Any stories of Dayton?

From: Merle K. Peirce <at258_at_osfn.org>
Date: Mon May 20 15:18:36 2002

The MIT fleamarket was about the same. Lots of dreck and instruments.
There was a derelict VAX 4000/400 and a $90 Monroe calculator. Seemed to
be fewer vendors, too.

On Mon, 20 May 2002, Dan Veeneman wrote:

> At 11:30 AM 5/20/02 -0700, you wrote:
> >--- Bill Sudbrink <wh.sudbrink_at_verizon.net> wrote:
> > > I wasn't able to go. Does anyone have any tales
> > > of great classiccmp finds? Or any other stories?
> > >
> >
> >I went, and I was somewhat disappointed.
>
> Classic computer hardware, especially the less-common stuff,
> was scarce this year. Granted, Dayton is mainly a radio-oriented
> show, but previous years had more interesting items, and more
> of them.
>
> > (but I didn't manage to get to Marvin Johnson's booth).
>
> I did get to Marvin's booth. He was busy with the fox-hunting
> (as in locating a small hidden radio transmitter, not riding a horse
> carrying a firearm) for much of Saturday, but I met him at the end
> of the day. Very friendly and courteous fellow. He had some
> Casio bubble memory modules for sale, but not much else that
> I saw.
>
> While looking for old microprocessors I ran into a gentleman who
> may have a lead on RCA 1802 processors, if anyone is still
> looking for them. E-mail me off list if you're interested.
>
> >You'd think they had spare parts from the
> >Space Shuttle.
>
> There was a vendor selling old Space Shuttle parts. I recall
> seeing several NASA transit cases, one of which had a
> flight data recorder. I think he was asking $150 for it. No idea
> if anyone ever bought it.
>
> >There were some used test equipment vendors there;
> >apparently, they hadn't heard of eBay (or they were
> >hoping that their customers hadn't); trust me, you
> >could do much better on eBay and in some cases with
> >better guarantees.
>
> Yes, in most cases test equipment prices (and prices in
> general) were too high. One guy even had a print-out of
> a completed eBay auction to justify his asking price.
>
> >The few "official"
> >personnel I found didn't know anything about the site
> >and had no maps (the only maps I found were illegibly
> >small).
>
> The "official" staff are all volunteers, and I know there was
> some turnover from last year above and beyond the usual
> changes.
>
> >There were no obvious markers, banners, etc for the outside
> >vendor rows.
>
> It's always been that way. Not to defend the operation, but
> Dayton seems to be one of those places that you're just
> expected to figure out. I've never seen a good map of Hara
> Arena, and the identifying numbers on the outside slots
> have long since faded away. The Hamvention staff will tell
> you that the Hara Arena operators refuse to spend any money
> to fix the place up. Don't even ask about the horrible condition
> of the public bathrooms...
>
> >Hey, but other than that, it was great!
>
> Weather:
> Overcast Friday and finally started rain in the middle of the afternoon.
> Saturday was cold and mostly overcast, with the outside vendors
> somewhat damp.
> Sunday was sunny but still chilly in the morning.
>
> Bought:
> HP 9825A with a 9866 printer and 9872 plotter, along with manuals.
> HP 9114A drive
> HP-IL interface for HP-41 calculator
> Two Tandy 102 and one Tandy 100 laptops
> NEC PC-8300 laptop
> DEC SA-1100 StrongARM development system ("Brutus") with
> LCD display, power supply, software and manuals
> Several Heathkit nixie tube counters
> Small Systems Engineering Hardbox for Commodore
> iSBC Applications Manual
> Many, many issues of '60s and 70's Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics
> Circuit board with a socketed 1802 microprocessor
> "Electronic Calculators" book from 1974 by president of MITS
> Other electronics and computer books from the '60s and '70s
>
> The most expensive item was the StrongARM development system, for which
> I paid $55. Everything else was well under that.
>
> I also paid real money for an Optoelectronics Digital Scout and interface
> cables
> from the Opto booth inside the Arena, but that doesn't meet the 10-year rule.
>
> Scrounged:
> Apple /// monitor
> "Print-it" screen print card and button for Apple // series (in the
> original box)
> Apple printer cables (new in package), 8 pin mini DIN to DB25 male and
> female
> Epson MX-80 ribbons (new in package)
> Various pieces of satellite receiver equipment
> Mathcad software and manuals for Windows 3.X
> Various circuit boards for parts
> Random coax with video connectors
>
> These were items left as trash at the end of the show.
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dan
>
>

M. K. Peirce

Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc.
Shady Lea, Rhode Island

"Casta est quam nemo rogavit."
              
              - Ovid
Received on Mon May 20 2002 - 15:18:36 BST