Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

"Alex" wrote in
oups.com:

Hey Guys,

I'm a new ham radio operator, but I've been working with computers for
most of my life. I'm now in the process of setting-up my first 'ham
shack', and instead of going with the latest and greatest, I hope to
employee several classic computers to help me along. I have quite a
collection in my closet I plan on pulling out, but I'd like opinions of
others on what they would use in such a situation.

First, I do want to connect my radio to the computer, and many of the
technologies used by ham radio operators, like slow scan TV, packet
radio, etc, can be used on most of the classic computers in some form
or fashion. This I don't think I'll have a problem, no matter which
systemI go with.

One of the main things I do want to do is have the computer on my home
network. I don't need a web browser or even a GUI interface... the
main thing I would really need is Telnet and FTP. I also want
something with a word processor and spreadsheet program -- even
Visicalc would be nice to use.

And finally I want something fun.. which is the entire point of this
venture :) I know some older computers still have huge repositories of
software online, and whether it's a game or neat utility, I'd love to
setup a classic computer I can really use and have fun with while in my
'ham shack'.

Here's a list of computers I have around me now:
Tandy Color Computer 2
Tandy Color Computer 3 (128K model)
Commodore Amiga 500
Apple II (original, not PLUS)
Mac Classic

And though I don't currently own one, I'm looking at getting a
Commodore 128 as well, either from a friend of possibly from ebay.

Anyway, just curious what others would choose if you had to pick a
computer or even a couple of older computers to use again. Also if
there's any ham operators out there with experience with older systems,
I'd love some feedback!

Take care, and thanks in advance for any ideas.

Alex


Hi Alex, You sound like a brand new no-code Tech. Welcome to ham radio.

All those computers you mentioned will work fine, but if you really want
to do any serious computer work you're going to want to invest in a Vic
20, or a TI-99, or a Commodore 64. Power users swear by'em.

SC

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

I second that! The VIC-20 is awesome (and easy to write machine
language programs for it). My first ham use for the VIC-20 was a CW
keyer program. I still have two VIC-20s and a C-64...

Scott
N0EDV

Slow Code wrote:

"Alex" wrote in
oups.com:


Hey Guys,

I'm a new ham radio operator, but I've been working with computers for
most of my life. I'm now in the process of setting-up my first 'ham
shack', and instead of going with the latest and greatest, I hope to
employee several classic computers to help me along. I have quite a
collection in my closet I plan on pulling out, but I'd like opinions of
others on what they would use in such a situation.

First, I do want to connect my radio to the computer, and many of the
technologies used by ham radio operators, like slow scan TV, packet
radio, etc, can be used on most of the classic computers in some form
or fashion. This I don't think I'll have a problem, no matter which
systemI go with.

One of the main things I do want to do is have the computer on my home
network. I don't need a web browser or even a GUI interface... the
main thing I would really need is Telnet and FTP. I also want
something with a word processor and spreadsheet program -- even
Visicalc would be nice to use.

And finally I want something fun.. which is the entire point of this
venture :) I know some older computers still have huge repositories of
software online, and whether it's a game or neat utility, I'd love to
setup a classic computer I can really use and have fun with while in my
'ham shack'.

Here's a list of computers I have around me now:
Tandy Color Computer 2
Tandy Color Computer 3 (128K model)
Commodore Amiga 500
Apple II (original, not PLUS)
Mac Classic

And though I don't currently own one, I'm looking at getting a
Commodore 128 as well, either from a friend of possibly from ebay.

Anyway, just curious what others would choose if you had to pick a
computer or even a couple of older computers to use again. Also if
there's any ham operators out there with experience with older systems,
I'd love some feedback!

Take care, and thanks in advance for any ideas.

Alex



Hi Alex, You sound like a brand new no-code Tech. Welcome to ham radio.

All those computers you mentioned will work fine, but if you really want
to do any serious computer work you're going to want to invest in a Vic
20, or a TI-99, or a Commodore 64. Power users swear by'em.

SC

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

What you really need is an Altair.

Dave N



Scott wrote:
I second that! The VIC-20 is awesome (and easy to write machine
language programs for it). My first ham use for the VIC-20 was a CW
keyer program. I still have two VIC-20s and a C-64...

Scott
N0EDV

Slow Code wrote:

"Alex" wrote in
oups.com:

Hey Guys,

I'm a new ham radio operator, but I've been working with computers for
most of my life. I'm now in the process of setting-up my first 'ham
shack', and instead of going with the latest and greatest, I hope to
employee several classic computers to help me along. I have quite a
collection in my closet I plan on pulling out, but I'd like opinions of
others on what they would use in such a situation.

First, I do want to connect my radio to the computer, and many of the
technologies used by ham radio operators, like slow scan TV, packet
radio, etc, can be used on most of the classic computers in some form
or fashion. This I don't think I'll have a problem, no matter which
systemI go with.

One of the main things I do want to do is have the computer on my home
network. I don't need a web browser or even a GUI interface... the
main thing I would really need is Telnet and FTP. I also want
something with a word processor and spreadsheet program -- even
Visicalc would be nice to use.

And finally I want something fun.. which is the entire point of this
venture :) I know some older computers still have huge repositories of
software online, and whether it's a game or neat utility, I'd love to
setup a classic computer I can really use and have fun with while in my
'ham shack'.

Here's a list of computers I have around me now:
Tandy Color Computer 2
Tandy Color Computer 3 (128K model)
Commodore Amiga 500
Apple II (original, not PLUS)
Mac Classic

And though I don't currently own one, I'm looking at getting a
Commodore 128 as well, either from a friend of possibly from ebay.

Anyway, just curious what others would choose if you had to pick a
computer or even a couple of older computers to use again. Also if
there's any ham operators out there with experience with older systems,
I'd love some feedback!

Take care, and thanks in advance for any ideas.
Alex




Hi Alex, You sound like a brand new no-code Tech. Welcome to ham radio.
All those computers you mentioned will work fine, but if you really want
to do any serious computer work you're going to want to invest in a Vic
20, or a TI-99, or a Commodore 64. Power users swear by'em.
SC

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:48:14 -0600, "David G. Nagel" wrote:

What you really need is an Altair.

....or an Imsai, or an Intel SDK. 8;)

-- Larry

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

David G. Nagel wrote:
What you really need is an Altair.

An IBM-650 would probably do the job.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

Yes, forgot about the SDK-85. Used that in tech school way back in
1981. That was a smoking little bare-bones computer system...

Scott



pltrgyst wrote:
On Sun, 03 Dec 2006 10:48:14 -0600, "David G. Nagel" wrote:


What you really need is an Altair.


...or an Imsai, or an Intel SDK. 8;)

-- Larry

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

On Sun, 3 Dec 2006 17:07:02 UTC, Cecil Moore
wrote:

David G. Nagel wrote:
What you really need is an Altair.

An IBM-650 would probably do the job.
Any IBM PS/2 model would be perfect. They can be had for next to
nothing and are well-nigh indestructible.

--
"What do you mean there's no movie?"

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

"Alex" wrote in
oups.com:

Hey Guys,

I'm a new ham radio operator, but I've been working with computers for
most of my life. I'm now in the process of setting-up my first 'ham
shack', and instead of going with the latest and greatest, I hope to
employee several classic computers to help me along. I have quite a
collection in my closet I plan on pulling out, but I'd like opinions of
others on what they would use in such a situation.

First, I do want to connect my radio to the computer, and many of the
technologies used by ham radio operators, like slow scan TV, packet
radio, etc, can be used on most of the classic computers in some form
or fashion. This I don't think I'll have a problem, no matter which
systemI go with.

One of the main things I do want to do is have the computer on my home
network. I don't need a web browser or even a GUI interface... the
main thing I would really need is Telnet and FTP. I also want
something with a word processor and spreadsheet program -- even
Visicalc would be nice to use.

And finally I want something fun.. which is the entire point of this
venture :) I know some older computers still have huge repositories of
software online, and whether it's a game or neat utility, I'd love to
setup a classic computer I can really use and have fun with while in my
'ham shack'.

Here's a list of computers I have around me now:
Tandy Color Computer 2
Tandy Color Computer 3 (128K model)
Commodore Amiga 500
Apple II (original, not PLUS)
Mac Classic

And though I don't currently own one, I'm looking at getting a
Commodore 128 as well, either from a friend of possibly from ebay.

Anyway, just curious what others would choose if you had to pick a
computer or even a couple of older computers to use again. Also if
there's any ham operators out there with experience with older systems,
I'd love some feedback!

Take care, and thanks in advance for any ideas.

Be very careful with those C=64's I started with one in 1990 and look what
happened to me: http://members.cox.net/linux2/toyroom.html

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

Sam Morgan wrote:
Be very careful with those C=64's I started with one in 1990 and look what
happened to me: http://members.cox.net/linux2/toyroom.html

Hi Sam,

Actually I love your setup! When I as single I had an office scarily
similar to what you have now, and we even have alot of the same books!
I even have those two boxes of Suse 7.2 and 8.1 on my shelves, plus
OS/2, though mine's 3.0 Warp (still shrink wrapped btw).

When my wife and I married last year and she moved in, our offices got
consolidated and most of my books got put in the closet. It's fine for
the most part as most of the books I don't use, but it's still neat to
walk into an office and have floor to ceiling computer books :) Always
something on hand for those late nights when you can't sleep. hehe

A friend of mine has a C64 he's not using, and he plans on sending it
to me. Also another guy I met on QRZ is sending me his old cable he
used with the Tandy TRS-80 Coco 3 to do packet radio. It goes from the
RS-232 port to a TNC, so maybe I can get something going there.

So tons of fun stuff on the horizon!

Take care, and thanks for the pictures! I love'em!

Alex

Classic Computer for a Ham Shack
 

Slow Code wrote:

Hi Alex, You sound like a brand new no-code Tech. Welcome to ham radio.

All those computers you mentioned will work fine, but if you really want
to do any serious computer work you're going to want to invest in a Vic
20, or a TI-99, or a Commodore 64. Power users swear by'em.

SC

Hi SC,

Yup, I got my tech ticket a few months ago, and I'm now working on
learning code and studying for the general ticket. I hope maybe
January or February, but not until I can get my ham nook setup in the
garage plus move my radio from the car to the garage so I can actually
focus on the radio :) It's hard learning how to ragchew while on the
interstate. hehe

I do have a C64 on the way, and that plus what I have now should be
enough to get me going. Too much fun!

Take care,

Alex