Ok, this kind of sucks. 

The code on ftp.netbsd.org in :
	/pub/NetBSD/arch/vax/snapshot/19981201/binary/sets

Is _NOT_ vax code. It may have been at one time but it isn't now. To verify
it extract any executable out of base.tgz and run the file command on it.
You will see what I mean. 

I'm wondering if somehow someone byteswapped it or something when writing it.

Help,
--Chuck