{"id":2143,"date":"2026-10-22T17:56:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T17:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/?p=2143"},"modified":"2026-10-23T06:07:23","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T06:07:23","slug":"pdp11-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/?p=2143","title":{"rendered":"PDP-11 System"},"content":{"rendered":"

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BA11-VA System Build<\/h2>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ba11va-case-scaled.jpg” title_text=”ba11va-case” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

The project all started when a friend gave me a BA11-VA case and some Riser and control boards<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/backplane-design-scaled.jpg” title_text=”backplane-design” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

As i didn’t have a QBUS 4 slot backplane I needed to draw up one in Kicad to fit the case.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/base-system-test-scaled.jpg” title_text=”base-system-test” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

Testing the base system in the backplane with the CPU board M8186 plus a 64kb RAM board M8044 plus a serial board M8047-AA with the onboard RAM disabled.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”2px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/system-testing1-scaled.jpg” title_text=”system-testing1″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

The TU58 DECtape II Emulator plus a arduino front panel control system<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/system-testing2.jpg” title_text=”system-testing2″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

Booting from the TU58 Emulatad tape drive<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/M8047-AA.jpg” title_text=”M8047-AA” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

M8047-AA Muiltfunction board with the 8Kb onboard RAM disabled and boot ROM enable.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/2MB_RAM-1.jpg” title_text=”2MB_RAM” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px|||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

2MB RAM finished<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4MB_RAM.jpg” title_text=”4MB_RAM” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

4MB RAM board finished<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” type=”4_4″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/mscp-board-1-rotated.jpg” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” title_text=”mscp-board” hover_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

RLV12 and MSCP Emulator I’m running the MSCP firmware with RT11 v5.07 and bootrom enable on startup<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/RT11_booting-scaled.jpg” title_text=”RT11_booting” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

The final test of RT-11 showing PDP 11\/23 with 4MB RAM booting from a MSCP Emulated disk and ready to be installed in the BA11-VA case.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||4px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”57px” custom_margin=”66px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”||0px|||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”] BA11-VA System Build [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/ba11va-case-scaled.jpg” title_text=”ba11va-case” _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”] The project all started when a friend gave me a BA11-VA case and some Riser and control boards [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.5.3″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/backplane-design-scaled.jpg” […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2147,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2143","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vintage-computers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2143"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2180,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2143\/revisions\/2180"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2147"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2143"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vintagevibe.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}