[ARC5] SG Keying of ARC-5 Tx

[Jim Wiley]

I passed my Extra CW exam in 1973 or thereabouts, in front of the FCC 
examiner (the EIC) at the Anchorage office.


I had read that supposedly it was permissible to use a keyer and paddle 
for the sending part of the code test.


I called the local EIC and asked him if I could use a keyer, and he said 
"as long as it was manually operated and does not have any memories, you 
can use your own keyer."


"Thank you".    I replied.

Several weeks passed.   I practiced  using CW from station KPH, which 
sent the day's news at 24 WPM,  at midnight,  local time.
Best code practice ever, because you could read the newspaper to check 
your copy, and the 24 WPM speed was enough of a "push" to create a 
safety margin.

The big day finally arrived.  I trundled down to the local FCC office. 
only to discover that the EIC (John Phillips, KL7RI) was out of the 
office.  As it turned out, his clerk ran the code test using a prepared 
tape.

My "copy"  was just a ball of letters on the page, no spaces between 
words or sentences, and  would be graded later.

Then,  it was time for the sending test.

The sending text was done with me setting up an old Curtis 440 keyer and 
paddle, and flailing away until I had sent the required text.   The 
audio sidetone from the  keyer was recorded on the same tape recorder.

Passed that too.  I found out a couple of days later I had passed both 
parts of the 20 WPM exam.

I happened across the EIC a few days later, and he commented that I had 
the best  "fist" he had ever heard!   I think he had forgotten about the 
keyer.     Good joke!

- Jim, KL7CC


On 11/21/2016 7:32 AM, D C _Mac_ Macdonald wrote:
>
> Back in the days when Morse was required to get a ham license and 
> SENDING was also required, you could take your own "bug" OR your own 
> personal key to the exam!
>
>
> 73 - Mac, K2GKK/5 in OKC
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* ARC5 <arc5-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of Kenneth G. 
> Gordon <kgordon2006 at frontier.com>
> *Sent:* Monday, November 21, 2016 10:21
> *To:* ARC5 at mailman.qth.net
> *Subject:* Re: [ARC5] SG Keying of ARC-5 Tx
> On 20 Nov 2016 at 21:48, K5MYJ wrote:
>
> > The BC-375 was a LIASON SET!. It was made for CW and AM. But most 
> service
> > was done using CW. By a RADIO OPERATOR, not a pilot flying the aircraft.
> >
> > The radio operators could use a bug if they wanted to but they had to
> > furnish their own bug.
>
> Which brings up an interesting point: where were the J-36 Military 
> bugs used and how were
> they procured?
>
> Ken W7EKB

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