>
>I just added a MicroVAX II to my herd of VAXen.  This is my first Qbus
>VAX, so I've spent some time browsing the net to see what I could
>learn.  I've identified most of the components and have a pretty good
>idea of what's going on in there now, but I still have some questions
>I'd like to get cleared up.

You can find several MicroVAX II manuals at
http://208.190.133.201/decimages/moremanuals.htm
I don't recall whether these discuss the BA23
or BA123 but there are also several VAXstation II manuals
which do discuss the BA123 (it all applies, except
you won't have a set of graphics cards in your machine).

(There's also an RQDX*1* manual there)

>There are two DHV11-A serial boards.  One of them is in slot 4 (Q/CD)
>and the other is in slot 5 (Q/Q).  Is this configuration OK?  From

This should be fine.

There is a DHV11 printset at the above address (although the
only propblem I've ever hit is having the regulator near
the handles knocked clean off the board!) and there is a
technical manual at:

http://www.spies.com/~aek/pdf/dec/qbus/

>There's an RQDX2 in slot 7, followed by the SI board in slot 8.  From
>what I've read, the RQDX2 doesn't provide bus grant continuity, so it
>needs to be the last device on the bus.  Either what I read is wrong,
>or someone moved boards around and messed up the configuration.  Which
>is it?

The RQDX1 had problems. It was ECOd to fix that (and handle
some later drives) and became the RQDX2. Further details
available at:
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/academic/computer-science/history/pdp-11/hardw=
are/micronotes/numerical/micronote43.txt

(sorry about the wrap!)

>replacing is quad height, and the RQDX3 is dual height.  Would an
>RQDX3 work with the M9058 RQDX Signal Distribution card I currently
>have, or would I need an upgrade for that as well?

I think the RQDX3 uses the same distribution card in
the BA123 chassis. I think I have an RQDX3 user guide,
if so I'll check tonight.

Antonio
arcarlini@iee.org