[ARC5] US Morse Exam History...Commercial versus mateur (OT)

[Mike Everette]

I have a keyer, but don't use it much... a Hallicrafters HA-1, with a Vibroplex Virokeyer paddle which is the only kind I've ever been able to sort-of master.  

On Field Day, it is quite handy to use a bug -- my weapon of choice -- and be able to send slower using the Dah-side as a straight key, in the event of QRM or a doofus operator on the other end whose "morse reader" is confounded by the bug.

My most recent "large" hamfest purchase was a brand new Blue Racer.  Lovely!

73

Mike
W4DSE


--- On Fri, 12/21/12, Kenneth G. Gordon <kgordon2006 at frontier.com> wrote:

> From: Kenneth G. Gordon <kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] US Morse Exam History...Commercial versus mateur (OT)
> To: "Geoff" <geoffrey at jeremy.mv.com>
> Cc: Arc5 at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Friday, December 21, 2012, 6:41 PM
> Well, I used the VLF Navy stations,
> NPM, NPG, NSS, and especially NLK at 
> Jim Creek, Washington when they were sending 5-letter code
> groups at 
> something like 25 WPM, to get my code speed up.
> 
> I sure miss that stuff. It was perfect practice, perfectly
> sent and was there 
> 24/7/365 into Missoula, Montana from NLK on 24.8 KHz, as I
> remember it.
> 
> I used an RAK-7 as my receiver then.
> 
> I was very sorry when the Navy went to TTY at VLF.
> 
> On 21 Dec 2012 at 18:08, Geoff wrote:
> 
> > I still have that Vibroplex and would be embarassed to
> get on the air
> > with it after decades of electronic keyers but still
> can handle 30-35
> > wpm at age 72.
> 
> I have never been able to train myself to use a keyer,
> although I tried very 
> hard. I still use the 1936 "MacKey" McElroy bug that an
> Elmer gave me in 
> about 1960. I work very hard to send as perfect CW as I can
> with it.
> 
> 35 WPM is about my maximum speed for 100% copy when
> receiving, 
> although I can copy faster than that in my head when just
> listening.
> 
> I have an old friend, Bill Smith W7GHT, who can copy upwards
> of 60 WPM 
> with no trouble. Durihng WWII, he could copy 60 WPM RTTY in
> his head. He 
> is around 90 years old now, and still never misses a note.
> 
> I am REALLY sorry I let my 2nd Telegraph lapse... :-(
> 
> Ken W7EKB
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