A Conference & Exposition on Personal & Home Computers Held April 15th-17th 1977 San Francisco San Francisco Bay Area-Where it all Started-Has its First Home Computing Convention Present-World & Future-World Banquet Speakers who Discussed- "The Past, Present, & Future" of Personal and Home Comupters

A conference and exposition on personal and home computers held April 1977-San Francisco The complete program-from original copy (40+ pages) in The LCF Group Historical Microcomputer Collection in Floyd, Virginia. Very interesting to read with product advertising of the time and the folks who were early in the field of personal computing.

By David Larsen-KK4WW

 

All hobbies, products, reoccurring events and topics of great interest generate magazines or newsletters. Now with the world wide web the shift is to forums and blogs online. During the late 70’s and 80’s dozens of computer magazines were published, however most had a very short life – just like most of the early microcomputers. First was the simple newsletters and a few of them became successful magazine publications. Most likely the first real microcomputer magazine was “Byte” and interestingly it lasted through all the publishing wars and is still a popular computer magazine.

The Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service was created as an idea during a train trip from Moscow to the Western Ukraine. There were five Americans visiting Ukrainian and Russian friends. The visit was set up to distribute donated equipment in Russia and Ukraine. It seemed that a formal group was needed to do this type of volunteer work in an organized way on a regular basis...

I'd like to give one example of how the Internet has been so useful in enhancing radio amateur communications. We have a regular radio schedule on 20 meters three times per week, our normal mode of operation is single sideband (SSB). We use the net to keep in contact with members and friends of the Foundation for Amateur International Radio Service (FAIRS). Our (FAIRS) headquarters is located in Floyd, Virginia and the net includes Canada, USA, Caribbean, South America and Ukraine.

David Larsen of the LCF Group shares his views about an important time in history, related to the microcomputer revolution.  Important dates and milestones are shared in this article.

David Larsen gives details about, and the "story behind" the well-known BugBook Series.

David Larsen of LCF Group explains briefly the progression of electronic devices - from the vacuum tube to microprocessor chip.

David Larsen describes the significance of this Mark 8 microcomputer from 1974. His former colleague, Jon Titus, designed it.

View this 1922 model DT-600 DeForest Crystal Radio as part of a micro museum display at Floyd Professional Center at Floyd Village Green in Virginia.

LCF Group is host