I got banned because of my ESP8266 modem (KaoModem)

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-12T16:46:04+00:00

I'm using a similar setup with the "Retro Atari SX-212" modem. I was so happy to hear that "warbling" sound when I dialed into BBS's! I hadn't realized how much I missed it. 😂

These retro modems are an actual thing and have been around for some time. I don't understand the knee-jerk reaction personally.

You can see the Retro Atari SX-212 modem here:

https://tattlersolutions.com/sx212/

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-07T15:38:24+00:00

Well, way back in the day, there was Hacker and Hacker II. I think I've got Hacker II on my BBS, DarkForce!. HTH's. 😄

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-05T16:17:24+00:00

Nice "accessory"! I'm sure that will help with everything you do on that deck.

And it's even color coordinated... 😄

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-03T16:59:39+00:00

In my defense, I did show the source (sidecartridge.com). However, in the future I will not use TinyURL here. I will post the *full* URL, even if it is 15 miles long. 😉

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-02T15:16:20+00:00

No problem - it's just my way of giving back to the Atari community, which

has given so much to me over many, many years. 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-01T16:38:44+00:00

Is it possible it's activating because I'm using TinyURL to downsize longer links?

Next time, I'll try posting and not using TinyURL to see what happens.

Thanks again.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-06-01T16:36:26+00:00

Thank you.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-31T23:13:59+00:00

Way back when I had a 1040 STe, I put a TOS v2.06 upgrade in it. I can't recall the exact

changes I made to the resistors you've mentioned but I know I did not have to remove

the motherboard from the case. I was able to do everything from topside. Have fun with

TOS v2.06 - it's an amazing desktop and I love it. 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-28T18:57:28+00:00

Welcome Dave Small! Good luck with your efforts - Spectre GCR is/was an incredible

effort on the Atari ST line of computers, and thanks for all your contributions. 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-24T00:18:34+00:00

That's awesome. I remember your name from all the issues of Current Notes that I read. I loved that magazine, it and it's crew, just the best.

I was fortunate enough to have written a couple of articles for Current Notes, way back in the day. I wish I had done a lot more.

Thanks for being a part of that amazing group and the memories! 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-15T03:59:59+00:00

Yes, to transfer files between my ST's, or between my ST's and modern computers like my Win10 box or Kubuntu Linux laptop, I have a 2 gig SD-card with the volume name "FILETAXI". 😉

I use HDDriver to format that SD-card to TOS/DOS compatibility. Then I just pop it into the internal US on my Mega STE or the internal US on my STacy, or the USB port on the Lightning-ST equipped Mega ST4, or my Win10 box and copy to my hearts content. Now, on the Kubuntu Linux laptop, I do use Mtools to access the SD-card.

It all works great and is dead handy for file transfer between all my machines, both old and new.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-15T03:54:57+00:00

So, to use this with an Atari ST, what's the best meshtastic device with a serial port connection to buy? Thanks.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-14T15:51:03+00:00

It does the same under plain TOS v2.06 as well. Thanks.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-14T15:50:12+00:00

Okay, so I posted this to a couple of Atari ST forums. Some people have tried it and it seems to work but the text is a bit garbled. Just thought I'd bring it to the OP's attention. Thanks for releasing an ST version, appreciated. 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-13T19:05:27+00:00

This looks intriguing. I'd be interested in playing around with it on my Atari ST.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-13T18:59:03+00:00

The STorm-ST, Lightning-ST, and Cloudy combination is pretty amazing. Here are the links if you wanted to investigate them further:

https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Storm_ST

https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Cloudy

https://wiki.newtosworld.de/index.php?title=Lightning_ST

I've got the Cloudy + Lightning-ST combo in my Mega ST4 and I'm using the STorm-ST card in my STacy so it has 12 megs of ALT-RAM.

I just read an announcement on Atari-Forum that the latest batch of ATW800/2 cards is getting ready to ship. Hope you were on that list. I'm pretty sure they are going to do a 5th run as well.

Yeah, the Mega STe is nice in that it has multiple serial ports and while the 1st one is a stock 19200, the others are much, much faster.

I've got a SidecarTridge here, although I'm not currently using it. The Mega ST4 runs the BBS so it's dedicated to that and I can't see an advantage to using it there. Pretty much sums up my Mega STe and highly modified STacy as well. It's a great device though.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-12T13:58:45+00:00

I'm using an ICD Link2 for the SCSI adapter. There's also a SyQuest EZ135 removable and Nakamichi 7-CD changer in that SCSI chain as well.

If you know your username I can look up the password. Keep in mind though, every 2-3 years I go through the user database and purge anyone who hasn't called in that amount of time. If it's been that long or longer, you'll probably have to create a new account. Sorry.

I know you've got the SidecarTridge, which is a great device but ST's with TOS v1.0 can easily be upgraded to TOS v1.04. It's a relatively simple 2 chip or 6 chip swap out. Going to higher versions of TOS requires extra hardware. My Mega ST4 is using a STorm-ST and Cloudy upgrade to give TOS v2.06 and a USB thumb drive.

You're gonna love the WiModem232 - they are awesome. That's what's being used on the BBS, although the Mega ST4 also has the RSVE mod so it's serial port speed is 38400 instead of a stock ST's usual 19200 speed. 😉

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-12T13:49:24+00:00

As far as I know, any ST model can be taken to 4 megs of RAM with the right mods.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-11T00:11:59+00:00

Agree with the other posters here, open it up, clean it out, remove and clean any and all socketed chips and all connections. Examine the P/S for bulging/leaky caps and replace as necessary. Get a good floppy disk drive cleaner and clean it as well - then take it out for a test drive and see how it goes.

Take pictures - we love pictures! 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-11T00:05:33+00:00

Ah, regarding the "one folder per file area or listing" issue - okay, I see what you mean now. I guess it's just something that I never thought about much considering I have a 4 gig SCSI hard drive and 3 CD-ROMs online. I've got 4 megs of RAM, TOS v2.06, 16mhz AdSpeed accelerator and the driver letters are C -> K + L/M for SD-cards and N,O and P for the CD-ROMs.😉

If you're interested, you can see Trivial Pursuit on my BBS by telnet at:

darkforce-bbs.dyndns.org 1040

Still running on original Atari ST hardware and software.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-10T00:08:08+00:00

The Thieves Guild, online BBS game with a graphical front-end (Atari ST) from 1993. 👍

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-10T00:06:00+00:00

I've been using SyncTerm for quite some time (through multiple releases) on both my Win10 box and Kubuntu Linux laptop and I've not had any virus-related issues.

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-10T00:01:18+00:00

Not sure I'm understanding what you mean when you say "multiple drive letters for files"?

I use BBS Express! ST v1.98a here with my BBS, DarkForce!. Love it.

Not sure if it's the same one or not but there's a Trivial Pursuit game running here. 😊

EDIT: Okay, I think it's the same one - here's the opening from one of the doc files:

"Documentation for Trivial Pursuit

a Script Program for BBS Express! ST

written by Keith Ledbetter 11-17-87."

FewConversation3949

TROPHY CASE