The Elenco Electronics Microcomputer System 6802D5 (often simply called the 6802D5) is a single-board educational trainer and microcomputer kit released in the late 1970s / early 1980s. Designed around the Motorola 6802 microprocessor, it was marketed as an affordable learning tool for students, hobbyists, and engineers to study microprocessor architecture, assembly language programming, and interfacing. It was part of Elenco's line of electronics training kits and was widely used in technical schools and vocational programs.
Elenco Electronics, Inc. (later Elenco Electronics / Snap Circuits) was a Chicago-area company specializing in educational electronics kits since the 1970s. They focused on affordable, hands-on trainers for schools and hobbyists. The 6802D5 was one of their flagship microprocessor trainers, built around the popular Motorola 6802 CPU, and came with extensive lab manuals and experiments.
Introduced around 1979–1980 as a kit (~$150–$200 assembled), the 6802D5 was sold through electronics catalogs, school suppliers, and magazines like Radio-Electronics. It was positioned as a step up from simpler trainers like the Heathkit ET-3400, offering more memory and a built-in monitor. Production continued into the mid-1980s, with thousands sold to educational institutions.
The 6802D5 used the Motorola MC6802 microprocessor. Key features included:
Compact blue or black case with front-panel controls; no video output standard (optional add-on).
The built-in 2 KB ROM contained a monitor program for hex entry, memory examination, execution, and single-step debugging. Some units included a Tiny BASIC interpreter for immediate programming. Users entered 6802 machine code or assembly via keypad. The trainer included extensive lab manuals with experiments on interfacing LEDs, switches, DACs/ADCs, and simple control systems. Elenco published additional course books for classroom use.
The 6802D5 was widely used in technical schools, vocational programs, and by hobbyists learning the Motorola 6800/6802 architecture. Its all-in-one trainer design, breadboard area, and low cost made it a favorite for hands-on microprocessor education. While less famous than the KIM-1 or Heathkit ET-3400, it trained thousands of students in assembly and interfacing. Surviving units are collectible, with modern enthusiasts adding expansions (e.g., serial ports, more RAM) and emulators preserving its educational value. The 6802D5 represents Elenco's contribution to vocational computing education in the early microprocessor era.