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TRS-80 Introduction

The launch of the TRS-80 Model One in 1977.

It has been 45 years since I initiated the challenge for ownership of Australia's first personal computer. Given the absence of any substantiated counterclaims and my continued possession of this computer, I believe I am correct in stating that I purchased Australia's first-ever Personal Computer in March 1978. When 4K ROM and 4K RAM was more than enough.

December 2023
The Australian Computer Museum Society (ACMS) reached out to me regarding my TRS-80 Model One, which appears to be the first true Personal Computer (PC) sold in Australia. This took place in March 1978. In light of its historical significance, I donated it to ACMS, and they have graciously accepted it.

26-1001 Model 1 Level 1 4K CPU/Keyboard.

History and Serial Number

March-2008 Thirty Years Later:

I decided to write this before I forget it all, or simply become no longer capable of doing so. Don McKenzie, Dontronics.

By late 1977, two U.S. Magazines, Byte, and Kilobaud, were reporting on three new personal computers, aimed squarely at the home market. These were the Commodore PET, Steve Wozniak & Steve Jobs Apple II, and Tandy's TRS-80 Model One. The earlier Apple I was supplied as a main PCB, and you were required to build it up yourself.

First mention of the TRS-80 in Kilobaud Magazine Oct-1977 First mention of the TRS-80 in Byte Magazine Nov-1977

It appears production quantities of the PET and Apple were several months in advance of the Tandy PC, however I was unable to mail order any of the three in 1977. I clearly remember Commodore quoting that they were unable to send me one, as they weren't geared up for 50Hz and 240V, even though I said it was my problem, not theirs. Apple mail order resellers said they couldn't keep up with local orders, and weren't interested in selling outside the U.S., but Tandy told me that they would be selling the TRS-80 in Australia very soon, and to put an order in, and I should be one of the first on the list to receive one.

So arguably, I have the first PC in Australia, if not, certainly one of the very first. Mine arrived in Australia in March 1978. I would be very interested if anyone has a serial number that is before "028066".

Catalog Number 26-1001D

This indicates that it was originally a 4K ROM, and 4K RAM machine. I have no idea what the "D" represents.

Defining Personal Computer

From Wikipedia, the Personal Computer

A personal computer (PC) is a computer whose original sales price, size, and capabilities make it useful for individuals, intended to be operated directly by an end user, with no intervening computer operator.

From Wikipedia, the History of Personal Computers

A personal computer is one intended for individual use, as opposed to a mainframe computer where the end user's requests are filtered through operating staff, or a time sharing system in which one large processor is shared by many individuals. After the development of the microprocessor, individual personal computers were low enough in cost that they eventually became affordable consumer goods. Early personal computers - generally called microcomputers - were sold often in electronic kit form and in limited numbers, and were of interest mostly to hobbyists and technicians.

Tandy refer to the TRS-80 in this document: "Radio Shack's Description of the Model I" on three occasions, as the model I being a Personal Computer, and once as being a Personal Microcomputer.

TRS-80 Models

What I had was a computer that I could use at home, one I could afford to purchase as a wage earner for myself. I didn't have to assemble it, just plug it in and read the manual. That is a home personal computer, as used by an end user, and the same definition basically applies today. At one point, if you didn't have an IBM, or clone, you didn't have a PC. It will only run on a PC is a very common term. I hear it basically every day, but would you say that Apple's latest MacBook Air isn't a Personal Computer?

Don's Early Workbench

Shows unit with original keyboard, two large heat sinks out the back, Electronics Australia programmer, original tape recorder for data storage, new 5 1/4" disk drive, home built LNW expansion interface, and a converted TV for video output.

Pictured above: Note the wall to the left of the TRS-80. Two walls of this room were wall papered with "TOTE" tickets. This was our Bar room. I started off in the family room, then the laundry, the bar, our third bed room, (kids had grown up), and now back to the family room.

I was with ATL, then the TAB, then TABCORP for 25 years. (continuous superannuation, different logos :-)

Where-Was-Don-For-25-Years Brian Conlon's Website - Early Tote machines

About 3/4's of the way down Brian's page you will see a J8 ticket issuing machine. Well, I worked on the previous model, the J6, and the associated control gear. The Tote is an Australian invention, and again arguably the world's first electro-mechanical computer. (Circa 1913) Don't think it is a PC however :-)

Morse Code Generator for the Australian Department Of Communications

This computer generated all the 5, 10, and 20 WPM morse code that was used for Novice, Ham, and Marine morse code receiving tests by the Australian Department Of Communications from around 1978 to 1986. This was previously done by a punch tape machine, and when I was asked if I could program a computer to do this, I said of course you can. That is the sort of thing that computers are designed to do. I soon found out that you can't get accurate timing for long periods using the basic language built into this machine, so I had to learn Z80 machine code damn fast.

NOTE *** Tandy Original image above. It has black keys and no ZIF socket in the middle of the Logo. 🙂

I eventually had to tell DOC that I wanted to drop this contract, as the repetitive nature of the input strings really drove me mad. It was around the time they shifted headquarters from Melbourne to Canberra, so I suggested they get someone to re-write the software on an 80286 AT-PC, as the TRS-80 was getting very dated, and I was involved in too many other projects of my own at the time.