I am trying to get a continuity check from a 9v battery so I am using
a 2n3904 transistor.  The PIC is connected to the collector (as it is in
the PIC'n example).  I am getting the old floating pin deal that I am so
used to, so I tried a pull-up, but that just pulls the input pin up to
5v all the time, I can't get a 0.
    Also I can't figure out why I should use the collector for the input
pin instead of the emitter.
   And last but not least, a few months ago Alice Campbell made
reference to an IR to rs-232 dongle, but she has disappeared.  Anybody
know how to get ahold of her or the details on this dongle?