[GreenKeys] MANUAL FOR MITE FOR SALE

[Paul Birkel]

Speaking of which, does anyone know of documentation for the MITE Model 123 (or 123K, which may just be the keyboard component)?  I can’t find a single mention of this unit online anywhere :-<.

 

This is not the unit typically referenced as the “MITE”, e.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMAklaw4pdk  It has four rows of keys, including CTL, ESC, and RPT, clearly intended to work in an ASCII-based medium.

 

For reference, https://telcontar.net/KBK/tech/encoding#bit-paired describes an interesting aspect of this keyboard as it’s a bit-paired layout as used in the M33 ASR (and commonly seen in early microcomputer designs) rather than a typewriter-paired layout as seen with Selectric-based mechanisms (and then the IBM PC).  It doesn’t have quite the same key positioning as for the M33 and judging by the key labels the Model 123 provided direct operator-access to many of the specialized ASCII codes (DCI, ETB, ENQ, and so on).

 

I’m working on restoring a 123K (from Timothy Colegrove, posted here last month).  Aside from a thorough cleaning I need to replace some missing extension springs and probably a bad SN7400N.  Have ordered a 1000mm length of stainless steel spring from China that appears to closely approximate the required dimensions; hopefully with experimentation I can sufficiently closely approximate the correct restoring force over the operating range.  These springs are used to reposition many of the encoding bars after key release.

 

After getting it operating reliably from a mechanical perspective the next step will be to map out the parallel interface and generate a keymap.  It seems likely that a ROM will be sufficient to produce correct/complete ASCII from the keymap, but we shall see. It’s possible that the single SN7400N was sufficient to handle the modest bit-manipulation required.  It would be helpful to understand how the keyboard interfaced with the rest of the device electronics as originally designed.

 

Thank you for any documentation leads!

 

From: greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rich MC Clung via GreenKeys
Sent: Monday, September 06, 2021 3:43 PM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [GreenKeys] MANUAL FOR MITE FOR SALE

 

Sorry to take so long to reply. Every time I started to I got sidetracked or seemed to forget what I was doing.

 

I decided to go along with Nick's offer.

 

I"ll post it to him and he can reimburse me for the postage.

 

RICH  WA6KNW

 

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2021 12:26:25 -0400

From: Nick England < <mailto:navy.radio at gmail.com> navy.radio at gmail.com>

To: Rich MC Clung < <mailto:sgm460122 at yahoo.com> sgm460122 at yahoo.com>

Cc: " <mailto:greenkeys at mailman.qth.net> greenkeys at mailman.qth.net" < <mailto:greenkeys at mailman.qth.net> greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>

Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] MANUAL FOR MITE FOR SALE

 

I'll be happy to pay for it, scan and post it, and then send it on to

Duncan at the AWA museum.

Nick K4NYW

 

On Sat, Aug 28, 2021 at 11:44 PM Rich MC Clung via GreenKeys <

 <mailto:greenkeys at mailman.qth.net> greenkeys at mailman.qth.net> wrote:

 

> I have the following manual available for trade/sale/gift: all pay

> shipping!

> 

> NAVSHIPS 95898 TECHNICAL MANUAL for

> TELETYPEWRITER SETS AN/TGC-14(v) ans 14A(V)

> TELEPRINTERS 11-298A/UG and TT-298B/UG and

> TELETYPEWRITERS TT-299A/UG and TT-299B/UG

> 

> I had one of these beasts for many years and I gave it to someone to

> complete a USMC COMMs system that he was restoring.  The manual was buried

> in some boxes and I recently found it, alas, he went SK several years ago.

> 

> RICH  WA6KNW

> 

 

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