15-Feb-86 12:30:13-MST,2012;000000000000 Mail-From: KPETERSEN created at 15-Feb-86 12:29:59 Date: Saturday, 15 February 1986 04:01-MST Message-ID: Sender: "ROSSI J.A." From: "ROSSI J.A." Reply-To: ROSSI J.A. To: info-cpm Subject: Access to INFO-CPM@AMSAA & North Star Formats ReSent-From: KPETERSEN@SIMTEL20.ARPA ReSent-To: Northstar-users ReSent-Date: Sat 15 Feb 1986 12:29-MST I am LT John Rossi III . I have been reviewing some of the archives from SIMTEL20 and I was somehow lead to believe that AMSAA is a clearinghouse for info on CP/M systems. I have tried to access AMSAA by way of FTP and TELNET and have found that there is no ANONYMOUS access. Question #1 - Are you an interactive clearinghouse ?. Independent of direct access to AMSAA, I would like to know if you could point me in the direction of a place where I can obtain a version of the MODEMx program in Northstar DS/DD (360K) format. I am currently conducting experimentsat U.S. Navy Subbase,NLON, NSMRL and I would like to use my old standby N* controller based kluged computer to handle some of the data. My communications ports are by old CompuPro Interfacer I boards so I need sufficient documentationalong with the program so that I asn patch the appropriate linklages to my user area. I need the modem program for communication with a VAX-750 which will be handling most of the data. Since N* is a hard sectored format, I realize that I have two options, type in source code, or find someone who can supply machine readable media. I would prefer the later and would be more than happy to pay for the service of obtaining the software and documentation I need to get this project moving. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank You, John Rossi III P.S. I am still new to this network game so If you could, please acknowledge receipt of this message. Thanks Again 25-Feb-86 07:47:49-MST,6757;000000000000 Return-Path: Received: from nusc.ARPA by SIMTEL20.ARPA with TCP; Tue 25 Feb 86 07:47:10-MST Date: 25 Feb 86 09:48:00 PST From: "ROSSI J.A." Subject: Thank you, and Help To: "northstar-users" Reply-To: "ROSSI J.A." Return-Path: Received: from AMSAA by NUSC.ARPA ; 24 Feb 86 11:05:42 PST Date: Mon, 24 Feb 86 10:54:50 EST From: Dave Towson (info-cpm-request) To: rossi@nusc.ARPA Subject: [ROSSI J.A.: N*, MODEM7 etc replies to ROSSI@NUSC.ARPA] John - The address "info-cpm-request@amsaa.arpa" is for matters dealing with the operation of the mailing list (additions, deletions, changes, etc.). Please send general articles such as this one to "info-cpm@amsaa.arpa" (i.e., leave off the "request"). Thanks, Dave ----- Forwarded message # 1: Received: from nusc.arpa by AMSAA.ARPA id a004073; 22 Feb 86 12:17 EST Date: 20 Feb 86 16:27:00 PST From: "ROSSI J.A." Subject: N*, MODEM7 etc replies to ROSSI@NUSC.ARPA To: "info-cpm-request" Reply-To: "ROSSI J.A." Friends, Thank all of you who have sent me EMAIL concerning my current problem. In regards to the SIMTEL20 archives, through your helpful comments, I have managed to access and extract many of the ASCII files. I have snarffed PIPMODEM and DOC as well as BASMODEM and DOC. I have also read all the kind suggestions made by everyone concerned who replied to my inquiry. I wish that I could report other successes, however with the information that I now possess I think I know what questions I should really be asking in order to get my current problem solved. 1) I still do not know the exact procedure for FTPing BINARY files (esp. squeezed files) down to the VAX 780 here at NUSC. Do i FTP the files first then unsqueeze (if so how) or do I unsqueez first. Also, assuming that I have a MODEM program up and running (My PC-Clone runs MEX as well as PCTALK-3 and Crosstalk) how do I transfer BINARY files (I have been transferring ASCII files using KERMIT (can it be used for non-ASCII transmission). 2) More related to my original question of communication between computers in the same room (it was suggested that I implement a NULL-Modem), briefly, I have a N* based S-100 computer (the only reason I mentioned this in the first place is because of the 'oddball' 10 hard sector format used by the system) which uses both CP/M and N* DOS. The CPU for this system is a CompuPro Z80, and it is a 64K system. There are 2 I/O boards in the computer (one) SSM 3P+S in which the Serial's UART is blown so it is a 3P, and (one) CompuPro interfacer 1 (2-SIO). The system was used (in addition to other things ie. word processing etc) in the lab as a controler and hard storage device for neurophysiological data which was sent in parallel from a 2 mode data acquisition system I designed (8 bit-6502, 12 Bit 68000), this data went through the 24 function parallel lines on the 3P+S. The CompuPro interfacer was used for the console and a serial printer. I have long since abandoned the printer so I have one vacant SERIAL channel which can be configured in any way necessary DCE or DTE up to 19200B. I would like to use this port as a communications port, both for transmitting binary and ASCII files to the PC-clone (which by the way, has a V20 8080 emulation program operating it so I can run CP/M applications) so that I can analyze longer sequences of neurophysiological data (the N* program I wrote was limited to 32K chunks), and also for generally communicating with the PC-clone and the outside world for transfer of programs and what not. The most important thing that must be accomplished (at least in the eyes of the NAVY) is that I collect and analyze the data. Therefore, establishing a system for data transfer between the N* based system and the PC-Clone is of the highest priority. Question : Will I need to change the user area patches in the BIOS (CP/M), which I wrote so it wouldnt be a problem, or do the MODEM programs access the ports directly (also If the later is so, is the ample information in how to set up the port configuration i.e port location #s, etc. included in whatever documentation comes with the public domain progs)? Question : In a null-modem arrangement, how should the ports be configured (i.e., can they both be DCE ports or both be DTE ports with the pins re- routed in the cable, or should one of the ports be DCE and thge other DTE)? Question : I really don't know a lot about the innards of the PC-clone except hrat it appears to be exactly like a PC and therefore the serial adapter should conform to the DCA type setup. On the other hand, I do understand the CompuPro board and I can make it do whatever is necessary provided I know what that is. How should the ports be configured? Question : How many pins in the RS-232 interface do I need to implement a Null modem? Question : Does public domain software shch as MODEM7xx operate with a null modem the same as it does with a real modoe/modem link (I realize the subtle difference in hoe the ports should be configured may need to be different in the null modem case as opposed to a real modem case depending on the nature of hte cable used. Question : If i set up first for use with a null modem, will I in the future be able to use the same software/system (minor modifications excepted) to communicate with a mainfrane, say, through a real modem. Question : Is this really worth the effort, or should I just put the S100 system in mothballs and hand enter my data collection routines into the PC-Clone and use a TECMAR multiline parallel interface to collect the data directly from the data acquisition system. Question : If the answer to the last question is affirmative, Is there any body out there who can transfer N* fiormat disks toa more popular type of soft sector diskette format (IBM-PC, Osborne, Kaypro, Xerox, Morrow etc) (for a service fee, of course) so that I can preserve my data, personal files, and CP/M software for use with this son of a blue beast? At any rate, thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I would greatly appreciate any ideas that you might be able to provide me with. Sincerely, LT John Rossi III U.S. Mail : LT John Rossi III NSMRL Box 900, Auditory Dept. U.S. SubBase, NLON Groton, CT 06349 Voice : (203) 449-4109 Voice : (203) 848-9536 Home ------ ----- End of forwarded messages ------