Hi ZX Community

[AndrewL]

Hello everyone, it's good to see that there is enthusiasm for ZXs still!

I've arrived here by a long journey, I'll recount it here, if you don't like nostalgia trips then stop reading here!

1981/2 I was nearing the end of my school years, things weren't going well and I had some problems in my home life. If anyone remembers those times you'll recall that employment was a worry and I had no idea what I was going to do.

I had seen ZX80s and later ZX81s in printed advertising for mail order, and I was intensely interested, but with no chance of laying my hands on one.
Our school had a solitary computer, a Tandy TRS-80 in a locked room and only accessible to a few elites. I had seen a TRS-80 in a shop and also a Commodore PET, all out of reach buy fascinating nonetheless.

One of our science teachers was also interested enough to buy a ZX81, and then to bring it to the school to share with his students who were interested. This meant that I could get time on one and I was hooked, quickly learning the ZX basic applying it to mathematical functions to plot on the display. I didn't own one but I at least had access to one.

So, not knowing what to do, school ended after the exams and I started looking for work. Having a tiny bit of ZX experience turned out to be enough of a differentiator for me to get into a fledgling computer company for my first job. It was a completely different world of DEC/VAX minicomputers at the time, but I was in and earned enough money to buy my own ZX81. From there I learned the Z80 inside out and the stepped my hardware knowledge up as the microcomputers evolved and enjoyed what became a 35+ years lucrative career. I believe this this happened to me only because that science teacher was enthusiastic and generous enough to share his own computer. It was a genuine turning point, a life changing moment.

So, only a few weeks back I was in Cambridge outside Kings College, and looking up at Clive's old offices above the shop in Kings Parade and pondering that the ZX81 was born there. I considered my career and how it started and resolved to find that teacher and thank him.

Through another student of my cohort, I found the gentleman - now elderly and got in touch. It turned out that he still owned the ZX81 that I used decades ago and he decided that I would be the best person to look after it, so handed it over to me.

So that brings me here via Rich at RWAP, I have started acquiring what I need to use the ZX81 again with modern display etc. I will make it work again, make it useful and enjoy it again.

Now I've become active donating computer equipment to people that need it, hoping that it can make a difference to somebody as it did for me.

Sorry about the long ramble, but from what I've read you all seem like a nice bunch!

[sirmorris]

What an amazing story! Welcome aboard and don't hesitate to ask questions. If it can't be answered here then it can't be answered

C

[mrtinb]

It was a great read. Thank you.

[MaFli]

Fantastic story! Keep us informed on your progress. Enjoy!

[Lardo Boffin]

Very enjoyable ramble! Welcome.

I was only mid way through school at that time but vividly remember the evening news having a regular slot for the number of jobs created versus those lost pretty much everyday.

[AndrewL]

Thanks for the nice words.

I've been looking through the bag of parts that came with the ZX81.

There's an original wobbly Sinclair 16k RAM pack, an original Sinclair ZX printer with half a reel of the thermal paper and a full travel keyboard.
It has the original cassette cables but no cassette recorder. The Sinclair power supply is in good shape and showing the right voltage.

The ZX itself has an aluminium piece fashioned for it to hold the RAM pack and printer connector steady, this was pop riveted to the ZX case, I've removed this already.

I have dismantled the ZX to remove the RF modulator ready for the comp vid mod which is on the way. I seem to have misplaced my desolder pump, but as soon as this shows up I'm on with the work.

[dr beep]

Hello and welcome.

You can convert .P-files on a PC to WAV-files which you can play and load into real ZX81 with the cassettecable.
No tapedeck needed.

As for development... do it on a PC and load into real machine to see how it works out.

[blittled]

Andrew,

Great story! I too attribute the ZX81 in getting me a job requiring Z80 Assembly. I bet many of the forum members have had life changing moments thanks to this little "doorstop"

[Lardo Boffin]

I bet many of the forum members have had life changing moments thanks to this little "doorstop"

For me the ZX81 was the first computer I ever saw or touched and I was hooked. I have worked with computers ever since.

[kokkiklhs]

Fascinating story!!
Welcome, Andrew and thank you for sharing your memories!
I was given my first ever ZX81 from an english friend. We were working together as trainee archeologists (!!!) in an excavation at the greek island of Kos, I was there as a student from the university of Athens, he was there as an exchange student from Oxford...
Talking to him in full enthusiasm about my love for the Spectrum, he told me that he had a Zeddy from his childhood somewhere in his parent's house, but he never was really interested in computing, in general.
After the excavation's end we exchanged addresses (no e-mails etc. back then) and after a couple of weeks a mystery parcel arrived to my place, containing the Zeddy of Merlin (his name) along with a note that it would certainly find a new good home to a computer connoiseur (sic, hahaha) like me!
That was it, I loved it ever since!
It's been long time since we lost contact with Merlin (I heard he was in Hong-Kong lately), but this is a good chance for me to thank him in public, even though he will never (most probably) read this...