[CQ-Contest] Contesting in year 2000?

[Rick Commo]

>>          ...  I bet I'm not the only cheapskate ham still running
>>old PCs with non-compliant BIOS.  But there _is_ a solution.  ...

	On the other hand, if you're willing to use a screwdriver, you
	can go to http://www.pricewatch.com and look for a new mainboard
	(motherboard).

	In what may be the penultimate computer screw-up I have ever done,
	I flashed a new BIOS into my 1994 ASUS motherboard.  Unfortunately
	when I downloaded it the mouse was apparently sitting on the edge of 
	a menu selection...  You got it!  I flashed the BIOS for a different 
	model	rendering mine inoperative (extreme blush on this one).
	Corollary: DON'T do this kind of stuff at a time when you're in 
			a rush and can't triple check everything!!

	I could have ordered a new flash chip.  Assuming ASUS would still
	stock them the total bill would have been around $35 or so maybe
	higher. 

	For $71 + shipping I got a new mainboard (Cyrix CPU included) instead 
	that uses all the	cards and memory of my old box and brings me up 
	from a 75Mhz P54 to a 233Mhz C8x86.  For running logging programs
	that should be sufficient.

	Incidentally, my office mate is young engineer who kept himself in
	loose change building computers for his friends.  He tipped me off
	to http://www.pricewatch.com and http://www.buycomp.com.  There's
	a lot there that can save you a few bucks.

73s,
- ricK1log/7


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