KIM-1 Magazines (Compute, MICRO, User Notes)

A page devoted to magazines that paid much attention to the KIM-1.

The first two magazines are of dutch origin, in which I was a major contributor and (chief) editor.

KIM/6502 Kenner

The KIM/6502 Kenner magazine, published by the dutch KIM user Club, has of course many articles on the KIM-1.
I contributed many articles and was (chief) editor of issue 10 to 25.
Here the indexed archive.

Radio Bulletin

From 1977 to 1986 Radio Bulletin published many articles written by me and others about the KIM-1.
Here the archive of relevant articles.

MICRO The 6502 Journal

Published by Robert M. Tripp, The Computerist
Published from 1977 tot 1983. The first years many KIM-1/SYM-1/AIM-65 articles, slowly faded to Apple Atari etc in later years, and ended in 1984.
The whole archive is here.

Best of MICRO 3

Best of MICRO 3, AIM 65 SYM-1 KIM-1 part June 1979 May 1980

Compute!

A magazine devoted mostly to 6502 computers. Apart from the Compute II period, before and afterwards also the small SBCs like IM-1 got attention of Compute!
Nearly all of Compute! lives here.
The Internet archive has all issues

Compute II

Compute II was a short lived split-off of Compute! and also a continuation of the KIM-1/6502 User Notes. Three issues and it was merged back with Compute! again.

HTML version of Issue 1
PDF of Compute II Issue 1
HTML version of Issue 2
PDF of Compute II Issue 2
HTML version of Issue 3
PDF of Compute II Issue 3

KIM-1/6502 User Notes

KIM-1/6502 User Notes is a publication about the KIM-1, slowly evolving to other 6502 systems like SYM-1 and AIM 65.
Editor was the famous Eric Rehnke. After issue 17 it merged with Compute II.
KIM-1 / 6502 USER NOTES INDEX BY SUBJECT VOLUME 1(Issues 1 till 6)
APPLICATIONS FOR KIM             GENERAL INFORMATION
Application suggestions   1        Correction To Memory Map -------- 2
Calculator--Interface     4        Defective 6502 chips------------- 3
Interface     6        Discussion of Memory Allocation - 5
--T.I.5050      5        DISPLAY (on board)
Chess Clock Program       4           red filter for-----------------5
CONTROLLING                      Use of------------------------------1,5
--- Function Generator   1        EXPANSION OF SYSTEM
--- Light Intensity      4           KIMSI--------------------------4
--- Motor Speed          4           MEMORY
--- Touch tone encoder   1            Adding memory to KIM-1--------5
Degree Dispatch Computer  5            Diagnostic------------------- 2,5
Frequency Counter         3            Expansion---------------------4,3
OSI Memory-------------------------3
GAMES                             Using SD Sales 4K RAM Board        3
Bagels----------------- 5       Hardware tips
Battleship--------------6          Packaging KIM-1 --------------- 6,3
Horserace-------------- 3          Power Supply for KIM ---------- 4
Hunt the Wampus-------- 2          Red Filter for Display----------5
Jotto------------------ 5       INTERVAL TIMERS :
Kimmaze---------------- 4          The Other Timer-----------------2
Microchess------------- 3          and cassette                    2
Mastermind------------- 5          Use Of--------------------------5,5
Moon Lander-----------1,3       MIKIM------------------------------5
HEDEX Program             1       OPERATION TIPS
MATH TEST Program         4          Using SST  ---------------------2
Mini-l Loran-c            6          Using ST   to start programs----4
MUSIC:KlugeHarp     3,2,6,6       Page 1 Programming Problems--------6
Real Time Clock        4, 5       Packaging your KIM-1---------------3
Square wave generator     5       Power Supply-----------------------4
Stopwatch Program         2       Presetting 00F1, 00F2              4
Telephone Dialer        4,4         System Architecture              3
Packaging your KIM-1---------------3
CASSETTE PROBLEMS/SUGGESTIONS     Presetting 00F1, 00F2              4
Certification of tape     6       System Architecture                3
Copying Cassette tape     3       TABLES for KIM-1
Fast tape problems        6          Interval Timer Table------------3
Hypertape               2,6           Relative Branch table----------2
Interval timer/cassette   1          OP Code table-------------------4
Notes on cassette         6       Techniques
PLL set program           5          Mnemonic Improvement------------41
PROBLEMS with Cassette    3                   BIT Data---------------41
Software control of tape         Top Down Programming                4
reading                 4      Modifications/ IMPROVEMENTS
Speed up                  4         Crystal Stabilization------------5
Supertape                 2         Factory Mods. -------------------4
Supertape improvement     4         6502 Register Monitor Apparatus  4
Tape Certifying           6         74Ls145 ------------------------ 3,4
Tape Dupe                 4      6502 Microprocessor Board-----------6
Using Cassette            6         POWER ON RESET CIRCUIT           3
Varification of Data      4         NOTES FROM THE FACTORY           5
Vutape                    2      
INDEX Issue 13
SOFTWARE FEATURE                                                         1
KIM Hexpawn (your KIM can learn to win)        Robert C. Leedon
6502 OP CODES (arranged logically for easy look up) Jim Butterfield      6
CASSETTE INTERFACE STUFF                                                 7
Tape Verify II                                 Dr. Barry Tepperman
Radio Tape Feedback                            Daniel Gardner
Reliability Hint                               John Watney
Help Relay Package Fixit                       Mike Firth
Tape File Recovery Routine                     Loel Swank
KIM Software On Cassette
LANGUAGE LAB                                                             10
Focal
I/O Mods                                  Editor
Functions                                 Editor
Basic
I/O Mods                                  Marvin De Jong
A Basic Question                          Editor
Basic Timing Comments                     F. E. Kempisty
KIM Basic Hint                            Micro-Z Company
Basic Renumber Program                    Harvey Herman
Tiny Basic
Two Tiny Basic Mods                       Michael Day
Ramblings About T.B.                      Lew Edwards
Forth
Forth Comments Example                   John P. Oliver
Assemblers
Two Pass Patch To Aresco Assembler        John Eaton
Mods To MSS Assembler                     Richard M. Bender
DESSIGN CORNER                                                           16
A 6522 I/O Board
KIM-4 BUS PINOUT                                                         18
VIDEO  GRAPHICS                                                          19
Video Displays                                 Editor
Comments On Visible Memory                     Lew Edwards
TVT-6 Adventure                                Dennis Chaput
TVT-6 RAM Expansion                            Michael Allen
Polymorphics Video Board Mods                  Editor
DEBUG                                                                    21
Slow Stepper IV                                Lew Edwards
LETTERS  COMMENTS                                                        22
SOFTWARE LIBRARY
Multi-Mode Adder                               Jim Butterfield
Pseudo-Random Number Generator                 H. T. Gordon
ASCII Dump Program                             Jim Zuber
Keyboard Debounce Routine                      Thomas J. Rubens
Sound Effects Program                          Bob Carlson
Melodies For The Music Box                     Douglas Lyon
'Do Loops'; For KIM                            Dave Skillman
INTERFACE                                                                26
Camera Speed Tester                            Mike Firth
Low-Cost Modem Possibility                     Editor
RPN Calculator Chip Interface                  Editor
Power-On Reset                                 George Hawkins
The Outside World Connection                   Editor
More On The Opto-Isolator                      Dwight Egbert
NEW PRODUCTS                                                             28
Video Driver Package
Price Decrease On Jolt Boards
A 8080 Simulator For The 6502
Eprom Programmer
INDEX Issue 14
INDEX
EDITORIAL
SOFTWARE FEATURES                                                         1
KIM BANNER PROGRAM                             JIM ZUBER
6KIM DISASSEMBLER
CHECK-OUT                                      ROBERT LARRABEE
LANGUAGE LAB                                                             12
BASIC
MOD AND PROGRAMMING HINT                  HEINZ JOACHIM SCHILLING
OUTPUT PAGING MOD                         DICK GRABOWSKY
RENUMBER ADDENDUM AND SOME MODS           HARVEY HERMAN
AUTOMATIC LINE NUMBER ENTRY MOD           SEAN MCKENNA
A NEW COMMAND                             DICK GRABOWSKY
PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT
'USR' FUNCTION INFO                       C. KINGSTON
FOCAL
TINY BASIC
FORTH
XPL0
SYM SECTION                                                              18
ACCESSING THE SYM DISPLAYS                     A.M. MACKAY
SYM NOTES & KIM-4 COMPATIBILITY                C. KINGSTON
WUMPUS   MUSIC BOX MODS                        JIM ADAMS
AIM SECTION                                                              19
MANUAL CORRECTIONS                             JODY NELIS
VIDEO   TVT-6                                                            23
POLYMORPHICS VIDEO/KIM INTERFACE               MIKE FIRTH
TVT-6 NOTES & RAM EXPANSION                    MILAN MERHAR
INTERFACING TO THE TVT II                      JOHN M. RENSBERGER
CASSETTE STUFF                                                           25
MAKE A SHORT CASSETTE                          TED BEACH
CASSETTE DIRECTORY PRINTOUT PROGRAM            CHRIS MCCORMACK
ANNOUNCEMENTS  REVIEWS
KIM-1 User Notes Volume 0, July 1976
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 1, September 1976
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 1, other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 2, November 1976
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 2, other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 3, Januari 1977
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 3, other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 4, March 1977
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 4, other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 5 May 1977
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 5 May 1977
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 6, July 1977
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 6, other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 7/8, September November 1977
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 7/8, Other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 9/10 January March 1978
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 9/10 other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 11 May 78
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 11 other version
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 12
KIM-1/6502 User Notes Volume 12 other version
6502 User Notes Volume 13
6502 User Notes Volume 13. incomplete other version
6502 User Notes Volume 14
6502 User Notes Volume 15
6502 User Notes Volume 16
6502 User Notes Volume 17

PC utilities KIM Simulator Convert hex etc

To aid in the handling of KIM-1 program and dataformats I have written some programs for Windows and Linux (Raspberry Pi), sources included.

Convert 8 bit hex formats
KIM-1 simulator
Pascal-M cross compiler
KIM Tape WAV to BIN conversion
KIM Tape Convert BIN and BIN to WAV
KIMPaper
KIMPoser Tape Convert hex to WAV online

All programs come with source (Free Pascal Lazarus), compiled for Windows but thanks to Freepascal and Lazarus also compiled and tested on Linux (Ubuntu and Raspberry PI OS).

Convert 8 bit hex formats

A general purpose utility to convert common 8 bit hex and binary formats, such as Intel HEX, Motorola S records, MOS Papertape, hex format, and binary files.
Version 2.9, June 2024. Define assembler output and bugfix MOS papertape format, PRG Commodore file format, TIM papertape format

Convert8bithexformat source files (Freepascal Lazarus).
Convert8bithexformat Setup for Windows, Executables for Ubuntu and Raspberry PI OS
Available formats:
– BIN binary, raw data, no formatting, no information on start address.
– HEX formatted as hex numbers raw data, no start address included.
– IHEX Intel hex 8 bit format, multiple memory block, start address included.
– PAP MOS Technology papertape format, multiple memory blocks, start address included.
– SREC Motorola 8 bit S record, contiguous memory block, start address included.
– A1hex Apple Woz monitor hex format, start address included.
– KIM Tape as used in the KIM-1 Simulator as emulation of audio tape files.
– assembler formatted bytes as .byte or your prefix text
– PRG files (binary with start address)
– TIM papertape format (MOS Papertape with simple end record)

KIM-1 Simulator

6502/65C02 CPU emulation, disassembler, TTY, KIM-1 keypad and LEDs.

See the KIM-1 Simulator page for more information.

KIM Paper

Note that the Conver8bitHexFormat program is also capable of converting to and from Papertape format from many more formats.
Originally written for the launch of the MicroKIM, an older version is on the support CD.

When you attach a serial device like the teletype or a modern PC with Hyperterminal you can use the KIM monitor of the KIM-1. One of the functions is loading from and saving to a papertape device on the teletype. Now since this is a way to load and save data as a textfile this is in fact quite useful.
The Micro-KIM triggered me to modernize my conversion utility for MOS Technology papertape format dating from 1983, VAX/VMS and Turbo Pascal. A Windows and a commandline/console version are available.

KIMPAPER for Windows

A program for Windows to convert between papertape and binary format.

Windows setup KIMPAPER
Sources (Freepascal Lazarus, build also on Linux)

KIMPAPER V1.1 for DOS

Not too modern, but handy, a commandline utility. Does exactly the same as the Windows program KIMPAPER. Runs fine in a commandline DOS box. Can also be compiled for Linux with Freepascal. In the KIMPAPER DOS archive the program, source and information on the program and papertape format can be found.

C:\MICROKIM\kimpaper
KIM-1 MOS Technology BIN papertape format conversion utility, Hans Otten, 2007 v1.1
Syntax is:
KIMPAPER [-[b|p] filename [startaddress]
C:\MICROKIM\kimpaper -h
KIM-1 Mos Technology BIN papertape format conversion utility, Hans Otten, 2007 v1.1
Syntax is: KIMPAPER [-[b|p|h] filename [startaddress] first parameter switches
-h help
-p convert to papertape
-b convert to binary
second parameter (first if no parameters, assumed binary to papertape)
name of file to convert
.BIN for binary, forces conversion to PAPertape
.PAP for papertape, forces conversion to BINary
third parameter (assumed 0000 if not present)
startaddress for BIN to papertape conversion
Files of type .BIN wil force conversion to papertape.PAP
Files of type .PAP wil force conversion to binary .BIN
Examples:
C:\MICROKIM\kimpaper mastermind.bin 0200
KIM-1 Mos Technology BIN papertape format conversion utility, Hans Otten, 2007 v1.1
C:\MICROKIM>kimpaper mastermind.pap
KIM-1 Mos Technology BIN papertape format conversion utility, Hans Otten, 2007 v1.1
Start address 0200 in file mastermind.BIN

Convert KIM tape to text


KIM Tape to Text is a utility to convert between binary format of a KIM-1 tape dump to a DOS text file.
The KIM tape dump is a binary file and is just a dump of part of the memory of the KIM-1.
This binary file can be a text file as used in editors Micro Ade or CW Assm/TED.
By using the tape write routine in the KIM-1 one can write an audio file on cassette.
When this audio file is captured on a PC as WAV file (22K, mono) this can be converted back to a binary memory dump with ED’s Utility KIMTape
These text files can be converted to DOS text files with this utility.

First open the binary file. If this is recognized as Micro Ade or CW Moser format, the Save as text file can be used.

Windows program.
Full source for Freepascal and Lazarus, no Windows dependencies. Compiled on 64 bits Windows 10 as 32 bit application.

Note on detection of assembler editor type
1. Micro Ade file must start with CR: when present this is Micro Ade
line nr follows 2 byte
line ends with $0D
file ends with $40
2. Assm/Ted by CW Moser starts with line number $10 $00
end of line is high bit set
There may be rare situations that a file starts with a $0D or a different line nr. You can force CW Mose detection by changing this to a sequence of $10 $00 $0D and if necessary blanks $20 to make it consistent. If in doubts: use an editor that shows the file in hex (Ultra Edit, or the free Notepad ++, Text editor PRO) and study the tape file.

Methods to get the binary file out of a Junior or KIM-1.
Read the record tape into a binary with Ed’s KIMTAPE conversion *see below). It is MS-DOS and runs fine in VDOS (https://www.vdos.info/) or DOsbox (slow).
Make a note of start address as shown by KIMTAPE.
Non-printing ASCII characters are filtered out of the resulting text file.

KIM Tape Convert WAV to BIN and BIN to WAV

Not my program, but so handy!

KIMTAPE v0.5 – tape conversion utility for KIM-1 and SYM-1 (2004-05-17) Local copy of http://dxforth.mirrors.minimaltype.com/#kimtape)

KIMTAPE allows programs stored on cassette tape to be decoded to a program file. It handles both MOS Technology KIM-1 and Synertek SYM-1 tape formats including HYPERTAPE. The reverse process – converting a program file to an audio wavefile is also possible, allowing one to produce perfectly regenerated cassettes. KIMTAPE works with 8-bit mono WAV, VOC or RAW audio files recorded
at 22050 samples per second.

Download: kimtap05.zip (MS-DOS) It is MS-DOS and runs fine in VDOS (https://www.vdos.info/) or DOSbox (slow).

The binary files in the KIM-1 program archives have been reproduced, from the original cassette recordings, with the tool KIMTAPE on a PC in a DOS box. See Eds DX-Forth and Utilities Page for this and other nice programs.
This program also makes it possible to reproduce the original cassette recordings that can be read by a KIM-1.

The files were made as follows: The KIM-1 cassette audio was connected to the PC audio input and (with e.g. Audacity) recorded as a wave file (mono 22KHz).
For example: qchess.wav
The wave file was then converted with KIMTAPE to a binary file (the exact content of of the KIM-1 memory when recorded).
And the KIMTAPE utility then displays load address (for example and tape ID

c:\kimtape qchess.wav qchess.bin
KIMTAPE version 0.5 17-May-04
infile: qchess.wav
outfile: qchess.BIN
Program 01 address 0200 checksum OK xxxx bytes done

This .bin file (any extension is fine!) is NOT a wave file! It contains the exact content of the KIM-1 memory when recorded. The size is exactly the number of bytes as stored in the memory of the KIM-1 and much smaller than the wave file. This binary file can be converted back to a wave file with KIMTAPE or converted to a papertape file with KIMPAPER:

C:\kimtape -M -A0200 -D01 -B2 qchess.bin qchess.wav 

As you can see: you have to specify the load address and the program ID. The B parameter indicates hypertape speed (2 here, slow)
The resulting wav file should be acceptable for the KIM-1. It is (as I have tested) acceptable as input for KIMTAPE!

All command parameters can be seen by typing KIMTAPE without parameters:

Pascal-M Cross compiler

Executables of cross compiler, workflow, sources, command line utilities.

Rockwell AIM 65 and RM65

AIM 65 was Rockwell’s SBC, in the tradition of KIM-1 and VIM/SYM-1, sharing the Application and Expansion connector designs, so add-ons could be used on all three. The Keypad/LED was replaced with a full keyboard and a 20 character display, making it more like a desktop computer than a SBC.
The AIM 65 (Advanced Interactive Monitor 65) has a 6502 CPU at 1 MHz and 1-4K RAM

The Rockwell AIM 65 computer is a development computer, introduced in 1978, based on the MOS Technology 6502 microprocessor. Available software included a line-oriented machine code monitor, BASIC interpreter, assembler, Pascal, PL/65, and FORTH development system.
Later developments were the AIM 65/40 (40 character display, memory banks) and the RM 65 card based development system.
After 1984 Rockwell discontinued the AIM 65 and RM 65 product lines.

De PC 100 getest, an article by me, Hans Otten, August 1980,
in Radio Bulletin about the Siemens PC100, an AIM 65 with a case,
German documentation and sold by Siemens, Brutech in the Netherlands.

post

The Computerist Hardware

The Computerist was a company founded by Robert M. Tripp.

On this page information on the PLUS hardware for KIM-1, AIM 65, SYM-1.. Updated April 2022 with contributions by Friedrich Hofmann.

Memory PLus van Dirk Dral, met 8K Basic in EPROM.

MICRO the 6502 Journal

Archive of the magazine Micro here.

From apple2history.org description of MICRO 6502 Journal:
Robert M. Tripp got his start with computers in 1960 as an undergraduate in an unrelated field. He found the computer programming so interesting that he became a programmer in 1969, and started with the 6502 microprocessor in 1976, initially with the KIM-1 trainer sold by MOS Technology. He started a business, “The COMPUTERIST”, and sold the KIM-1 computers, as well as software and accessories for it. He started a magazine under the umbrella of his business, and named it Micro. It began publication in October of 1977, and was released on a bimonthly basis initially, going monthly in February of 1979. The first three issues were printed using his KIM-1 and he did the paste-up for the magazine on his kitchen table. He later began to use a local publishing company to create the magazine. By early 1980 the publisher name had changed to MICRO-INK, Inc.

The magazine covered the 6502 microprocessor (and later the 6809) in all the various computers that used it, including the KIM-1, the AIM-65, the C1P, the Commodore PET, the Ohio Scientific, the Atari 800, and, of course, the Apple II. It was an excellent source for machine level code for the 6502, eventually including more and more articles that applied specifically to the Apple II. Ultimately, about half of the articles in each issue dealt with the Apple II.

Many general-purpose machine language articles appeared in its pages, such as “Improved nth Precision” (code optimization for the 6502), “Precision Programming”, and “Computer Assisted Translation Of Programs From 6502 to 6809″. They also carried do-it-yourself hardware articles, such as “C1P To Epson MX-80 Printer Interface”, “PET/CBM IEEE 448 To Parallel Printer Interface”, and “Apple II Digital Storage Oscilloscope”.

Hardware by The Computerist

The Computerist, led by Robert Tripp, not only sold software like MicroChess,  published the Micro Magazine, also designed and sold hardware.

The Dutch company, Ing. Bureau Koopmans (a one man company, active in the early years with KIM-1, OSI Scientific and such) represented The Computerist in the Netherlands, and he showed me in 1979 some of the Plus hardware series for the KIM-1, SYM-1 and AIM-65 systems:
– MEMORY PLUS: 8K RAM, 8K ROM, VIA 6522, 2716 EPROM programmer
– Proto Plus, a DIY board
– VIDEO PLUS, a glass teletype video card

I did a review of the Memory Plus in May 1979, see also the dutch magazine Radio Bulletin page.

PLUS Hardware

A range of hardware was developed and sold by the Computerist, under the brandname PLUS.

 

 

Motherboard Plus

A backplane for KIM-1/SYM-1/AIM 65. Accepts the Plus boards described below.

Memory Plus

The MEMORY PLUS board is a RAM/ROM expansion board for  KIM-1, SYM-1 or AIM65. Made by the The Computerist.

With up to 8k of RAM, 8k of (EP)ROM and the ability to program EPROMs (2716) this was quite the must have upgrade for anyone who could afford it.

Here The Manual in HTML format, original OCRed by Lee Davison, corrected and enhanced with Appendix A Circuit Diagram and Application Note #1 by Hans Otten.

Scanned by Dirk Dral, high quality scan.

And here the MEMORY PLUS manual in PDF format, Appendix A, the circuit diagrams  foldout Application Note #1 is now included, added by Hans Otten.

How to decode the 8K RAM in 4K space, an article from Micro July 1979, for AIM 65 and SYM-1 

Video Plus

VIDEO PLUS is designed to work with the KIM-1, SYM-1 and the AIM 65 computers. It offers:

  • Up to 4K  display RAM and 2K Programmable Character generator
  • 2K EPROM
  • 6845 CRT controller
  • ASCII keyboard interface
  • Composite monochrome video PAL or NTSC

The following documents are available:

Video PLUS II

Video PLUS II is an updated Video PLUS, a Versatiel Video Expansion Board, with:

  • Programmable Screen format
  • PRogrammable Character Generator
  • Uo to 4K Display Memeory
  • Supports ASCII Keyboard
  • Stand-Alone Option
  • AIM/SYM/KIM Software
  • 6845 video controller, 6522 VIA, RS232

The following documents are available:

PROTO PLUS II

The PROTO PLUS II is a board to interface digital logic to a KIM-1, SYM-1 or AIM 65. A large breadboard area is available.

The board has the standard KIM-1 44 pin edge connector. A power regulator for 8V to + 5V is on the board.

The board has  address, data bus and signal bus buffering and address decoding for tom select a 8K page in memory and kIM-1 8K decoding. 3 gates of a 74LS32 is available for general use.

Here the PROTO PLUS II manual, with circuit diagram.

 

 

DRAM Plus

DRAM Plus is a Multi-purpose Expansion Board for AIM 65/SYM-1/KIM-1 with

  • 16/32K dynamic RAM
  • 8/16K EPROM 2716/2516/2732/2532/2332
  • I/O Ports and Timers VIA 2x 6522
  • Prototyping Area
  • EPROM Programmer

DRAM PLUS manual, includes circuit diagram and software

 

 

K-1002 8 bits DAC
An 8 bits DAC. For the PET userport, easily adapted for other 6502 systems.
Hardware K-1002 manual includes circuit diagram

Files for the VIDEO and PROTO PLUS: Thanks to Dave Colglazier at Original Woodworks.

Video PLUS II and DRAM PLUS: thanks to Friedrich Hofmann

Radio Bulletin

The dutch magazine Radio Bulletin (RB, RB Electronics) has a long history, going way back to the early years of electronics. The name was derived from what electronics meant for amateurs in these days: building radios yourself.
It was published by Uitgeverij de Muiderkring, a publishing company in the Amroh group of companies.

The magazine was published in large volumes in the years 1970-1985, due to the popularity of do-it-yourself electronics and audio. Also the beginning of the microprocessor revolution was adequately covered and the great years of the hobbycomputers 1980-1990 were contributing to the success. Besides the magazine Uitgeverij de Muiderkring published many books on electronics. After 1990 the success faded and the magazine left the mass market and stopped in 2003. The publishing company Uitgeverij de Muiderkring, together with Amroh, went bankrupt in 2002 (I lived closely to the last location and saw the empty offices when passing by).

In 1977 Dick de Boer joined the staff of RB and introduced the readers to microprocessors and in particular the 6502 and the KIM-1. Also the KIM Gebruikers Club and the HCC were founded that year and RB started to write articles about all this exciting new developments!
I was then already a freelance writer about electronics but Dick made me study the microcomputer such as the KIM-1 and made me join the KIM
Gebruikers Club and the HCC (member 760 member). Dick de Boer, his successor Paul de Beer and me (Hans Otten) and others wrote many articles about the KIM-1 and related 6502 based systems for Radio Bulletin. Especially Dick wrote good introduction articles and developed sophisticated hardware and software like a graphical display. After leaving the magazine he became a software engineer and helped me also to my first job as software engineer in 1980. Me and Paul de Beer concentrated more on expanding 6502 systems like the KIM-1 with memory (RAM, ROM) and I/O cards like PIA, VIA and ACIA and mass-storage such as the Mini Digital Cassette Recorder. The bus of this expansion system was the so called BEM-bus.

I did translate a book Computer Interfaces by Owen Bishop for de Muiderkring to dutch. A scanned version is presented here.

All these articles are downloadable here, as they describe my publishing history and my KIM-1 system, designs by us of which the prints sold quite well. As you can see in the long list of articles the KIM and the 6502 played a major role in the microprocessor revolution starting in 1977 and lasting until 1987 for me.

What you see about Amroh, Uitgeverij de Muiderkring and Radio Bulletin is:

Selection of my and others articles 1977 – 1987 in Radio Bulletin
the RB Specials
the Cosmicos 1802 CPU based system by H.B. Stuurman, book and articles
some bits about the long history of Radio Bulletin
Elektronica ABC, the diy magazine

See also:

– Dr Blan articles on Step-by-Step radios
– Step by Step radio by Amroh