Rockwell AIM65 spotted at Spennymoor Rally - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

SiriusHardware · 25th Nov 2024, 10:28 am

Spotted at the Spennymoor rally yesterday: A Rockwell AIM 65 Trainer / Evaluation system in (mostly) working order, the only thing not fully working was the onboard 'receipt printer' - probably the print head, so the owner thought.

I spoke to him briefly and he gave me a bit of a demo, the full sized OKI dot-matrix printer imediately to the right is used as a stand-in for the onboard printer and it all works. It was originally used for an industrial process, hence being fitted in a strong metal cabinet and provided with a substantial power supply - I did ask whether that meant it didn't have its original firmware any more, but that wasn't the case, BASIC with its inline 6502 assembler was present and correct and working along with the user manuals and additional documentation.

It was a bit too big for my already crowded space especially given that the OKI DMP was included, so I didn't buy it. I did get the owner's details just in case I change my mind, but hand on heart, I probably won't.

ortek_service · 25th Nov 2024, 11:45 am

Well that's surprising to see at a Rally these days, as I'd have thought that if they knew exactly what it is they'd just put it on eBay, to get most for it.
That NE rally (along with others mostly in the SW) is one of the last rallies of the year, and I've not been to any rallies quite that far to be able to get there early enough / be worthwhile.

I wonder how much they were asking for it (no doubt there wasn't a price marked on it, as often the case for more expensive items)?

But I imagine that most there wouldn't take enough cash to be able to buy it, and few sellers equipped to take cards etc (although the readers that link to your phone are fairly-cheap, and many record fair sellers have these).
Maybe you can just make payment via a mobile, but I'm yet to do / trust such 'modern technology' mobile banking, preferring online banking that you do actually have to log-in to with MFA, for better security.
I doubt the sellers would trust a rather-retro paper cheque...

SiriusHardware · 25th Nov 2024, 11:58 am

The main thing was that the owner said it would have to be collect-only either at the rally or from his location in Penrith, Cumbria. Given the weight of the main unit in its heavy metal cabinet and the fragility of the heavy but mainly plastic-cased large dot matrix printer, I was inclined to agree with him.

SiriusHardware · 25th Nov 2024, 12:04 pm

Just to re-iterate, he knew so much about the machine that it was obvious that he had owned it and used it over a period of some years or decades - definitely not something he had just picked up and wanted to move on. He said his main love was the Microtan 65, which he owned several examples of.

tillmechanic · 6th Dec 2024, 2:22 pm

I saw that too, I was very tempted, but sanity took over. I need to sort out the stuff I already have.

25th Nov 2024, 10:28 am	#1
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 13,785	Rockwell AIM65 spotted at Spennymoor Rally Spotted at the Spennymoor rally yesterday: A Rockwell AIM 65 Trainer / Evaluation system in (mostly) working order, the only thing not fully working was the onboard 'receipt printer' - probably the print head, so the owner thought. I spoke to him briefly and he gave me a bit of a demo, the full sized OKI dot-matrix printer imediately to the right is used as a stand-in for the onboard printer and it all works. It was originally used for an industrial process, hence being fitted in a strong metal cabinet and provided with a substantial power supply - I did ask whether that meant it didn't have its original firmware any more, but that wasn't the case, BASIC with its inline 6502 assembler was present and correct and working along with the user manuals and additional documentation. It was a bit too big for my already crowded space especially given that the OKI DMP was included, so I didn't buy it. I did get the owner's details just in case I change my mind, but hand on heart, I probably won't. Attached Thumbnails

25th Nov 2024, 11:45 am	#2
ortek_service Nonode Join Date: May 2018 Location: Northampton, Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 2,736	Re: Rockwell AIM65 spotted at Spennymoor Rally Well that's surprising to see at a Rally these days, as I'd have thought that if they knew exactly what it is they'd just put it on eBay, to get most for it. That NE rally (along with others mostly in the SW) is one of the last rallies of the year, and I've not been to any rallies quite that far to be able to get there early enough / be worthwhile. I wonder how much they were asking for it (no doubt there wasn't a price marked on it, as often the case for more expensive items)? But I imagine that most there wouldn't take enough cash to be able to buy it, and few sellers equipped to take cards etc (although the readers that link to your phone are fairly-cheap, and many record fair sellers have these). Maybe you can just make payment via a mobile, but I'm yet to do / trust such 'modern technology' mobile banking, preferring online banking that you do actually have to log-in to with MFA, for better security. I doubt the sellers would trust a rather-retro paper cheque...

25th Nov 2024, 11:58 am	#3
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 13,785	Re: Rockwell AIM65 spotted at Spennymoor Rally The main thing was that the owner said it would have to be collect-only either at the rally or from his location in Penrith, Cumbria. Given the weight of the main unit in its heavy metal cabinet and the fragility of the heavy but mainly plastic-cased large dot matrix printer, I was inclined to agree with him.

25th Nov 2024, 12:04 pm	#4
SiriusHardware Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 13,785	Re: Rockwell AIM65 spotted at Spennymoor Rally Just to re-iterate, he knew so much about the machine that it was obvious that he had owned it and used it over a period of some years or decades - definitely not something he had just picked up and wanted to move on. He said his main love was the Microtan 65, which he owned several examples of.

6th Dec 2024, 2:22 pm	#5
tillmechanic Diode Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 4	Re: Rockwell AIM65 spotted at Spennymoor Rally I saw that too, I was very tempted, but sanity took over. I need to sort out the stuff I already have.