I hadn't intended dragging my bestest Checkmate out onto the bench
for fear of breaking her. This machine has been active here for
quite a while having slept under a table for ten years. When I did
finally reconnect she fired up first time and has been running each
day ever since.
The computer was originally housed in an attic by a guy that obviously
ran a club, what ever they are. I have many of his disks with data
bases of varying dog breeds. He obviously travelled a lot as he was
preoccupied with routing software and maps. He also had Teletext
linked to the computer.
The guy also had a PC linked to the machine and had the emulator on
the computer. All were linked to printers and even a small photocopy
machine. I was given all that he had and that was an amazing amount
of kit. I do try to keep the collection together and lovingly maintain
it all as it originally was set up.
The computer has the MegaChip and ROM splitter. I now know that there
was no KCS board in the machine although there must have been at one
time as I have all the correspondence of the guy testing it. Connected
to the computer is an A590 and SCSI drive plus a 3.5" and 5.25" drive.
You can see where the guy had the sunlight entering the room from an
attic light cus the one side of the plastic case to the floppy has gone
very yellow.
Anyway, having read a few posts on the Amiga forum about the Checkmate
I had a sudden shock to the old retro brain as I questioned why the one
featured on the forum had a battery. Then I realised mine was running
2.04 and therefore most likely had a battery. Panic struck and soon I
was taking the Checkmate apart.
The case was almost impossible to open. The screws had rusted tight
and I needed the drill. Anyway, the only battery was on a RAM board
which I removed. The machine was a 500 but had a ROM splitter so that
is how it was performing under the later ROM.
Man was I relieved. Thing to remember when anyone views my kit is that
I am a historical collector of kit. My aim is to maintain and restore.
The equipment for the best part is kept as originally intended. I have
no love for cleaning and whitening cases. They all grow old as I do.
What is important is to retain the OS, kit, software and peripherals
all together as I received them. Can be a struggle but I do try. I have
no interest in modernising anything. What you see is all the computer
will ever become. I am a retro maniac.
Here goes... my second Checkmate and this time with the big 1500 label.
Relief ... Still working
parnet working to the 2000
5.25" working
Checkmate in context
Original location of the Checkmate
Actual photograph from where I collected the Checkmate
And my ' Wonderwall ' of kit I also collected that day
Win 3.1 Machine
I also have the PC from the same guy
that was connected to the Checkmate
