Hello
My father was a Monroe service tech for over 30 years in northern Wisconsin and has recently passed.
We have shelves of manuals, parts, and calculators and ribbons, computer program floppy discs and the like. I even found rolled up schematic posters from 1948.
If there is something you are looking for, I may be able to help
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Hello
I am so sorry to hear about your father’s passing. It sounds like he was a true expert, 30 years is a lot of time of dedication. It’s a lovely tribute to him that you’re reaching out to the community like this.
I’ve been looking for any information, manuals, or discs for the Monroe OC 8820. If you ever happen to spot anything related to that model while you’re sorting through his things, I’d be so grateful if you let me know. You can see here some posts from me and other enthusiasts who are trying to repair these machines and gather all the information possible
No rush at all, of course, and thanks you for doing this. Wishing you and your family the best during this time.
Regards from Argentina, Alejandro
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My condolences to you and your family on your father’s passing.
I used (but barely understood at the time) a Monrobot XI in high school. If you have any materials related to that, I’d be happy to give them a home.
Hi,
I don’t suppose you have a manual for the Monroe Classmate 88? It’s a ‘calculator’ from around 1976 designed to teach, or, maybe more accurately exercise mathematics in schools.
For the curious, here’s a small image, from calcuseum (which wants one)
That is indeed the machine. I recently aquired one, but no manual. There’s very little information abou tit on the web, but there is a Creative Computing article about it which is detailed enough to operate the machine, but not fully I think. It’s a basic calculator, but its main function is as an exercise machine for mathematical problems. It can generate, for example, multiplication problems of various difficulties which are presented to the operator. Results are collated at the end of the run. It has no display, everything is printed. It can generate problems including fractions and factorisation, I believe.
It’s based on the PPS4 processor, so is really a computer.
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Actually, any manuals for calculators would be welcome, there are quite a few Monroe electronic calculators that have no manual available on the web.
They made quite a few interestig calculators, and the company still exists and still sells calculators.
They also sell spares for some of their models, including logic boards, keyboards and displays, which maks them very unusual and maybe even unique.
Oh, it would be great if you could post photos (here, or somewhere)
Can do. I opened it before I turned it on. I’m planning on dumping the ROMs as well. The problem with this machine (and the PC1002) is that they moved to sockets, rather than soldered in ICs and my ROM dumper has the wrong footprint for socketed ICs. The PPS4 legs aren’t bent when in some sockets, and are when soldered. Actually, I think the sockets are different so I might be OK with the Classmate.
I’ve added photos here:
I’ve had a play with the machine and I think I understand some of how it works. It can be a normal calculator, but most of the functions are tests of various different aspects of mathematics. There’s quite a few types of test, from basic to quite advanced. I have printouts of all of them now I think, and need to catalogue what each test is.
It absolutely eats paper. It came with a large 76mm roll of paper and most of that is gone. I have ordered 20 rolls and I’m wondering if that will be enough if the plan to take it to Retrofest happens…
It’s also one of a probably small number of calculators that has an infinity setting…
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