The BBC B Micro computer was the first home computer I purchased in 1994. At that time it was very popular among Radio Amateurs and satellite enthusiasts. Until about 2004, I regularly used my Beeb for tracking satellites and many other tasks connected with amateur radio.
The BBC computer comes with its own built-in BASIC programming language. Over the years I have found this to be an excellent language, it is powerful, easy to use, and I have found that program development times are shorter than with many other languages.
During my working life in the aerospace and machine tool industries, I had much experience in using professional computers of many types, using many different programming languages. In comparison, I found the BBC micro usually easier to program & debug, and sometimes even more powerful than the professional machines!
Today, most BBC computers have been replaced by PC's. I used my Beeb for the last time in 2006, and reluctantly gave all the equipment to another enthusiast. However, it's still possible to use the BBC BASIC language by using an interpreter or emulator program with a modern PC.
BBC BASIC for WINDOWS. This is an excellent modern intrepeter, which runs on all versions of Windows, from Win95 onwards, including the new MS Vista. I now use it now for most of my software development. Visit Richard Russell's website to find out more and download a trial version.
Richard provides a high level of support for his program, and there is also a very active Yahoo news group at http://bb4w.groups.yahoo.com to which Richard makes regular in depth contributions.
BBC BASIC for WINDOWS ... REVIEW. (6K) This independent review of the above program, is based on three short articles, which I wrote for AMSAT-UK's OSCAR News. It also contains an introduction to BBC BASIC. I have zipped it up for reading off-line.
BBC BASIC INTERPRETER (freeware). This is a simple BBC Basic interpreter, written by a student as a project. It runs on DOS, and most versions of Windows.
Link to a useful BBC users website. This website contains many other interpreters, emulators, and a lot of BBC software, which can be downloaded. Well worth a look.
For many years I ran the AMSAT-UK BBC Program Library. Now that I no longer have my Beeb, Eric Young G4MZX has kindly agreed to continue the library service. Eric is Life President of the Northampton Radio Club, and a keen BBC Basic enthusiast.
The program library consists of 22 disks, containing satellite tracking, decoding, packet radio, and BBC hints & tips. Most of the BBC software previously sold by AMSAT-UK, including the popular SATFOOT and PLAN13 programs by James Miller, is available. Programs previously distributed by the Wakefield BBC User's Group have also been included, when the libraries were amalgamated in 1994. You do not have to be a member of AMSAT-UK to use this facility.
PLEASE NOTE These programs are ONLY available on 5.25 inch disks, by mail order, and cannot be transmitted over the internet. The disk format is NOT compatible with a PC, and therefore cannot be read on a PC.
For further information on the BBC library, please contact Eric at xxxx.msn.com (please replace the xxx's by dituk). He is also QTHR.