Russian Mk-61

[Chuck]

Finally recieved my Electronica Mk-61 from the Ukraine today. It came with power cord, registration card, case, box, manual (in Russian) and an 18in x 24in schematic of the electronics inside (let's see HP offer that.) It still had the plastic film protector over the screen. I should have left it on, but it was quite cloudy and hard to see through. After removing the film it looks brand new.

However, my first calcution was 6^3 which produces 215.99994. Oh well, I guess that was close enough for 1981. All in all, it's a nice little RPN calculator for the collection. (now I need to have my calc student from the Ukraine translate the buttons for me.)

CHUCK

Edited: 20 Nov 2007, 12:58 a.m.

[db (martinez, ca.)]

Another example of "close but no cigarski" is the MC1103
Like a Russian spacecraft; it was not over designed or state of the art - just big, heavy and reliable

[Reth]

now show us the mexican one ...

[Thor Lansen]

Long before HP, Electronica, and others the Mayans had invented a computer. Read this article: D'Alto, Nick. Odyssey, Mar2005, Vol. 14 Issue 3, p34-48.

The article talks about a "computer" invented by the Mayans.
About 592,577 stones were needed to construct the towering Mayan Pyramid of the Sun, according to Mayan mathematics, an advanced notation system used by these ancient builders to compute enormous numbers (into the trillions!) with ease. They did their calculations on a "computer" made from sticks and beans. The Mayan system of mathematics offered many advantages. For one thing, it included the important concept of zero. European mathematicians did not devise zero until centuries later.

[db (martinez, ca.)]

Or; to tie in both Reth and Thor's posting along with hp calculators; see hp12c Maya <> Gregorian calendar

[Chuck]

Good article, db. Thanks for pointing the way to it.
(But I don't see the Mayan numbers so easily in the glyph.)

Scratch that, I see them now. ;)

CHUCK

Edited: 20 Nov 2007, 1:28 p.m.

[hpnut]

Hi,

I received my MK-61 from the Ukraine yesterday, airfreight from Ukraine was via Russian Federation (i saw the postmarks on the box), all in 12 days to Malaysia!

In the box: MK-61, power adapter, slip case. The calculator was advertised as being fully tested but to my disappointment, there were two serious defects:

1-could only power up on AC. despite cleaning the light corrosion in the battery terminal, couldn't get it to work on battery.

2-the button '8' when pressed shows the figure '5' which actually is 5. I confirmed this by pressing '8' ENTER '8' X shows 25 and also '8' F X^2 again shows 25! no, it's not a case of faulty display. 64 square root correctly displays 8.

I'm thinking of returning the calculator back to the vendor in exchange for a working calculator. overall, quite a nice calculator, except for the horrible plastic buttons - worse than el cheapo Casios :-)

hpnut

Edited: 22 Nov 2007, 9:34 p.m.

[hpnut]

The vendor has agreed to give me a working calculator. In case anyone is considering buying from this person, I can vouch that he (or she?) is a genuine eBayer.

the vendor is sovdepia, based in the Ukraine.

btw, Katie Wass at http://www.wass.net/manuals/ has kindly put up the MK-61 manual on my request. of course, it's in Russian but the examples are universal. thanks, Katie :-)

Edited: 27 Nov 2007, 9:57 p.m.