> So, it apparently does require a calibration or positioning track to
> be written?  Oh, horror of horrors.  Explain, a little more.

It may be that VMS wants an INITed volume as it can treat TK50 as
a block addressable device like disk.  IT's done however at the OS level
not the prom level though the VS3100 and VS2000 seem to be able to test
tapes and maybe init them as well.

I have no real experience with creating tape under any unix.

Allison