[GreenKeys] BRPE punch

[Paul Heller]

Hi Doug. I did not see yesterday’s but this one got through. 

Paul


> On Jun 12, 2019, at 11:56 AM, Jones, Douglas W <douglas-w-jones at uiowa.edu> wrote:
> 
> I'm not sure my posts to GreenKeys are getting through.  I originally sent this yesterday but got no replies.  If one of you got this post from GreenKeys, please tell me.  Here's the header that was on it in my outbox:
> 
>> Date: June 11, 2019 5:10:40 PM CDT
>> To: GREENKEYS BULLETIN BOARD <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: BRPE punch
> 
> Here's the message:
> 
> I am now in possession of 2 BRPE punches formerly used by Jackson Typesetting, in Jackson, Michigan, acquired through Dan Foust.  Here's a photo of one:
> -- http://homepage.divms.uiowa.edu/~jones/pdp8/UI-8/2019/06/04-BRPEpunch.JPG
> 
> I got two of them because they were used with narrow paper tape, while I want 8-bit data on 1 inch tape. I haven't opened the second box yet, but the first one I opened came with a partial reel of 7/8 inch wide tape.  If someone needs that width tape, I'll gladly send the fractional spool of tape.  The old tape looks a bit brown with age, but seems basically sound.
> 
> I'm impressed that the chad box is there and not broken.
> 
> And the, to the back side of the punches, connectors are a bit of a problem:
> -- http://homepage.divms.uiowa.edu/~jones/pdp8/UI-8/2019/06/04-BRPEplugs.JPG
> 
> The 3-pin twist-lock female plug for 110V power seems to be a rarity.  Dan Foust says that there's a pile of BRPE punch junk that might include connectors.  This is definitely something worth mining since I recall others who had old devices that used this connector.  It looks like Teletype used the Amphenol socket that later came to be known as the Centronics connector for data, so the data connector should be easy to connect to.
> 
> I found copies of the manuals and parts lists at several sites:
> -- http://navy-radio.com/manuals-ttycorp.htm
> -- https://www.soemtron.org/teletypemanuals.html
> 
> Some of the manuals don't have the schematics, but this one has everything:
> -- http://navy-radio.com/manuals/tty/jh/ttyman6/TeletypeManuals/brpe/215b.pdf
> 
> One thing I can't find in the manuals:  Is the BRPE punch designed for oiled or un-oiled tape?  I have both kinds, and I doubt that using oiled tape would hurt anything, but it would be nice to know.
> 
> But a final question:  What does BRPE stand for?
> 
>        Doug Jones
>        jones at cs.uiowa.edu