1974 – Univac 1050-II
(Updated 17 Feb 2018)
Credit for photo: Operator at the console, ” UNIVAC 1050-II Computer History Archives – Air Force Vietnam “; Photo from video “CHA Copyright (C) 2015”, “Published on Sep 13, 2015” ; picture of an operator reading out or inputting a instruction one bit for each switch at a time, in Binary (1’s and 0’s) (Updated reference, Thanks to Mark at CHA)
The First Computer I worked with was a UNIVAC 1050-II. It was back in 1974, while I was stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina. This mainframe computer used extensively by the U.S. Air Force Logistics, Base Supply System for Inventory Control. In order to even to enter training into the computer career field one first had to have attained a 5-Level in Inventory Management, which I had and therefore was able to apply for and after three months training at Lowry Air Force Base, I attain the position of Computer Operator.
In the picture the operator is reading out and altering the instructions as needed, notice the lights, on is one (1) and off is zero (o). Microprocessors perform operations using binary bits (on/off/ 1 or 0). The toggle switch below each light (at the top of the console) was used to turn the bit on or off. We did not have to read nor change the computer’s instructions very much, just when there were problems with a program or the mainframe itself.
The UNIVAC 1050 was an internally programmed computer with up to 32K of 6-bit character memory, which was introduced in 1963. It was a 1-address machine with 30-bit instructions, had a 4K operating system and was programmed in the PAL assembly language. Instructions were fixed length (30 bits = 5 characters), consisting of a 5 bit “op code“, a 3 bit index register specifier, one reserved bit, a 15 bit address, and a 6 bit “detail field” whose function varies with each instruction.
The UNIVAC 1050-II we used recorded all of its input-output on magnetic tapes (a non-volatile storage medium consisting of a magnetic coating on a thin plastic strip), and was used as a controller to format input data readfrom other peripherals (e.g., punch card readers). A punched card (or Hollerith card) is a recording medium for holding information for use by automated data processing machines) onto the magnetic tapes and then if required would transfer output data from the tapes to other peripherals (e.g., punch card punches or the lineprinter . Fragment of lineprinter cylinder with the type of % The Line printer is a form of high speed impact printer in which a line of type is printed at a time.).
A version used by the U.S. Air Force, the U1050-II real-time system, had some extra peripherals. The most significant of these was the FASTRAND 1 Drum Storage Unit(magnetic drum mass storage system built by Sperry Rand Corporation for their UNIVAC 1100 series computers.). This Fastrand 1 Drum Storage can partially seen in the back left of this Operation Room.
Credit for Photo : [Inside the Office], photograph, 1960~/1969, texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth389054/m1/1/: accessed February 17, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library; and http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Austin, Texas. Thanks to Daniel Norton, of The Portal to Texas History, for bringing the reference to my attention.
This physically large device had 2 contra-rotating drums mounted horizontally, one above the other in a pressurised cabinet. Read-write heads were mounted on a horizontally moving beam between the drums, driven by a voice coil servo external to the pressurised cabinet.
This high speed (for the time) access subsystem allowed the real-time operation. Another feature was the communications subsystem with modem links to remote sites. A Uniservo VI-C provided an audit trail for the transactions. Other Peripherals were the card reader and punch, and printer. The operator’s console had the ‘stop and go’ buttons(!) and a ASR33 teleprinter for communication and control.
“The UNIVAC 1050 System employs an expandable magnetic core storage capable of receiving or dispensing data at a rate of one alphanumeric character every 4.5 microseconds. Core storage is divided into modules, each having a capacity of 4096 six-bit alphanumeric characters, each of which is addressable. Core storage is character addressable (positions 0-32,767).”
(ref: http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/univac/1050/ and its linked pdf file UP-2590_1050ref_1962.pdf)
So, the Mainframe Computer’s total memory consisted of 8 memory modules, each of which had 4 kilobyte (kB) of memory capacity, which is a total of 32 kB of memory (Correction Made thanks to Steve Kovarik, see comment below). This is what we commonly refer to today as Random Access Memory, or RAM, in our computers today. That is 0.03125 of one Megabyte (MB) RAM for this mainframe computer, which was used to run Base Supply. Inline during the day, and offline to run reports each evening.
__________
Reference Sources :
“Operator at the Console”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkobjQKx19A video ” UNIVAC 1050-II Computer History Archives – Air Force Vietnam ” video copyright 2015; YouTube ” Computer History Archive Project – C.H.A.P. “; Thanks for the information for the video links provided by Mark at CHA, YouTube website Computer History Archive Project.
[Inside the Office], photograph, 1960~/1969 (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth389054/m1/1/: accessed February 17, 2018), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.
Thanks to Daniel Norton, of The Portal to Texas History, for bringing the reference to my attention. http://texashistory.unt.edu ; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Austin, Texas.
http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/univac/1050/ and its linked pdf file UP-2590_1050ref_1962.pdf)
http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/List-of-UNIVAC-products#Computer_systems
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNIVAC
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_computing_hardware
__________
One Texican in His Own Write, is the blog page for the OneTexican.com, and its stories have been written by Mike Vauthier, and Administratively Approved Authors where required.
__________
Damn… do I remember this monster! I “played” with this machine from 1973 until I left the AF in 1978. I “played” with it at Shaw AFB SC, McGuire AFB NJ and Bitburg Ad, Germany. The one at McGuire was a dual system setup so that the “online” system was actually online almost 24 hours a day.
Hey, Sam! I played with the monster at Shaw also. I was there from 1974-1978. Then, on to Guam, Carswell, and Las Vegas.
From 1977-1987 I was an operator at Cannon, Camp New Amsterdam, Grand Forks and Sembach. Then worked with USAFE with the conversion to the 1100. Retired in 1995.
Your statement “In order to even to enter training into the computer career field one first had to have attained a 5-Level in Inventory Management” isn’t true. I was a box shepherd (x1) at Langley and cross-trained to the x2 field.
Rick,
Thanks for your Comment.
Maybe for you it was not true, but for me, I was told that I had to have 5 level proficiency in Inventory Management (64550 or 65551) in order to cross train into 645X2 career field. To my understanding the level 5 proficiency would allow for better understanding of programs and reports, their distribution, and of course reports scheduling.
Best Regards
Mike
Hi Jack what year were you at Grand Forks. I was the Univac Engineer there 81-94
Mark Lumpkin wrote and taught the 2asr programming course at Lowery in the early 70s.
Does anyone remember the old white haired civilian instructor? He taught the 3 level course.
I cut my teeth as a green programmer under the tutelage of Mr. Lumpkin in 1980-81 at Gunter AFS in Montgomery Alabama. I seem to remember him going overseas about a year later, 1982?
Ref Mark Lumpkin: He went to Europe (Shape Hq) when he returned and retired in Denver he pass away the 2nd day of his retirement. I knew Mark as a Co-instructor and Co worker at Gunter AFS extremely well. He was a great man.
I to had my time on the U1050-II. I did take over the Training Department at Lowery. I was assigned the from 1974 to 1978 then Gunter AF from 1978 to 1980. Do you remember a program call 008 (Sal). I had a little something to do with that.
J.r.iremember you well, anyone that doesn’t didn’t spend much time as x2. I set with you many times as you wrote code on the back of a napkin in the NCO club. I went to Davis Monthan and was a programmer on the 1050 at the Boneyard. Great time. Did you work with jessee Markim, one of the best in the field. SMSgt George Grove
Forgot to include myself with Mark
Trained as an Air Force maintainer (AFSC 30574) on the 1050-II at the Univac factory in St Paul, Minnesota.
Worked on the system in Vietnam and Thailand in the late 60s and early 70s.
I was a Univac field engineer maintaining the 1050 from 1976 till 1983 at various Air Force bases. Have to correct an error in this article. RAM did consist of 8 core memory modules but each module was only 4KB for a total of 32KB of RAM, not 512KB.
Author added comment : Thanks Steve Correction Made with reference to core memory : http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/univac/1050/ and its linked pdf file UP-2590_1050ref_1962.pdf
I started with Remington rand Univac in 1959. 1966 I was the engineer at Osan air base korea core memory then was 8k for a total of 64k.
In 1965, when CBS moved into their new building at 51 W. 52nd St in NYC, a 1050 with Fastrand was installed on the 31st floor, under the direction of James Walsh, with the task of providing real-time access
to the CBS Television commercial schedule. Teletype 33 terminals
were installed at the NYC Production Center on 57th St., as well
as at the CBS Television City facility (TVC) in Los Angeles. I believe, but am not sure, that the TVC link had a dedicated line.
In any event, the Jim Walsh security feature on the TVC line was the
electrical inversion of the bit-serial signal. As far as I know, this was sufficient.
CRT terminals were supported as well, but each group of CRTs required a multi-thousand dollar controller within a few hundred feet, so
these only went to priority locations like the CBS Television Sales Department.
This was not the interactive system that we expect today, it was a
transaction system, where the user typed a transaction number
followed by an arbitrary number of fields separated by delimiter
characters. You needed a reference book to show the expected
format for each transaction. A single transaction could create
a new record, modify one or more fields of an existing record, or
print out any one of a number of reports.
Response time was usually in the five second region. Each transaction invoked a unique program, written by someone like
myself. In my two years as a programmer, I don’t recall any
major software crashes – if there was a problem, it was
usually the fault of the transaction program alone.
Terminals could not be used to enter or modify transaction programs.
They had to be punched into 80-column cards, compiled on the 1050 when it was offline, loaded onto the Fastrand, and tested by booting up the system.
We had a Fastrand II and a couple of tape drives for our daily system
backup. The Fastrand was generally reliable, but I recall a couple
of mechanical failures that required the Fastrand headbar to be manually positioned over every track (with the help of a ‘scope),
so that each track could be dumped to a tape, a tedious, hours long task.
I have no idea what our annual budget was, but in 1967 the NYC department had 12 souls. As a programmer, I was paid a bit over
$8000. per year.
There should be a detailed writeup of this pioneering application in the professional literature, but I haven’t found it to date.
BTW, there was a predecessor system installed on the 15th Floor of
the original CBS Headquarters at 4485 Madison Avenue. I worked on the same floor, but only saw the system once, and believe it was
made by Boroughs, used vacuum tubes with a mercury delay line memory,
but at the time I had no idea I would spend most of my life with my
head inside digital equipment. You would think I would have taken some pictures at least….(insert Latin motto here).
I was an instructor at Lowry in the 648×0/645×2 courses from 1973-1975 and 1979-1981. I taught all the courses (asr,aar,and ast). Back in the late sixties and early seventies there was a requirement to have a 64550 AFSC to cross train into 64830 AFSC. You would get your 5 level through OJT. When they did away with 647 and 648 AFSC’s and went to the 645×0, x1, and x2 they dropped the 5 level and cross training requirement and people straight out of Basic and we really had to include more supply in the course because the job was more of a supply systems than just a computer operator, I think Mark Lumpkin left before 1974 to work with the NATO E3-A 1050-II at Geilenkirchen, I might be wrong about that. We did have another gray haired guy teaching named Woody Woodward. It was a long time ago and I may have dates mixed up. For those of you who care. I was there with Al McNair, Jim Whiteside, Carl Hayes, Greg Murphy, Roger Corum, Lynn Hughes and more the first assignment and with Larry Cagel, Larry Beauchamp, Ron Craig, Harold Phillips, Don Hansen, Ron Lemay and more the second assignment. I was active duty AF and was there for the Phase IV conversion at Plattsburgh AFB in 1985 and retired from the AF with 20 years as a SMSGT out of Torrejon AB Spain in 1987. I got a BS in Computer Science in 1988 and went to work as the Computer OPs chief in the 325th Supply Squadron at Tyndall AFB until 1996 and then a computer specialist with the Services Squadron as a civilian until 1999. I then spent the next 13 years working as an IT Specialist and Log Management Specialist for the Army in Italy (10 Years) and Fort Stewart Georgia until I retired in July 2012.
I think you remember as Jim Whiteside, later I have been referred to as JR Whiteside, as you stated I to Instructed at Lowery AFB. I left Lowery for Gunter AFB in 1978 and Mark Lumpkin was assigned there then. I think he went to NATO in Late 1979 or early 1980.
I crossed trained as a SSgt into the x2 career field in 1968 while stationed at Bolling AFB. Worked for George Wall at that time, he was also a SSgt. Went to Pleiku VietNam from 1969-1970 and learned the system inside out. Next assignment was Cannon AFB and from there to Wright-Patterson. We had a dual system and mostly civilian operators. Went to Aviano, IT from 75-78 and was NCOIC of the 1050-II operation (ADPE/PCAM). My last base was Fairchild AFB, WA and again was NCOIC of the ADPE/PCAM Section. I retired from the AF in Oct 1983 as a MSgt. The UNIVAC 1050-II was a great computer. I was hired as a systems analyst in the Procedures Unit at Wright-Patterson and worked there until it went contract. I was transferred to the AF Security Assistance Center where I stayed until I retired in 2006. (George Wall, CMSgt Ret was well known to x2s in the day.)
Where did I meet you?
We met at Wright Patterson AFB around 1972-1975.
I think we met at Wright-Patterson AFB sometime between 1972-1975. I worked with TSgt Bob Jorden, TSgt Donner Dean, Civ. Wesley Hall, et al. If not at WPAFB it would have been at x2 school.
I was probably one of the last field engineers on this system back in the early 1980s. My AFSC was 305×4 and there were a group of us that were factory trained and maintained this system in the event we were needed at overseas locations. I helped pull out the system at Bergstrom AFB and helped install it’s replacement, the Unisys 1100. I was then sent to the factory school for the 1100 and went off to Dover, then Nellis. When I was at Dover, I actually had to go TDY to Turkey to work on a mobile version of the 1050 known back then as the Penny Counter. Stumbled across your page here. Nice memories.
I worked on the Univac 1050-II (Penny Counter) at Lakenheath RAFB , UK. I was part of the first team to be with the U1050 stationed there. I stayed 3 1/2 years. Arrived in 1978 , Left in 1981.. Many deployments to Europe and UK. Also worked with the U-1050 in Thailand , Richards – Gebaur , Peterson , AFA. , Seymore – Johnson Air Force Bases. Quite the experence !!
The Austin Historical Society has recently published photos from the former Bergstrom Air Force Base. Among the photos are a computer room with what I have identified as a Univac 1050-II with a FASTRAND II drum. http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth389051/
Thanks Daniel. You are correct in your identification of the Univac 1050-II with the FASTRAND II drum. It is in the cabinet behind the tape drive. Thanks for adding to the history of this “Work Horse” it provided many years of service to the USAF.
I worked on the Penny Counter in October of 1972 in Takhli Thailand. I was the lead that was able to send the unit back home to the Clark AFB for Christmas that year. I any one has any photos of that deployment I would really appreciate them.
Thanks Gerry Baker CMS(ret)
I was in the computer X2 field from 1974 to 1991 and I remember the large IAS drum. When we had to start up the system, sometimes the drum would not start rotating and we had a rubber hammer to tap (hit) the core or the main center steel shaft for the drum to vibrate it a little so it would start rotating. It was crude but it worked. I remember a read / write head go bad and crash. It would start rubbing the drum and it start heating it up. The drum would rotate for so long after you shut it down that it would start to glow from the heat and you would lose data and have to rebuild the system from the day’s tapes. Do not know if it was the good old days but we all worked together to get the system up and running. The problem I am having now is trying to convince the VA that this was the loudest place to work and caused hearing loss. They all seem to think that a computer room was a peaceful and quite place. I remember it different as too where sometimes you had to walk out of the computer room to have a conversation. You had the cardpunch, printer, AC, fans, paper decollator and the card separator running, you could not here yourself think. At the time I crossed trained to the X2 field, you had to be on your second enlistment in order to go into the X2 field.
Jim,
How did you come out with the VA? I am also trying to convince the VA the “loping” sound of the UNIVAC 1050-II caused my hearing problems.
Regards,
Steve Bigelow
402-305-4550
I blame the card punch and line printer for my heating loss
I was also a 648 (or X2) from 73 til retirement in 88. Just beginning to file VA claim for hearing loss & tinnitus. Would you mind sharing with me what you submitted to them & outcome?
‘Preciate any inputs!
Ron Hawkins, Boise ID
(Langley, Keflavik, Pope, Elmendorf, Whiteman AFB)
I was an X2 from November 1981 through 2001 when I retired as a SMSgt. I worked on the 1050 at Moody my first two years in the career field and then moved to the school house at Lowry. I taught the 3-level course from 1983-1985 when the ‘seamless’ conversion took place. I then taught (if you can call what we did in that course teaching)the 2-week conversion course in 1985 and 1986 at Lowry, Ramstein, and Yakota.
I had the pleasure of working with some of the best people while at Lowry, Carl Brazee, Mr. Zamarron, Harold Phillips, Paul Bates, Carroll Bush, Larry Beauchamp, Ron Craig (my instructor), Joyce Clark and many others. I even had the pleasure of meeting the legendary Ken Johansen once while I was stationed at Tyndall in the early 1990’s working at the NCO Academy.
When I crossed trained to the X2 career field in the fall of 1981 you had to have your 645X0 5 level. My first class as an instructor was in 1983 was made up of all airman basics. So it probably changed some time in 1982.
I was a SSGT coming back from Vietnam to Lackland AFB supply when I was cross trained into the UNIVAC 1050 II. I went to tech school at Lowry AFB, Colorado in Oct-November 1971. I worked the computer room in Lackland, the midnight shift for almost Three years. When I got out in 1974, the UNIVACs were about to be replaced by a new supply system.
Just stumbled on this site. Some of the names in the comments bring back memories. I was one of the early classes to go into the X2 career field straight out of basic in 1983. The name Whiteside was legend according to instructor Mr. Z. I cut my teeth on the 1050 programming 008 then SURGE when we upgraded. Good times.
Went to school at Lowry right out of basic summer of 82. Went on to Wurtsmith AFB, MI, then Aviano AB It were we converted to the 1100. Many great days working on the swings and mids, especially during end-of-month processing. Always hoped for the M05 (I think) that would run for 5 hours and spit out 5 pages.
Wow what memories. I started my career as keypunch operator in PCAM 645×0 then cross trained to 648×0 at Hollowman from ’72 to ’74, then finished up at Osan in ’75 when I got out. 45 years later I’m retiring from the IT industry after a successful career that started with the 1050-II
I was an operator on the first Univac 1050 II installed Air Force wide. It was installed at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC. I left the Air Force in 1966 and was on contract at Bolling Air Force base writing programs for this machine for two years. I retired from IT in 2008
I was the NCOIC of computer maintenance (UNIVAC 1050-II) at Nakhon Phanom, Thailand from Jan 1971 to Dec 1971. Also at Langley AFB, Va 1972 to 1974 when I retired. I can’t remember exactly where the main supply building and warehouses were located at NKP (how close to the perimeter of the base). If anyone has pictures please send them to me at gblack1954@nelson-tel.net. I need the pictures to support an Agent Orange claim.
I cut my teeth on the Univac 1050-II in July, 1971 at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. Had been in the Air Force less than 6 months when a SSGT (Donley) noticed me watching him in the computer room. After watching him for a couple of weeks, he walked in PCAM (Punch Card Accounting Machine) where I was assigned, and he told me that he was watching me as I was watching him. Then SSGT Donley asked me if I would like to learn the system, and I said ‘YES”. But SSGT Donley had one stipulation, and it was that I could not enter the computer room until the day shift had left for the day. SSGT Donley trained me well. After the second week, I was rebooting the 1050-II. I was learning so fast that, I was nominated to go to computer school at Lowry AFB (CO) to cross-train, but I could not go. You see, the Air Force back in 1971 had a regulation that states “if you have not been in the Air Force 18 months, then you could not cross-train”. But less that 2 years later, I was able to go to computer school from Albrook AFB, Canal Zone. The training that I received from SSGT Donley and the Air Force on the Univac 1050-II prepared me for the civilian world. As I stand here, I am a Global IT Director, Computer Operations for an international company. Not only that, as of July (2020), I will have 49 years in the IT field. It has been a Blessing and a gift from God.
Wow…I googled this just for kicks and have been reading and remembering some great experiences withe the Univac 1050-11.
I crossed trained from 65450 to 64830 in ’68 and then went back to Lowry for The Systems Analyst school in ’71. Grissom, CCK Taiwan, Carswell, Wiesbaden, Ramstein, and finally Aeronautical Command at Heath Air Station in Ohio. Between the PCAM room and the “always temp controlled ” computer room it was sure hard to hear. NOISY NOISY.
Do any if you rember ever working with a DCT2000? It was a satellite until that linked up with a 1050-11. I was stationed in Taiwan and was sent tdy to ShiLinKou air station in Taipei to set up the link between the DCT2000 and my home base 1050-11. Spent 6 months doing that. Nothing more than a mini console and printer. Just thought I would ask.
Hi Rodger! I really appreciate your comments on your experience with the UNIVAC 1050-II.
In answer to your question I worked with the DCT 2000 briefly when I was under Security Service Command at San Vito Dei Normandi AS, Italy. My Blog on it, just above the UNIVAC 1050-II blog.
http://www.onetexican.com/blog/1976-univac-dct-2000/
1976 – UNIVAC DCT 2000
Posted on Friday, November 23rd, 2012 at 11:46.
Written by mvauthier
I worked on one of the last mobile Sperry 1050-II mainframes in Kunsan Korea in 1984-85. I extended my stay in Korea to close out the computer shop. She was in 3 tractor trailers and was affectionately known as the “Penny Counter”. We kept track of our Wolfpack F16 spare parts. What a cool gig!!