H-11 computer components

[Barry A. Watzman]

The item that you are looking for is not a WH-47.  The (W)H-47 was a dual 8" disk system for the (W)H-8/89 series of 8-bit computers.  I don't remember what the number of the H-11 dual-drive 8" disk system was, but I think that it might have been (W)H-27 (again, I'm not sure).  And you are right, it will probably be difficult to find.  Many of these were ultimately used as dual 8" drives for computers other than the H-11 series, in which case you may find the drive box but not the controller.

The drives were Memorex 550's, which were industry standard 8-inch drives with a standard 50-pin interface.  As I recall, there was a microprocessor and controller in the drive box, and then a very non-standard high-level interface to a host adapter in the (W)H-11.  There were hooks in the drive controller to prevent the Heath operating system, which was a modified version of RT-11, from being used with real Digital [DEC] hardware, but you could use the DEC operating system just fine with the Heath hardware.

By the way, the difference between an H-11 and a WH-11 [or any other model number] is that the letter "W" indicates a factory assembled version, while it's absence is a kit version.  Same thing with H/Z, as in H-120 or Z-120, in this instance, the "Z" models were Zenith Data Systems factory assembled versions, the "H" models were Heathkits in kit format.  For a few products offered in the very early 80's, all three variants may have been sold (e.g. "H-", "WH-" and "Z-").

Good luck,

Barry Watzman
Computer Product Line Director,
Zenith Data Systems and Heath Co.
1979-1983

----------
From:  al winfrey [SMTP:awinfrey at IQUEST.NET]
Sent:  Friday, February 12, 1999 8:41 PM
To:  HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV
Subject:  WTB: H-11 computer components

In addition to enjoying a Mohawk, an Apache, a Marauder and several
other fine Heathkit radios I also have a H-11 (paper tape only) computer
system from the late 70's. I would like to add the Heathkit 8" floppy
disk drives and related software. I think the model of the dual 8"
drives was a WH-47.  These beasts are kind of hard to find and so is the
software and manuals.  I may have to collect a piece at a time to get it
all together.

If you have a component or two, some manuals, documentation or an entire
H-11 system that you'd like to sell, drop me a note with condition and
price.

Al Winfrey - WA9HSL
awinfrey at iquest.net

"a Keeper of the Green"...
and a few other Heath colors too!

....

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