[time-nuts] Questions about Austron 5000 Loran C receiver

[Bob Camp]

Hi

A few things that likely are true:

The PDP-8 was a machine that did things in microseconds rather than nanoseconds. It is unlikely the interface ran very fast.

Parallel I/O was the typical approach back then. The big green connectors likely attach to a fairly standard parallel port.

Memory was pretty expensive stuff. The code may be pretty simple.

Based on that one big question:

Did the cables with the (expensive) mating connectors come with the box? Simply mating up with the box could turn this into an expensive endeavor. 

Bob



On Mar 4, 2012, at 9:51 AM, Azelio Boriani <azelio.boriani at screen.it> wrote:

> Yes, no doubt we can find a way to use the Austron 5000 but it will be a
> long and hard way. First we need the 5000 pinout and figure out what the
> 5000 gives out. Then we have no source of the CALOC software: we have to
> write a new software but before we must decide how to transport the data
> out from the 5000 into a PC (parallel port? USB? FireWire? SCSI? Dedicated
> hardware?). It is possible but a great long project.
> 
> On Sun, Mar 4, 2012 at 3:07 PM, jmfranke <jmfranke at cox.net> wrote:
> 
>> It would make an awesome display!
>> 
>> John  WA4WDL
>> 
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Bill Hawkins" <bill at iaxs.net>
>> Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2012 11:32 PM
>> To: "'Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement'" <
>> time-nuts at febo.com>
>> 
>> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Questions about Austron 5000 Loran C receiver
>> 
>> Andy, I'm truly sorry this didn't go anywhere, in spite of Forster's
>>> attempt to hijack the thread. You got more replies from heavy hitters
>>> than I ever did. (Excuse me, Magnus, if you do not consider yourself
>>> as a heavy hitter.)
>>> 
>>> What you have is a device that has a CRT display and Nixie displays,
>>> an antenna connection, and several 50 pin connectors. A creative
>>> bit banger could make a marvelous display from this unit. Truly
>>> creative bit bangers are hard to find these days.
>>> 
>>> Have I challenged anybody here? Andy is one of the good guys.
>>> 
>>> Bill Hawkins
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: time-nuts-bounces at febo.com [mailto:time-nuts-bounces at febo.com] On
>>> Behalf Of Andy Lokken
>>> Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2012 10:09 PM
>>> To: Discussion of precise time and frequency measurement
>>> Subject: Re: [time-nuts] Questions about Austron 5000 Loran C receiver
>>> 
>>> Thanks to all who replied. I think I'm in over my head with this one.
>>> There
>>> are far easier ways for me to try to receive Loran C, and I have no
>>> shortage of projects.
>>> 
>>> So... Forgive me if this is not allowed on this reflector...
>>> 
>>> Free to a good home (after shipping): One Austron 5000 Loran C receiver.
>>> Untested. Decent physical condx. See earlier post from me for a link to
>>> photos.
>>> 
>>> If interested, please contact me off list.
>>> 
>>> -Andy
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
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