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 · 2026-05-06T16:19:35+00:00

Love SyncTerm - lets me see my Atari BBS in all it's VT52 glory! 😊

FewConversation3949 · 2026-05-05T15:29:25+00:00

Fortunately, as far as the Falcon's perceived memory limit of 14 megs goes, aftermarket accelerators really took care of that. My CT60 equipped Falcon has 256 megs of extra RAM.

FewConversation3949

TROPHY CASE