[ct-user] Cheap computers and parts

[Mike McCarthy, W1NR]

I was up at ESS (Electronics Surplus Services) in Manchester, NH a few
weeks ago and they had "complete" 486 computers with monitors for
$149.00.

73 de W1NR

Robert Naumann wrote:
> 
> I suspect that I'm not alone in observing this, but lately computer parts
> have gotten so cheap that instead of struggling with CT under Windows, you
> may want to consider a second machine for running CT and other DOS based
> programs like RITTY etc.
> 
> I recently purchased a Pentium 166 motherboard for $89 with the CPU !  Cases
> are going for under $20 and big hard drives are around $150.  You may want
> to consider replacing that 500 meg (or whatever size)drive in your "main"
> computer with a cheap 4gig unit and move the smaller one to a DOS only
> machine.
> 
> Not only are parts cheap, you may be able to snag a good 486 machine out of
> the dumpster at your office too.  Maybe you should make friends with the
> network support guys now !  If you get a 486/66 or better, it can run Win95
> pretty well too with 32m ram.  486/100's rival Pentium 66's and 100's in
> performance.
> Compaq DeskPro and Prolinea machines are real good for RF environments with
> their full metal cabinets etc.  Other commercial grade "boat anchors" that
> companies are tossing out
> would make an excellent contest machine.
> 
> Since I don't have space for a second monitor in my shack, I purchased a
> device called an "Omnicube 2-Port" made by Belkin.  This device allows me to
> have one keyboard, one mouse and one monitor hooked to both computers.
> There's a single button that switches between them on the box itself and it
> also allows switching from the keyboard using a unique key combination.
> This was a bit pricey at over $100.  The benefit is that it provides
> everything the connected PC's need to maintain keyboard and especially mouse
> connectivity.  The cheaper manual switches tend to lose the mouse.
> 
> In addition to all this wonderful stuff, Ethernet cards are getting real
> cheap too.  I bought some 10 meg Ethernet cards that have both the RJ45 and
> BNC (10Base-T and 10Base-2) type connection for $9.95 each.  These were in
> both PCI and ISA format.  If you use coax, this is the cheapest way to
> network your CT machines with K1TTT's Ethernet TSR.  I decided to use the
> twisted pair method and got a 5 port 10meg hub for $29.
> 
> For Y2K compliance, you must have DOS 6.22.  This was the most recent
> version of DOS that "Bill" sold and they claim it's OK for Y2K.
> 
> What about CT and Y2K ?
> 
> 73,
> Bob N5NJ
> 
> Robert E. Naumann
> N5NJ@worldnet.att.net
> also V26RN, ex KR2J, W6V, WA2OVE
> Plano, TX  USA
> 
> Robert E. Naumann
> N5NJ@worldnet.att.net
> also V26RN, ex KR2J, W6V, WA2OVE
> Plano, TX  USA
> 
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-- 
**************** Give Every Man His Dew **************
Michael A. McCarthy, President
Everest Engineering Corporation, Consultants
4 Barnes Circle, Marlborough, MA 01752
(508) 460-6737, FAX (508) 460-7951
mailto:w1nr@eecorp.com
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