Retrochallenge, 2005

[Randy McLaughlin]

From: "Bill Sudbrink" <wh.sudbrink at verizon.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 4:07 PM


> Randy McLaughlin wrote:
>> From: "Stan Barr" <stanb at dial.pipex.com>
>> > Sellam Ismail said:
>> >> What's the challenge in that?  I was online with my Apple //e in 1992.
>> >
>> > I've used my Mac SE (1988) online, but not in 1988!  I could put it
>> > back online now if I dug the modem out of the bits box.
>>
>> In the 70's I was calling up RCP/M's with my SOL-20, who
>> understands bye? :)
>>
>
> Since we seem to be in a "can you top this" mood...  In the 1970's, I was
> dialing into the NBS TIP with an OSI C1P (terminal program loaded from
> cassette tape) using a "modem" (that almost doesn't deserve the name) 
> built
> from a kit ordered from a little ad in the back of Byte.  The "modem"
> consisted of a 2 inch square board with three chips on it.  The speaker
> and mic hung off of wires.  I attached them to the telephone handset with
> rubber bands.  The "modem" attached directly to the USART chip in the C1P,
> talking serial at TTL levels.  As one of the chips on the "modem" would
> heat up, the carrier frequency would shift (you could hear it).  To keep
> from dropping the connection, I kept a little baggie with an ice cube in
> it at hand and would apply it to the chip to bring the temp down.  Played
> the pre-commercial Zork on MIT-DM that way.

I remember the "modem" kits, the same company also sold cassette interfaces 
(Kansas city format) that were the same basic circuit.

At the time most were illegally connected (no DAA) ;-)

I remember when Hayes finally came out with a smart 300 baud modem and I 
could finally go high speed.

I have a Hayes S100 modem but it hasn't been fired up in years and wouldn't 
dare try now, if one of the epoxy modules blew up I'd cry.  I should still 
have a DAA around also.

I used some AJ acoustical adaptors also.

I had a buddy that just plugged in his SOL-20 cassette port into a coupler 
he had and would transfer to some other friends at 1200 baud while I was 
just running my new 300 baud modem.


Randy
www.s100-manuals.com