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General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc. |
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9th Sep 2021, 10:18 pm | #1 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK.
Posts: 86
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What are these ??!!??
Bought a few items from an auction and these two homemade items were in the bundle. I can spot the power outs etc on one but does anyone recognise the other kit and also were these some 1970's/80's magainze project thing ?
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9th Sep 2021, 10:36 pm | #2 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,573
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Re: What are these ??!!??
Does the PCB have the word NASCOM on it? If so then there are people on this forum that would know. But I can not really tell what is along the edge of the board.
Adrian |
9th Sep 2021, 11:05 pm | #3 |
Octode
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK.
Posts: 1,876
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Re: What are these ??!!??
The bottom one looks like a signal generator and power supply in one box.
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10th Sep 2021, 8:33 am | #4 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK.
Posts: 86
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Re: What are these ??!!??
Hi. Yes it says NASCOM PRINTER on it....
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10th Sep 2021, 8:37 am | #5 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,573
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Re: What are these ??!!??
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10th Sep 2021, 8:44 am | #6 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK.
Posts: 86
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Re: What are these ??!!??
I wonder why it's in a huge box...perhaps repurposed and some of the things on the front are just red herrings. I have a little green screen monitor as well so perhaps that went with the computer. Sadly I don't have that bit.
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10th Sep 2021, 8:53 am | #7 |
Octode
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Blackburn with Darwen, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 1,573
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Re: What are these ??!!??
The board was Z80 based had a UART, ROM and RAM and some hardware drivers for the printer pins so in effect a small single board computer, it may have been repurposed.
Do a NASCOM search in the computer section you may get someone who knows what is going on. Adrian |
10th Sep 2021, 9:08 am | #8 |
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Exeter, Devon and Poole, Dorset UK.
Posts: 6,879
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Re: What are these ??!!??
My first thought was slow-scan TV.
It has many of the hallmarks Cheers Mike T
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Invisible airwaves crackle with life or at least they used to Mike T BVWS member. www.cossor.co.uk |
10th Sep 2021, 9:16 am | #9 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Culcheth, Cheshire, UK.
Posts: 654
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Re: What are these ??!!??
The Nascom IMP, my first 'real' printer
Sadly, long gone now |
10th Sep 2021, 10:10 am | #10 |
Tetrode
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK.
Posts: 51
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Re: What are these ??!!??
I agree that the "guts" of this seems to be a re-purposed control board PCB from a NASCOM IMP printer, circa 1980. As the linked article says, this printer was designed in-house by NASCOM (presumably using a bought-in mechanism) and the control board was based on the NASCOM 1 design. I presume that the control software was also written by NASCOM. I've never seen any documentation (schematics/code listings) for this. It would be interesting to see some full photos of this PCB and also of the other veroboard assembly next to it. Based on the RAM/ROM available and the chips on the other board it might be possible to make some guesses of the type of function. The board could have been salvaged from a broken printer or perhaps some were in circulation sans printer when the design was end-of-lifed (that's certainly the sort of thing that appeared in ham fests in older times, but is pure speculation on my part as I never heard or saw any signs of this printer PCB being "remaindered")
Neal. |
10th Sep 2021, 10:12 am | #11 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Charmouth, Dorset, UK.
Posts: 3,601
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Re: What are these ??!!??
Looks like something I made - only it wasn't.
Peter |
10th Sep 2021, 4:49 pm | #12 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK.
Posts: 86
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Re: What are these ??!!??
Here are a few more pictures. Didnt notice the sheets on the lid which I've shown. One ref's prestel baud rates. Think the box it's in was used again as several pots etc on it are cut wires and not attached to anything.
Weirdly the box has no obvious ports/external wiring etc just the mains plug. |
11th Sep 2021, 2:29 pm | #13 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK.
Posts: 86
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Re: What are these ??!!??
Also got this ? What is it ?
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11th Sep 2021, 5:33 pm | #14 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: Exeter, Devon, UK.
Posts: 86
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Re: What are these ??!!??
Also found these mecury filled bulbs? And some schematics of the Nascom printer thing with perhaps the hack sheet for it?
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11th Sep 2021, 7:14 pm | #15 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,536
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Re: What are these ??!!??
The Mercury filled things could be relay (contactor) contacts operated by a solenoid tilting mechanism.
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