Hi All,
I'm retired now for a few years.
I've rediscovered in my garage my UK101 built in 1980 and would like to restore it.
It's a bit dusty and fragile. It boots , but will crash when typing. The pcb is a little
loose in the case.
Some of the mem chips are dud....I've got it to boot with 6K
D/C/M/W - Oh How i remember the thrill of the first switch on.
When I had it built (in 1980) and working, at about 4 am on morning, I woke my wife to come see
a graphic flying about on screen, responding to left/right/up/down !
She was less than enthusiastic at the time, but has been very understanding
I've removed all capacitors - and will replace them.
I''ve cleaned up the board with spirits to get the dust/crud off.
I've replaced two keyswitches ( i've had a set of spares stored since way back )
I did at one time have the RS232 port working to a modem (all of 300 baud)
The excitement of logging on to a bulletin board in London was too much
I did also have a mem card giving 40K - It was originally an Elektor 16K project.
And I did get it to operate a DOS system - with two 5" floppy drives.
The drives are long gone.....the controller may still be in a box in my garage.
(You accumulate so much junk in a lifetime )
I experimented with different Monitor ROMs - having multi rom at one time (Cegmon/Wemon).
Sound cards - the Ay-89???
PIA chips to control the world
But of course - life took over - and the PC became the centre of the universe for a while.
But now, for fun, after 33 years, i'm restoring it to it's simple profile as a single board system.
(Hope i can remember it all ! )
I had the i/o ports wired directly to the PCB - soldered.
I know that the OSI challenger used molex connector - much tidier.
In my time they were not readily available
Is it possible to now get those plug/socket component ?
Who has a source ?
Denis
(Cork , Ireland)
UK101
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Re: UK101
Welcome, Denis!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I'd love to see your machine fully working again! If you are able, include some pictures.
The Molex connectors are:
12-pin right-angle (horizontal) edge connector (sockets): Molex 09-52-3121
12-pin vertical molex connector (sockets): Molex 09-52-3123
12-pin header (pins): Molex 26-60-2120
They should be easily sourced.
Intermittent lock-ups are the most frustrating kind of bug to hunt down. Possible culprits include a flaky connection of the CPU, ROM, RAM, or addressing chip in the scoket due to oxidation; flaky/cracked PCB trace; marginal timing on a ROM or RAM, among other candidates. Try reseating the chips to see if that makes a difference. Also, see if moving or flexing the PCB induces any failures. If not, it may help to run a memory test program; it will help to get your RS232 port working so you can download test routines, etc.
Keep us posted!
Dave
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I'd love to see your machine fully working again! If you are able, include some pictures.
The Molex connectors are:
12-pin right-angle (horizontal) edge connector (sockets): Molex 09-52-3121
12-pin vertical molex connector (sockets): Molex 09-52-3123
12-pin header (pins): Molex 26-60-2120
They should be easily sourced.
Intermittent lock-ups are the most frustrating kind of bug to hunt down. Possible culprits include a flaky connection of the CPU, ROM, RAM, or addressing chip in the scoket due to oxidation; flaky/cracked PCB trace; marginal timing on a ROM or RAM, among other candidates. Try reseating the chips to see if that makes a difference. Also, see if moving or flexing the PCB induces any failures. If not, it may help to run a memory test program; it will help to get your RS232 port working so you can download test routines, etc.
Keep us posted!
Dave
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- Location: New Zealand
Re: UK101
Hi Denis,
It looks like a few of us are going down the restoration track of these old boards at the moment. I worked for COMP SHOP in London who distributed the UK101. I fixed many of these boards for customers who had assembled them and pre assembled boards also.
I remember suppliers like Maplin , Watford Electronics , Cricklewood Electronics Farnell etc. I Googled a few suppliers in Ireland and I dont think youll have any trouble finding those molex connectors.
If you get stuck fixing it Im happy to help where I can, to be sure...
Cheers Mike
It looks like a few of us are going down the restoration track of these old boards at the moment. I worked for COMP SHOP in London who distributed the UK101. I fixed many of these boards for customers who had assembled them and pre assembled boards also.
I remember suppliers like Maplin , Watford Electronics , Cricklewood Electronics Farnell etc. I Googled a few suppliers in Ireland and I dont think youll have any trouble finding those molex connectors.
If you get stuck fixing it Im happy to help where I can, to be sure...
Cheers Mike
600RevB:16K,2MHz,64x32,470,CEGMON
SuperKit:502,540B,542B,CEGMON, 8" and 5" FDDs
Cards:PE IO,6522 D-A-D, AY3-8910,ProgramGraphics,Color,UK101
WIP:HexDOS,FDD Emulator
SuperKit:502,540B,542B,CEGMON, 8" and 5" FDDs
Cards:PE IO,6522 D-A-D, AY3-8910,ProgramGraphics,Color,UK101
WIP:HexDOS,FDD Emulator
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Re: UK101
Hi Mike, Dave,
I bought my kit at a computer fair in London in either 1980 or 1979 (most likely 80).
I think it was a CompShop stand .
So far I've just been cleaning the pcb - removing remnants of previous experiment etc.
I've removed all the decoupling cap - they were for the most part falling off . The legs seem to have
become brittle with age.
The case was plastic - and has suffered a little....
Some way to go
Denis
I bought my kit at a computer fair in London in either 1980 or 1979 (most likely 80).
I think it was a CompShop stand .
So far I've just been cleaning the pcb - removing remnants of previous experiment etc.
I've removed all the decoupling cap - they were for the most part falling off . The legs seem to have
become brittle with age.
The case was plastic - and has suffered a little....
Some way to go
Denis
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- Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:44 am
- Location: New Zealand
- Contact:
Re: UK101
Would love to see pictures as your restoration progresses.
Phil
Phil
2P (1mhz 32k) - 502 + 8k + CEGMON + garbage collector fix BASIC, D&N MEM-CM9 + 24k, 540 (mono) [SOLD]
4PMF (2mhz 24k) - 505, 540, 527, D13 + 5.25" + Gotek
Superboard RevD - CEGMON + 610 board 24k + D13
Spares - 3 x 527, 1 x 505, Backplane
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- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 7:44 pm
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Re: UK101
Hi All,
I've ordered the Molex parts from Mouser UK .
In the meantime , for your amusement , I've put some images on my home page.
http://www.iol.ie/~themahony/ - very much a work in progress ......... forgive the raggedness ........
You may even see me bullfighting in my younger days.
DenisM
I've ordered the Molex parts from Mouser UK .
In the meantime , for your amusement , I've put some images on my home page.
http://www.iol.ie/~themahony/ - very much a work in progress ......... forgive the raggedness ........
You may even see me bullfighting in my younger days.
DenisM
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- Location: Cork, Ireland
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Re: UK101
Tonight I powered it up as a test, after all the cleaning out of cobwebs and dead bugs.
Did it work ? Not on your life !
A screen of garbage - not even tuning in correctly. I'm using an old TV which auto-tunes.
Will not lock on to ch36 .....
I checked all the clocks - all ok
Ah! Memories of past problems arise ......
It's' the memory chips , isn't it !
Sure enough, I swap out the first pair of 2114s , for the last pair, discard the first pair, and up it comes.
Rock steady image, but rolling ! Damn ! It could be the telly is at fault.
Most investigation
But it does give the D/C/W/M, and responds as expected.
Of course only 6K of Ram working now.
I've got some more mem chips to try...looking good .
Of course I got the connector strips from Mouser.
I ordered both horizontal and vertical - just in case...
When I fitted the connectors, it seemed like they were a tight fit.
They were never part of the UK101 kit.
Then when I assembled it to test - I remembered why I didn't fit the connector strips
way back 30 or so years ago. The strip interferes with the modulator output. so you cannot
plug in a normal connector to the modulator.
I soldered a flying connector to the modulator just as a temp fix. Works fine, but I must do something more elegant.
Tomorrow.................
Did it work ? Not on your life !
A screen of garbage - not even tuning in correctly. I'm using an old TV which auto-tunes.
Will not lock on to ch36 .....
I checked all the clocks - all ok
Ah! Memories of past problems arise ......
It's' the memory chips , isn't it !
Sure enough, I swap out the first pair of 2114s , for the last pair, discard the first pair, and up it comes.
Rock steady image, but rolling ! Damn ! It could be the telly is at fault.
Most investigation
But it does give the D/C/W/M, and responds as expected.
Of course only 6K of Ram working now.
I've got some more mem chips to try...looking good .
Of course I got the connector strips from Mouser.
I ordered both horizontal and vertical - just in case...
When I fitted the connectors, it seemed like they were a tight fit.
They were never part of the UK101 kit.
Then when I assembled it to test - I remembered why I didn't fit the connector strips
way back 30 or so years ago. The strip interferes with the modulator output. so you cannot
plug in a normal connector to the modulator.
I soldered a flying connector to the modulator just as a temp fix. Works fine, but I must do something more elegant.
Tomorrow.................
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Re: UK101
I've repaired the case and it now provides a stable platform for the pcb again. Failed RAM was stopping boot up - now fixed.
I removed the 12 point connector (J3) again and mounted it under the pcb. That way it allows access to the modulator.
Boots up npw - just a quick test - many ram chips failed - pins corroded and broke off when being removed/cleaned.
6 K working. picture is steady clean - but it rolls - vertical sync problem to be investigated.
D.
I removed the 12 point connector (J3) again and mounted it under the pcb. That way it allows access to the modulator.
Boots up npw - just a quick test - many ram chips failed - pins corroded and broke off when being removed/cleaned.
6 K working. picture is steady clean - but it rolls - vertical sync problem to be investigated.
D.
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- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 7:44 pm
- Location: Cork, Ireland
- Contact:
Re: UK101
Hi Dave,
Still struggling with Ram chips. I only had 6K in and it was reliable. I got some new old 2114s from USA (via ebay).
When Itry to get more than 6K installed , it hangs on the mem test.
Sounded like an address decode problem ? Some more tests/experimentation needed.
With 8K installed now it gives 0E-04 Bytes Free ! and will allow me to list a two liner basic program.
But hangs on run.
Must remove Bas chips again and clean legs and reseat.
I tried it with two portable TV - one rolls slowly all the time - but a very readable image, another will not sync an image at all.
A small TV (5") will give me a stable pic but it's a little too large for the screen - can't see the top left character.
I've a feeling I can tweak that into view by edjusting a resistor/cap.
Tried it with a TV capture card in my PC - no way would it capture the image - rolling & tearing.
I guess it just will not display welll on any modern TV.
I did once have it driving a video monitor without any extra circuitry. I know you can use of a single transistor emitter follower in old Sinclair
zx80/zx81. Wonder if it would help ?
The idea may be to give up on TV , get RS232 working and use it as a terminal.....
So I'm not out of the woods yet
Regards
DenisM
Still struggling with Ram chips. I only had 6K in and it was reliable. I got some new old 2114s from USA (via ebay).
When Itry to get more than 6K installed , it hangs on the mem test.
Sounded like an address decode problem ? Some more tests/experimentation needed.
With 8K installed now it gives 0E-04 Bytes Free ! and will allow me to list a two liner basic program.
But hangs on run.
Must remove Bas chips again and clean legs and reseat.
I tried it with two portable TV - one rolls slowly all the time - but a very readable image, another will not sync an image at all.
A small TV (5") will give me a stable pic but it's a little too large for the screen - can't see the top left character.
I've a feeling I can tweak that into view by edjusting a resistor/cap.
Tried it with a TV capture card in my PC - no way would it capture the image - rolling & tearing.
I guess it just will not display welll on any modern TV.
I did once have it driving a video monitor without any extra circuitry. I know you can use of a single transistor emitter follower in old Sinclair
zx80/zx81. Wonder if it would help ?
The idea may be to give up on TV , get RS232 working and use it as a terminal.....
So I'm not out of the woods yet
Regards
DenisM