Keronix

From: Bill Dawson <whdawson_at_mlynk.com>
Date: Sun Feb 27 12:01:48 2000

-> Yep, although like the DCC clones...

How well I remember the DCC D-116. When I was stationed at FCDSTC, Dam
Neck, VA we used one to control a IIRC 64 x 64 switching matrix for the
Univac equipment (642B, UYK-7, and periphs). Local boxes on top of the
computers would convert 36 bits, IIRC, of data and the control and
interrupts lines to serial, (and vice versa) which would be routed thru the
matrix, then go on to the selected computer or peripheral, where it would be
converted back to parallel with the control and interrupt signals extracted.
All the cabling was done with RG-59U. The system was synchronous, with the
master clock generated at the matrix. I well remember tweaking the delays
in the local converters and cutting cable to length to get the timing right.
However, this sure beat using the huge patch panel this equipment replaced.
We had a spare D-116, and we would switch over the ASR-33 and Digitronics
tape reader and write and play BASIC games for hours while monitoring the
system, which was designed in San Diego at ??? (a Naval research facility).
I even got a 2 week "vacation" in Fairfield, NJ at the DCC HQ, where I
learned field repair, to the component level, on the D-116. Does anyone
remember the "twisted ring counter" used as the master timing circuit for
the D-116 CPU board? Very cleaver, but hideous to troubleshoot.


-> Keronix was a major vendor of aftermarket core memory for
-> the Nova, Their memory products were somewhat better than
-> DG's; when DG shipped 8K boards Keronix shipped 16K, when
-> DG finally figured out how to build 16K boards Keronix
-> shipped 32Ks.

Keronix memory was all we used in the DCC box. IIRC, DCC didn't make their
own.

Thanks for the memories,

Bill

whdawson_at_mlynk.com
Received on Sun Feb 27 2000 - 12:01:48 GMT