🚀 go-pugleaf

This morning was the Vienna (Virginia) Winterfest, an annual hamfest
hosted by the Vienna Wireless Society.

It isn't just ham radio gear that's for sale.  Lots of computer hardware
and software, too.  I spotted the following bargains:

(By "complete," I mean a computer comes with monitor, keyboard, memory,
diskette drive, hard disk, and operating system, ready for use.)

(Please note that the hamfest is over, and these are no longer available.
Similar bargains can probably be found next year, however.  Or at other
hamfests.)

512k Apple MacIntosh, $75
Compaq portable computer, complete except no hard disk, $10
IBM PC with 1 meg memory, complete except no hard disk, $10
IBM PC/XT, complete except no hard disk, $10
IBM PC/XT, complete, $20
286 system, no hard disk, no diskette drives, no monitor, no kb, $10
Complete 286 system with 105 meg disk, $150
Complete 386 system with 40 meg disk and 2 meg memory, $350
Complete 486 system with 540 meg disk and 8 meg memory, $1300

DEC VT100 terminal, $5.  Later reduced to $1
Broken DEC VT220 terminal, free
DEC VT220 terminal, $50

1200 baud Hayes external modem, $1
2400 baud external modem, $10
14,400 baud external modem, $100
14,400 baud external Courier HST modem, $110
28,800 baud external modem, $160

20 meg disk drives, two for $10
70 meg disk drive, $55
380 meg disk drive, $100
540 meg disk drive, $215

3.25" DSHD diskettes, 10 for $4, or (at another table) 50 for $15
Everex ethernet interface card, $20
40 meg backup tape drive, $25
Audio cassettes holding assorted military training lectures, 15 for $1
External CD-ROM drive, $65
Standard (high quality) touch tone desk phones, $10

I saw electrical magazines dating back to 1902, and electronics dating
back to 1926.  But I didn't see any blank 5.25" diskettes for sale.  And
I didn't see any 300 baud modems.

What did I buy?  Just the HST modem.  I'm using it now.  It came in its
original packaging, complete with manuals, but not shrink-wrapped.  It's
labelled FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY -- NOT FOR RESALE in large
unfriendly letters.  It works great.  Unfortunately, my nine year
old 286 system can only go up to 9600.  But that's still a four-fold
improvement in speed, for less than half the cost of the 2400 baud
modem.  Which in turn, cost me less than half of what my 1200 baud
Hayes modem cost!

At the same hamfest last year, I rescued a Texas Instruments Silent 700
printing terminal with built-in 300 baud modem and accoustic coupler from
the trash.  It had been on sale for $15 but there were no takers.  I
didn't see any Silent 700s this year.

I've been attending that hamfest for over 20 years.  Oh, for a time
machine so that I could attend it 20 years from now, and bring back
28,800 baud modems, Sun/4s, and 1 gig disks for a dollar!
-- 
Keith Lynch, kfl@access.digex.net

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