Free DEC RL01-A disk drive and disk for PDP 8a

[willa...@gmail.com]

This is a DEC RL01-A disk drive plus a disk cartridge. It was part of a PDP-8a system. working condition unknown.

Needs a good home with someone who will restore it.

Weights around 60 lbs.

I can send photos.

Willard 415-310-6558, wil...@solmetric.com

[Johnny Billquist]

Just as an FYI all around. There is nothing PDP-8-specific about the
drive or disk cartridge. This drive will work with an system (assuming
you have the right controller), and also, anyone who have an RL8A can
use any RL01 or RL02, with any matching pack.

Johnny

[ethan...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, May 16, 2013 12:42:14 PM UTC-4, willa...@gmail.com wrote:
> This is a DEC RL01-A disk drive plus a disk cartridge. It was part of a PDP-8a system. working condition unknown.

I don't know why this ended up in my recent alt.sys.pdp8 digest since it's months old, but I'm curious if anyone ever got this?

As Johnny Billquist mentioned, there is nothing PDP-8-specific about the drive or the pack. One could image the pack with a VAX or PDP-11.

> Needs a good home with someone who will restore it.

Where are you? I already have multiple RL01 drives (from when the RL02 was $2K but the suddenly-unloved RL01 was under $300) but someone might be interested and close enough for pickup. Personally, I'm interested in seeing what version of OS/8 is on that and if there are any interesting programs, so hopefully someone will image the pack and share the contents.

> Weights around 60 lbs.

By the time you add in packaging, you'll probably be over the 70 lb cutoff for most of the courier services.

Back in the day, we used to ship RL01 and RL02 drives around on pallets or in large (drive-size-plus-6"-on-all-sides) cardboard boxes with spray foam, and do truck freight.

-ethan

[Charles]

On Wednesday, February 12, 2014 9:59:58 AM UTC-6, ethan...@gmail.com wrote:

> By the time you add in packaging, you'll probably be over the 70 lb cutoff for most of the courier services.

UPS and FedEx both will ship up to 150 lb but you'd better be sitting down when you see the rates for over-70 lb...