusual for a VP
- Richie Lary - when I was on second shift, he would borrow my PDP-11/60 to debug his PDP-8 emulator, the fastest PDP-8 in the world
- Jim O'Loughlin, one of the designers of the first PDP-11, the PDP-11/20
- Bob Giggi, one of the finest hardware engineers I ever worked with, and a fantastic project lead on the VAX-11/785

That's not a comprehensive list, but these are some that come to mind.

Anyhow, here's some info from bitsavers for you VAX-11/730 owners:

http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/...003_VAX_11_730_Hardware_Users_Guide_Dec83.pdf
http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/...X-11_730_Diagnostic_Overview_Manual_Dec83.pdf

Question for you 730 users: on power up, does the console print CONSOLE or CONVnnn? The first doc says the former, the second the latter.

I've been searching but still haven't found a 730 console listing. However, reading these docs reminded me of some of the many things the console does. I also discovered (again) how Remote Diagnosis was triggered: a Remote position on the key switch.

John
 
jmiddleton said:
I worked at DEC from January, 1973 until October, 1996, about 23 years, 8 months, and few days. Overall it was a great experience and I learned a lot, both things to do and things to avoid.

- Russ Doane, the designer of the R303 module. Among other things, he told me about the use of "rope memory" in the PDP-9L
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ROP memory was used for the microcode on the PDP-9 too. There is a nice image of the G902 modules here: http://www.ricomputermuseum.org/Home/equipment/dec-pdp-9/pdp-9-restoration/PCP-9_MC09_ROP-Memory.jpg
 
jmiddleton said:
Anyhow, here's some info from bitsavers for you VAX-11/730 owners:

http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/...003_VAX_11_730_Hardware_Users_Guide_Dec83.pdf
http://www.mirrorservice.org/sites/...X-11_730_Diagnostic_Overview_Manual_Dec83.pdf
Click to expand...

Fantastic! I have a hard copy of the user's guide, but haven't seen it online before. I was planning to scan mine, but that's no longer necessary. I don't think I have the diagnostic manual, so that should prove very helpful. Thanks!
 
Sorry about the machinegun posting. I skimmed the diagnostic manual some more, and I'm sure that I don't have it. It would have been very helpful when I was first bringing up my VAX (and will still be very helpful and educational), so it will certainly be a great boon to the next 11/730 owner to join our club. Thanks again!

BTW, if a copy of the microfiche docs mentioned in that manual fall into my hands, I do have a crusty old microfiche reader that I could bolt some stepper motors onto and point a camera at.
 
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