Bugbook Microcomputer Computer Museum

The Bugbook Microcomputer Museum

The best 300 artifacts from my collection of

13,000 computer items. 

This is just some reminiscing about old times when I had a small historical microcomputer museum in Floyd, Virginia. The entire collection was acquired by the "Computer Museum of America" in 2016. I am proud to still be working with historical computers as a Board Member at the "Computer Museum of America".

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Audio / Photo Tour of the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum" - Floyd Virginia

Please note this is not complete - it is a work in  progress with a total of 19 cases of display material, some wall pieces, and Ham or Amateur radio station. 

Next Step is QR code on each cabinet to click on with smart phone and get the audio of that case.
                                                             
Welcome to the Audio Tour of the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum" Floyd Virginia
                                            David Larsen KK4WW Curator

Click on photo's to enlarge

Case #1 bugbook Computer Museum

Display Case #1 Audio Description "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum'

Case #2 Bugbook Computer Museum 

Display Case 2 Bugbook Computer Museum  Audio description

Click on photo's to enlarge

Case #3 Bugbook Computer Museum

Display Case #3 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer museum"

Case #4 Bugbook Computer Museum

Display Case #4 Audio Description "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum'

Case #5 Bugbook Computer Museum

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 Display Case #5 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Amateur Radio Station N4USA

   Amateur Radio Station - -Audio description -N4USA in back part of museum

Case #6 Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum

 Display Case #6 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Display Case 7 Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum

  Display Case #7 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Case #8 Bugbook Computer Museum

Display Case #8 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Display Case #9 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Case #10 Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum

Display Case #10 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Case #11 Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum

 Display Case #11 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Case #12 Bugook Historical Microcomputer Museum

Display Case #12 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum 

Audio introduction to the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum"

Chantilly Farm Office in Village Green 3 & 4

Audio Introduction to our "Chantilly Farm Office" here in the Village Green.
Jason Gallimore is our "Event and Festival Planner and Promotions Manager"

Display #13 Bugbook Computer Museum

Display Case #13 Audio Description "Bugbook Computer Museum"




Display Case #14 Audio Discription "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Display 15 Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum

 Display Case #15 Audio Discription "Bugbook Computer Museum"

Display 16 Bugbook Historical Micrcomputer Museum

Display Case #16 Audio Discription "Bugbook Computer Museum"

ASR 33 Teletype

ASR 33 Teletype Audio Description "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum'

"Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service" (FAIRS) in the Bugbook Computer Museum.  The Curators of the museum also are Directors of FAIRS.






"Foundation For Amateur International Radio Service" Audio for banner and radio
Station N4USA in the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum"

Datapoint 2200 terminal 

The Datapoint 2200 terminal - was an 8 bit programmable computer that came to market in 1971 --- way before Apple, IBM or Microsoft.








Datapoint 2200 terminal - audio description of the terminal/ computer in the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum'

Apple 1 computer

We have several original Apple 1 computers in our museum however for security reasons we don't feel comfortable displaying the originals.
This Apple 1 on display is a clone made for our museum by Brandon Cholodenko. It is a beautiful example of the an original Apple 1 and is an operational computer.






Apple 1 computer display in the "Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum'

David Larsen Blog Author

"by David Larsen"  Chantilly Farm owner, Computer Historian, and amateur radio operator -KK4WW   & N4USA . Now that my large historical collection of  microcomputers has been moved to the "Computer Museum of America"  I work out of one of the Tiny Homes at Chantilly Farm. A great place to work if you like the to be out in nature. I am 81 and ready to sell Chantilly Farm - I have a few more  projects I would like to do - if you have an interest to know more give me a call. 540 392 2392

MARK 8 Personal Computer 1974

Bugbooks 

Dr. John Titus designed and published a construction article about the MARK 8 Computer in the July 1974 'Radio Electronics Magazine'. Dr. Titus  was a graduate student at Virginia Tech and is given credit for being the first to make it possible for an electronic hobbyist to build their very own microcomputer. The article describes how to build the computer however the finished and made to operate.  Several were even made into rather complex control computers.  We have one in our Microcomputer Museum with lots of extra complex circuits and software to make it into a process control computer.
hobbyist had to obtain all the parts on his own.  A company did make the bare printed circuit cards available and the additional parts were a challenge acquire. This limited the number of computers constructed to several hundred or less. To help a 48 page construction guide was made available by the publishers of ’Radio Electronics' for about $5.00.  Most likely only a few MARK 8 microcomputers were ever


The publication of the MARK 8 computer in the July issue of 'Radio Electronics' was the very first time a construction article was published. This was noticed by the competing publication 'Popular Electronics' and followed in January 1975 with an article about the "MITS Altair 8800" microcomputer.  John was first with the MARK 8 and as a result many computer clubs and newsletters were started to help computer hobbyist build and use the MARK 8.

Here is a the whole article in 'Radio Electronics' from  Rich Cini Collector of Classic Computers web site.
Added 9-4-13

 

 

                       Original Mark 8 in our Museum display - Floyd Virginia
           

                      

It is a pleasure to be a colleague and friend of  Dr. John Titus.   John and I worked together in the 'Blacksburg Group' in Blacksburg, Virginia (70's & 80's). During this time the group developed popular books about computers & electronics "The Blacksburg Continuing Education Series".  The group also developed several popular microcomputer trainers, electronic teaching & development hardware and taught dozens of microcomputer workshops. John did the design and development of all our computers.

Update - Here is John last Column in "Design News" December 2013. John tells about 3 mentors in his career - Gosh I had no idea how John felt about those early days in Blacksburg Virginia.  Thank you John for the nice words about our work together - it means a lot to me. Dave 3-31-14 

David Larsen KK4WW

 "by David Larsen" KK4WW Microcomputer Collector/Historian.

Vintage computers - Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum - LCF Group Floyd Virginia

Bugbooks

"Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum" is the name of our Microcomputer Museum here in Floyd Virginia. This museum is managed by the LCF Group and the microcomputers have been collected over a 40 years time frame by David Larsen, a member of the LCF Group.  Davids first experience with computers was in 1957.  David was in the Navy and sent to computer training school at Remington Rand Univac in St. Paul MN.  He started collecting the microcomputers while teaching at Virginia Tech in the early 70's.  David's historical collection of microcomputers has 1000's of items and all are stored in a controlled environment.  The LCF Group has a small part of the collection on display in the Village Green , Floyd,Virginia. David will be discussing the microcomputers in the museum display and others from his collection in this blog during the coming months.

The video attached to this post was made in August of 2011 and will give you and idea what is on display. We look forward to your comments and will do our best  to answer and of your questions about microcomputers.  Thank you.

David Larsen

       ^{"by David Larsen"  KK4WW Computer Collector Historian}
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