11/03 score!!

[Dave McGuire]

On Jun 21, 2009, at 7:51 PM, steve shumaker wrote:
> photos are loaded at
>
> http://picasaweb.google.com/traveler8811

   Mmm, nice!  That's a BA11-M chassis.  I really like those...very  
compact.  The downside is that we'll need to figure out a way to get  
a disk subsystem connected to it.  Making cables for the RQDX3 was  
discussed here in the past day or so...you have an RQDX1, it'll use  
the same cable.

   Actually, the RQDX1 is kinda crappy.  If you shoot me your  
shipping address in private mail I'll send you an RQDX3.  I have a  
metric buttload of them.

>>   That's a PDP-11/23, not a PDP-11/03.  The M8186 is a KDF11  
>> processor module.
>>   In other words: SCORE!
>
> That would explain why I wasn't finding in any of the cards  
> associated with the 11/03.   So this unit was significantly  
> upgraded in some fashion?

   Yes.

>>   That's an RQDX1 disc controller board.  Pretty limited  
>> actually.  Was there anything on the other end of the ribbon cable?
>
> The cable terminates in a DB50female connector and the "console"  
> cable terminates in 4 wires into a bare db25male connector

   That's your console port.

>>   You are close...we just need to find you some sort of disk  
>> subsystem.  What kind of chassis do you have?  Look for a number  
>> starting with "BA" (BA11-xx, BA23, etc).  Or take a pic and I'll  
>> ID it for you.
>
> I look ed over the entire chassis but could see no BA series  
> numbers.  There are 2 11/03 model numbers in the back (looks like  
> some sort of upgrade sequence) but nothing BA related.  Where would  
> they be?

   It's a BA11-M chassis.  I guess the sticker fell off.

   You can fire it up and interact with the machine ("ODT"...a sort  
of low-level monitor, and the boot ROM at a higher level) but you  
won't be able to do much without a drive.  Firing it up diskless will  
at least verify that the hardware works and that your serial cabling  
is correct.

   Do you have any DEC RD-series hard drives kicking around?  Here  
are the "generic" makes and models:

RD50	Seagate ST-506		5MB
RD51	Seagate ST-412		10MB
RD52	Quantum Q540		32MB
RD53	Micropolis 1325		71MB
RD54	Maxtor XT2190		159MB
RD31	Seagate ST225		21MB
RD32	Seagate ST251		42MB

   ...though you'll only be able to use the later ones if you have an  
RQDX3.

             -Dave


-- 
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL