I am challenging myself to get a RL02 or TS05 connected to a PDP or VAX for use!
Image for illustration only
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I have been working on my recent purchase of a TS05.
After checking over the internals and cleaning off a lot of dust and dirt, verifying there is no RIFAs or other concerns, the unit was turned on.
Initially all I got was 5 lights.
I ran a TS05 TEST Mode. To enter TEST mode on the TS05 you hold the WIRTE/TEST (4) button for 5 seconds. After doing so, restarting the unit gave me a UNLOAD (2) and ENTER (5) FLASHING. This indicates a fault with the take up hub or servo.
It advises to run TEST 11. I ran this test and nothing seemed to happen - this probably indicates the Take up hub is bad - or the formatter board (Logic board) is bad.
For now, the ACMS Needs to get a TS05 running as well, so hopefully I can use ACMS and my unit to identify faults with both units to work out a way forward.
I tried to get my RL02 running as well, however I couldn’t get the lid to unlock and the FAULT like remained on.
After a few minutes, even with the power off, I heard the crackle of a RIFA and the smell started but I was quick to pull the power.
I can only believe that there is a RIFA tucked away hidden in this unit.
LINE
JMK INC
EA-0345-5A
12.18468-0-0 REV B
115/250 VAC
5AMP 47-63HZ
LOAD
Got to heat it up and see if I can open it up.
Inside of the line filter a 0.33UF X 250V/85/40 RIFA!
The cap was set in glue, the consistency of hot glue, with a coil, large resistor and two additional ceramic capacitors.
Additionally I setup and fired up my PDP 11/23 for the first time. Strangely the Processor a KDJ-11A YB version was installed in the chassis in the wrong slot (was not opposite the PSU)
Moved it- no error lights now and it seems too have processing lights on the card for the TSV05 tape controller now, but the MUX breakout allowing me to connect a console to the unit is missing! So I’ve got to work that out so I can see how she’s fairing under all these problems.
The PSU in this machine is rather large and the power switch rocket is broken meaning I have to hold it in place currently.
More to come.
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Here’s some extra details- it’s a 0.33uf X AC line filter.
I have acquired the replacement from
Stock but my Pine64 is awol. Cleanin the house after my recent trip seems to have relegated my tool kit to my car or elsewhere. Dang,
In the interim I’ve setup my PDP-11T23?
It’s based on the KDJ11-A , the console is dumping out a memory address 173000 - and then @? It seems on these units they replaced the manual bootstrap on the faceplate to being able to be done via the VT terminals- and the processor is set to boot off memory address 173000 - which might be a RL02 address. Doing more study.
So I did some more digging
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My PDP-11/23(Plus) has actually been upgraded at some point to a PDP-11/73
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When you turn on these olded PDPs (non Micro versions) they are similar to the original paddle and octal versions- they drop into a service called ODT - octal data terminal where you set your memory registers via the terminal.
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My unit should have been booting to its BOOT ROM card- however, the HALT was engaged- its correct mode is toggled UP!
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I learned after receiving “No device found after 4 retries” after waiting some time, that you can press CTRL-C to drop to a BOOT> prompt
This allows you to boot from a TU58, RL01/02, TSV05, RX01 and a few other devices including network.
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Trying to boot my RL02s has been a bust- it could be bad cables, a lack of termination or just the fact these RL02s were sitting unused for some untold amount of time prior to me buying them.
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For now- I need to get a terminator and some cables and a proper back panel for this PDP so I can rack mount the system appropriately
I was lucky enough to pick up a VT100 during the month which I’m keen to have set up on this system as it’s completely age appropriate!
The journey continues
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To be mix of Device error and not ready gives me hope that with some work and oscilloscope use I can adjust the heads and get these things going again!
Unfortunately the “READY” party didn’t last long.
Update
With the correct cabling in terminators I got to the following- which is exceptionally promising!!
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Getting a 42 year old 10mb hard disk working is always a treat.
I need sleep, but will write up how I got there in the end after a million mishaps.
Amazingly- none of my issues this time round are to do with bad serial adaptors - but the RL02 cabling, and stability in general because of the cables is frustrating!
The good news is, I got a 42 year old drive and disk pack to boot. That itself is crazy.
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A brief run down.
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The PDP 11/23 Type casing (BA11) needs to have the HALT switch UP to be un RUN mode - this is slight counter intuitive unless you have the remote power funciton setup. You will know you are in HALT mode if a “@” is shown on power up.
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If your unit has a BOOTROM Card installed (mine has a M8578) when you turn on the machine you will get no repsonse initially. You have to wait some time for boot or a warning that “No device found after 4 retries”
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To dump out of the BOOTROM to a terminal with commands, you need to CTRL-C From your terminal - you will get a BOOT> prompt
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Type help to see the available commands
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Booting from an RL02 connected to a M8061 RLV11 card is relatively easy - you just must have the cable installed with a TERMINATOR on the second port or last port of the last daisy chained drive (up to 4 drives per card)
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You will have. FAULT line on your RL02 until the power is on your PDP11 - this is because the clock apparently comes form the PSU in the PDP.
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I found that cabling was the cause of many of my instability issues including “Drive not ready” when it was clearly shown as ready.
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The RL02 with an 84 date stamps AC line filter had a RIFA capacitor that did flame, whereas the 82 series one has a diferent manufacturer of the AC X2 Line filter and it has not caused any harm.
NOTES
When using PDP-11GUI windows software to image an RL02 over serial you initially dump the code into the ODT “@” halt prompt, but you must ENABLE the toggle on the front of the PDP 11 before executing the code - otherwise you get CHECKSUM errors.
The serial CARD M8043 (DVJ11?) can be modifed to run at BAUD rates from 300-38400, (9600bops default). Each of the 4 channels can be modified, however a “WAVE resistor” must be changed to match the BUAD rate. The BAUD Rate is completeled by using a wire wrap, however you must physically change the resistor to suit your BAUD.
I calculated it would take 167minutes at 9600bps to download a 10MB RL02 Pack. I could get this down to 37 minutes with a better serial interface, however the only real solution is to find another faster interface or copy directly from the RL02 in an OS to another form of media, such as a SCSI card with an emulator or modern disk to pull down in SIMH locally.
You can load up a PDP11 using a TU-58 emulator through the number 3 communicaitons port. (0-3, 4 ports). I did not have any luck with this as the TU58em and TU58fs did not support my Windows XP SP3 or WIndows 10 installations.
What can you do in RT-11 OS? (Realtime 11 OS) on the DEC? Well that is yet to be investiagted and worked out - I am just very satified that I was able to get such a uniquie and antique piece of equipment up and running.
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Wow, nice work - you the boss 
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The great news is, I plugged it all back in this past week and it booted up straight off the RL02 without any tweaks. I just need to learn more about RT-11 and what I could run on it
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