NORD-1 Serial 47

NORD-1 Serial number 47 was given to me by Fagskolen Innlandet in Gjøvik, Norway in the summer of 2016. I think it's been at the school for all of it's life since the only inventory labels on it is from the school. The only documentation surviving is the lists of cards on the inside of the front door. They give a date of summer 1972 as the build date.

NORD-1 with the door open.

There might be an aticle about this machine in ND NYTT 5 September 1972.

Configuration

The system is equipped with

• 32 kword of core memory
• 9 TTY interfaces
• A cartridge disk interface
• An I/O channel (connectors I/O channel data in, I/O channel data out, I/O channel control)
• Asynchronous modem
• Centronics printer interface
• Facit punch 4070 interface
• Digitronics tape reader interface

Missing parts and damages

Some cards seems to be missing and minor damages

Shelf D :
* Missing cards on position 26 and 27.
 -- 26 : 160 Punch buffer
   There are several cards of this type in the machine, so no problem to reproduce.
 -- 27 : 113 I Card reader contr.
   I have no drawings or extra cards of this one, can be hard to reproduce.
Shelf E :
* Missing card on position 20.
 -- 20 : 195 Duplex start stop buffer for TTY 6
   There are several cards of this type in the machine, so no problem to reproduce.
Shelf F :
* Missing cards on position 25 and 26.
 -- 25 : 185,8 Data ch. M data in
 -- 26 : 185,7 Data ch. M data out
   There are one more of card 185 in the machine, so no problem to reproduce.
Some switches are broken on the front panel.

Card cage configuration

According to Norsk Data Document ND–01.004 NORD-1 HARDWARE MANUAL there are two different models of CPU:s, no. 29 and no. 35. The cpu in this machine seems to be a no. 29.

Shelf C

• pos 1 : 151 Time counter snr 103
• pos 2 : 128 Protect control snr 78
• pos 3 : 141 Protect reg. snr 62
• pos 4 : 132 Interrupt control snr 97
• pos 5 : 106.1 Interrupt register snr 109
• pos 6 : 106.2 Interrupt register snr 213
• pos 7 : 140.2 Lamp register snr 180
• pos 8 : 140.1 Lamp register snr 182
• pos 9 : 150 Register snr 131
• pos 10 : 108.4 Register snr 351
• pos 11 : 102.4 Register snr 379
• pos 12 : 103.4 Arithmetic snr 362
• pos 13 : 101.4 Bus memory snr 391
• pos 14 : 108.3 snr 111
• pos 15 : 102.3 snr 380
• pos 16 : 103.3 snr 361
• pos 17 : 101.3 snr 392
• pos 18 : 108.2 snr 350
• pos 19 : 102.2 snr 387
• pos 20 : 103.2 snr 389
• pos 21 : 101.2 snr 390
• pos 22 : 108.1 snr 345
• pos 23 : 102.1 snr 388
• pos 24 : 103.1 snr 390
• pos 25 : 101.1 snr 142
• pos 26 : 158 II Memory buffer snr 309 4 x 6 7 12 15
• pos 27 : 158 II snr 327 3 x 4 5 12 13
• pos 28 : 158 II snr 318 2 x 2 3 10 11
• pos 29 : 158 II snr 312 1 x 0 1 8 9
• pos 30 : 159 Memory OR snr 86
• pos 31 : 169 Cambridge control snr 97
• pos 32 : 110 Panel buffer snr 109

Shelf D

• pos 1 : 125 Shift counter snr 94
• pos 2 : 123 Cycle counter snr 104
• pos 3 : 124 Counter control snr 119
• pos 4 : 127 Control flip-flops snr 106
• pos 5 : 131 Addressing control snr 96
• pos 6 : 90N40.2 NORD 90 Glue logic
• pos 7 : 90N40.1
• pos 8 : 109 Register control snr 101
• pos 9 : 130 Addressing control snr 107
• pos 10 : 115 Arithmetic control snr 106
• pos 11 : 126 Shift control snr 95
• pos 12 : 134 Floating control snr 96
• pos 13 : 135 Floating control snr 94
• pos 14 : 136 Floating control snr 92
• pos 15 : 137 Floating control snr 97
• pos 16 : 146 Register transfer snr 81
• pos 17 : 133 Bit instruction snr 101
• pos 18 : 122 Assembler snr 108
• pos 19 : 120 II I/O Control snr 105
• pos 20 : 163 III/O Output and clock snr 53
• pos 21 : 166 I/O Output snr 82
• pos 22 : 166 I/O Output snr 81
• pos 23 : 165 I/O Input snr 67
• pos 24 : 165 I/O Input snr 70
• pos 25 : 301 DP Reader Buffer
• pos 26 : 160.I Reader/punch contr. (missing)
• pos 27 : 113 I Card reader contr. (duplex) (missing)
• pos 28 : 179 Punch buffer snr 103
• pos 29 : 160 Simplex control snr 155 TTY
• pos 30 : 195 Duplex Start-stop buffer snr 4
• pos 31 : 190.1 Cable card snr 30
• pos 32 : 504 Cable card Bus receiver

Shelf E

• pos 1-7 : Not used
• pos 8 : 196
• pos 9 : 170 Duplex buffer snr 291 (Marked Modem with on a sticker)
• pos 10 : 160/II Simplex control
• pos 11 : 302 Centronics buffer snr 33
• pos 12 : 160/II Simplex control snr 683
• pos 13 : 90N08 NORD 90 glue logic
• pos 14 : 195,9
• pos 15 : 160 TTY 9,IN 142 OUT 143
• pos 16 : 195,8
• pos 17 : 160 TTY 8,IN 140 OUT 141
• pos 18 : 195,7
• pos 19 : 160 TTY 7,IN 136 OUT 137
• pos 20 : 195,6
• pos 21 : 160 TTY 6,IN 126 OUT 127
• pos 22 : 195,5
• pos 23 : 160 TTY 5,IN 124 OUT 125
• pos 24 : 195,4
• pos 25 : 160 TTY 4,IN 122 OUT 123
• pos 26 : 195,3
• pos 27 : 160 TTY 3,IN 120 OUT 121
• pos 28 : 195,2
• pos 29 : 160 TTY 2,IN 104 OUT 105
• pos 30 : 90X08 Buffer card
• pos 31 : 180 Cable card snr
• pos 32 : 7316 Expander

Shelf F

• pos 1-13 : Not used
• pos 14 : 313 Cartridge control
• pos 15 : 312 Cartridge sequence
• pos 16 : 311 Cartridge timing
• pos 17 : 310 Cartridge disc receiver
• pos 18 : 309 Cartridge disc transmit
• pos 19 : 182 Cartridge disc d.c. register
• pos 20 : 183 Cartridge disc d.c. counter
• pos 21 : 180 Cartridge disc dev, instructions
• pos 22 : 181/II,1 Cartridge disc 7/8 register
• pos 23 : 181/II,2 Cartridge disc 7/8 register
• pos 24 : 185,9 Data ch. M control
• pos 25 : 185,8 Data ch. M data in
• pos 26 : 185,7 Data ch. M data out
• pos 27 : 165,4 Multiplexer, addresses
• pos 28 : 165,3 Multiplexer, addresses
• pos 29 : 165,2 Multiplexer, data
• pos 30 : 165,1 Multiplexer, data
• pos 31 : 305 Memory control
• pos 32 : 503/II Data ch. driver

Core memory

Core memory

The core memory was made by Cambridge Memories INC, Newton, Massachusetts or CMI, the model name is EXPANDACORE 18. The memory have two or four channels in to it so it is possible to build a multi CPU machine by connecting two (or maybe more) to the same memory to pass messages between them. The core memory is built up from modules. One rack can hold four controllers and eight memory planes of 4 kword each. It looks like the original configuration only came with 24 kword but later on two additional memory planes were added.

Operators panel

Directly above the CPU card crate is the Operators panel. It has several keys for controlling the execution of programs and examination of registers and memory.

There are two different lamps in the panel and these burns out sometimes.

• 6V 40 mA T1-3/4 midget groove bulb, used in back lit buttons
• 5V 60 mA T1 sub midget flange bulb, used in bit indicators.

Price

The prices are from an information sheet from a fair. Exactly which year it was isn't easy to know but probably quite early.

• NORD-1 CPU 205.000 NOK
• 16K x 18 bit core memory, 1.5 ms 180.000 NOK
• Teletype ASR33 14.000 NOK
• Tape reader 15.000 NOK
• Tape punch 15.000 NOK
• Card reader 30.000 NOK

Based on these price tag on this system was 879.000 NOK, quite a lot of money in it's time.

Current status

The system resides in the ND-Collection in Umeå. It is not operational yet but there is good hope that I will be able to restore it to running status.

• 2016-07-08
  • All the cards were pulled out and then power were applied and the lights went out in the workshop.
  • The RF-filters on the power inlet trips the RCD with too much ground current, probably by capacitive loading. The filter were bypassed by two wires.
  • Power were applied again and the voltages of the power supplies were checked. The main bus held 5.05V on the bus bar.
  • All the CPU-cards were inserted and the resistance of the 5V bus were measured, 0.1 ohm... the resistance welt up to 8.6 ohm when a card (pos 28 shelf D) were pulled out.
  • A faulty capacitor was located and removed
• 2016-07-11
  • Back with the master key, now I could start the system. It turns out that the right relay controls the power to the two lower 5V power supplies which delivers power to the CPU and I/O racks in the front. The left relay controls the power to the upper power supplies which delivers power to the core memory. The dials on the relays is a time delay switch from 0 to 20 seconds delay so the power up and down sequence can be controlled.
  • When the front panel was enabled I could turn the power on and use stop, continue and single step to get a response from the CPU. Bit 4 is dark and bit 9 a bit dim, but other than that the lamps are working. I don't seem able to switch the source for the indicators though.
  • The core memory is on power too and still no magic smoke!

Small but broken light bulbs.

• 2016-07-13
  • Operators panel, disassembled to getting at the broken switches. When I have it on the bench I checked he lamps too and discovered there were a lot missing from the back lit keys. D4 and D9 has been acting up, and D4 had a broken lamp. New lamps and a stash for coming years were ordered on eBay.
  • The broken switches were removed and documented. I didn't have or couldn't locate any drop-in spares so I have decided to put some of my second hand switches that I had laying around. The job will be finished in a couple of days.
• 2016-07-13
  • Replaced the switches with another model. All the switches are working now but the machine seems a bit random. Even at stop the lamps can flutter and change. I need a NORD-1 extender card or two so I can start debugging the logic cards.

Replaced switches but of wrong model. It will do for now.

Plans

The system will be put in working order some time in the future. First it will be documented.

Gallery

• 

  Picking up a NORD-1 in Gjövik.

• 

  The front door opened.

• 

  Front panel with broken switches.

• 

  Logo in cast aluminum.

• 

  Serial number plate.

• 

  Early logo before the name change to Norsk Data AS.

• 

  Wiring loom at the back of shelf E and F.

• 

  Top of core memory, thin core wires behind the resistors.

• 

  Finally at home after a 1000 km journey.

• 

  ASR33 terminal that came with the machine.

• 

  Connectors with name plate.

• 

  The core memory rack.

• 

  Wiring loom back of the CPU, shelf C and D.

• 

  Front of small power supplies.

• 

  Back of small power supplies.

• 

  Main power supplies.

• 

  Power on for the first time in a long time.

• 

  Light bulbs from the Operators panel

• 

  Replaced switches but of wrong model.

• 

  Backside of the replaced switches.