[Boatanchors] Elmer

[rbethman]

It was about '71, that I learned the Baudot code.  My wife was a card 
punch operator.

We were presented an IBM 29 card punch machine.

I was able to read the cards themselves, even though the text wasn't 
printed on the top of the card.

I wasn't involved in Amateur Radio at the time.  I was in the Military, 
and since My wife was doing this for Maremount Industries, she had 
taught me how to run the machine.

I was selected to prepare our messages for FORSTAT reports, and other 
messages that were submitted from the command post to the communications 
center.

I ended up teaching a number of others how to use the IBM 29.

The FORSTAT involved the number of missiles, the number of different 
warheads, and readiness status of the Air Defense Artillery Group.

Boy, has that been a long time ago, and a blast from the past.

Each character was a combination of 5 holes in the card.

I believe I'm a bona fide Antique!

Bob - N0DGN


On 12/12/2012 9:29 AM, Bry Carling wrote:
> That's great Rick... Does anybody know of anyone who could copy RTTY in their head?
> I seem to remember meeting a guy once at a hamfest who claimed he could.
>
> There was another guy who I remember winning a code copying contest at Cedars of
> Lebanon Hamfest (TN) back in the 1980s who copied around 75 wpm in his head, May have
> been 72 wpm or so. I forget now... I dropped out after about 35-40 wpm I think.
>
> Bry AF4K
>
>