[HECnet] No VCF for me, but...

[Dave McGuire]

On 04/05/2014 03:49 AM, Kari Uusim  ki wrote:
Congratulations!

  Thank you!

It must be a great feeling to get a real VAX 11/780. They are extremely
rare. A real gem!
I wish you all the best with saving a real piece of computing history!

  Thanks!   Yes, it is a great feeling.   I turned 45 years old about
three weeks ago, and I started reading about (and lusting after) the
11/780 (and by extension, the nearly-identical 11/785) when I was 14.
It feels fantastic to finally realize that dream.

Somehow I can understand your feelings as I had a similar experience
recently.
It's a long story, but eventually the VAX arrived at my place.
I'm now working on restoring it. I haven't dared to try to switch it on
yet, because what I was told it had been more than ten years in a
warehouse untouched. The capacitors in the power supplies has for sure
dried up and need replacement.
Because the VAX is such an exceptional item I really don't want to take
any risks with it and not rush with it. Better to be careful.

  That sounds good, yes, be careful!   What is the configuration of your
machine?

It would be very interesting to share experiences with you, if you don't
mind.

  Absolutely, yes!

                          -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA