Nascom News­let­ter

6. In Chapter 4 the fourth example under FMT should show the result of PRINT 7895 as 7.89500E+03, and not as 7.895000E+03.
7. In Chapter 4 the parameters for the ZONE command are given in the wrong order. Zone can also be used as a function. The correct description is as follows:
   ZONE <J1>,<J2> Sets the print zone (tab) width (<a2>), and the largest column for which printing to the next zone will stay on the same line (<J1>), known as the ZONE LIMIT. The default settings for these will vary according​to the implementation, and are specified in the scratch-pad list in appendix B, as WIDTHT (zone limit) and ZWIDTH (zone width). The current values for these may be obtained at any time by using the ZONE as a function, ie PRINT ZONE(0) displays the zone limit, and PRINT ZONE(1) displays the width.
8. In appendix C, in the description of the routine LEN1, location TYPE should read NTYPE.
9. In appendix D the Listing of the HOME command, the Location marked 4263 should read 4262.
10. In appendix D the default pointers for the auxiliary tables are incorrect. They should read as follows:
    

    3A80: 00 42       Start of auxiliary reserved word table
    3ABA: 40 42       Start of auxiliary address table
    
    

    If extra words are to be entered as temporary additions you should use the normal scratch pad locations as in appendix B. They will then be removed when you perform a cold start of the BASIC. If, however, the additions are to be permanent you should use the default locations given above. A cold start will then still allow you to use the tables.

5. Hardware connection standards

For the information of those of you not using Nascom 3’s we enclose details of the external connector wiring arrangements which we use on the standard Nascom 3. In fact we had adopted these wiring conventions before Nascom 3 was introduced. If you use these conventions it will simplify moving periphrals between different Nascoms if you should ever need to do this.

The standards are described in Application Notes AN-0003 to AN-0005, which are reproduced below. Next time we will be printing AN-0006, which deals specifically with the connection of printers.

Nascom 2 and 3 cassette interface connections

The recommended connection used between the Nascom 2 and cassette recorder is via a 6-pin DIN connector. This allows use of either the high or low output to the recorder, and a connection for switching the recorder on and off by means of ‘Castle’, or other, interface. The connections should be made as follows: