Trying to install (and use) an external hp DAT tape on my Linux Mint

Hi all
Recently retired and want to checkout some old DAT tapes I've accumulated over the years etc.

I've managed to find an old Xenon pc -- now running linux -- and plugged in a BusLogic scsi card (PCIe slot) -- installed what I though were the appropriate packages via software manager and so far only managed to find the unit via lssci -- ie.
david@Xenon-DS:~$ lsscsi
[0:0:0:0] disk ATA ST1000DM003-1SB1 CC43 /dev/sda
[1:0:0:0] disk ATA ST1000DM003-1CH1 CC47 /dev/sdb
[1:0:1:0] cd/dvd PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-212 1.21 /dev/sr0
[2:0:5:0] tape HP C1537A L907 /dev/st0

I can't seem to get much else when using the mt and other tar commands ?

sudo mt -f /dev/st0 rewind

sudo tar -tvf /dev/st0
tar: /dev/st0: Cannot read: Cannot allocate memory
tar: At beginning of tape, quitting now
tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now

not sure where I should go from here --- I have a number of older PCI scsi cards I could try ?
or do I need to install some drivers explicitly into the kernel (?)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated !