HP Forum Archive 09

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Re: Nothing much - Other RPN scientifics Message #1 Posted by Katie on 28 Aug 2002, 11:35 a.m. At least one of those other RPN scientific calculators makers was Heathkit! In the late 70's they made a really incredible handheld designed for use as an aircraft navigation computer the OC-1401. It was actually an LED, RPN scientific with navigational functions, real-time clock, stop watch and memories that could store either numbers, times or vectors. Its RPN stack was 5 levels deep and it used 3 microprocessors (display/keyboard controller, math/scientific functions, navigational functions) with a few supporting chips. One of the supporting chips was memory which was the only one powered in "standby mode" -- not a CMOS chip, but a low power chip that allowed the batteries to keep it running for a day or so. Its design seems to have been modeled after the HP “classic” series; even using a similar power supply connection. The keys have a nice “click” to them as well. It’s one of my favorite non-HP calculators.

Re: Nothing much - Other RPN scientifics Message #2 Posted by Steve Borowsky on 29 Aug 2002, 2:44 a.m., in response to message #1 by Katie <<At least one of those other RPN scientific calculator makers was Heathkit! In the late 70's they made a really incredible handheld designed for use as an aircraft navigation computer the OC-1401.>> ooh ooh I have one of those Katie! When I realized what it was I about flipped. It was so little known I wanted to shout about it from the rooftop (I didn't though). I even talked to Guy Ball about it and he had never heard of it. It's so well built that I thought it had likely been designed by HP for Heathkit. It's a real jewel from the '70's.

Re: Nothing much - Other RPN scientifics Message #3 Posted by Chan Tran on 29 Aug 2002, 6:33 p.m., in response to message #2 by Steve Borowsky I think I remember it now. It looked like a 67 didn't it?

Re: Nothing much - Other RPN scientifics Message #4 Posted by Steve Borowsky on 29 Aug 2002, 8:06 p.m., in response to message #3 by Chan Tran http://www.datamath.org/Related/Heathkit/OCW-1401.htm

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