[CW] Pounding Brass

Wed, 3 Sep 2003 21:09:21 -0400

Spark produced "damped waves", later improvements such as Arc and high
frequency (still rather low!) Alexanderson Alternators mad by General
Electric produced "continuous wave", as did vacuum tube oscillators and
later transistorized ones.  Spark had a modulation on it - usually 120 Hz or
440 Hz - this modulation permitted galena crystal detectors to receive it
and the operator to hear it using high impedance (sensitive) headphones.

CW is not morse code - it is a type of emission.  CW includes those
emissions of arc, alternator and electronic oscillators.

Spark was outlawed before WW2, but continued to be allowable for distress
(emergency only) craft - or for use in a distress.

I heard spark being used in the 1980s in such a use.  It was broad as a
barn.  Ships often kept old equipment for use in an SOS.

I was on a ship that had a crystal detector radio for use in emergency and
an emergency spark radio for 500 kHz (600 meters) distress use.
Distress signals were authorized A2 emission (modulated and keyed
telegraphy) so that crystal sets and distress alarm receivers that responded
ONLY to signals with modulation on them (uch as spark) could be detected.
It was highly doubtfull that anyone used the crystal sets in the 1990s, but
the modulation-only alarm receivers were still in use as late as 1999.

73

DR

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard" <[email protected]>
To: "Lawrence Makoski" <[email protected]>
Cc: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 8:12 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] Pounding Brass

> Good point Larry. The other thing is the specious use of the comparison of
Morse to "spark gap", Morse is just a mode, spark gap would be the
equivalent of arguing about the hardware and how CW should be sent. I wish I
had a dollar for every time I've seen someone try this tactic!  It could be
sent by flashing lights, horns etc. It is not a valid comparison. I think
this fellow's call sign holds some subliminal truths! (-: The "old fart"
remark places this fellow's credibility at the bottom of the long
list........
>
>
>
>
> Richard. VE3MFN
>
> VE3MFN
>
> Lawrence Makoski <[email protected]> wrote:
> And could we please refrain from the "old fart" comments. I, for one, am
> a Morse Code enthusiast; and I'm only 46 years old. I resent the term
> "old fart" as it keeps appearing on reference to those who favor using
> Morse Code. I do not refer to those who do NOT like the code in nay
> derogatory manner; and I would appreciate the same consideration.
>
> 73 de Larry W2LJ - Vivat Morse!
>
> [email protected]
> http://www.qsl.net/w2lj
>
> ARRL Lifemember QRP ARCI #4488 NJQRP #47
> FISTS #1469 QRP-L #778 FP #612 QRPp-I #759
> ARS #1528 --- K1 #1647
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Toepfer"
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2003 6:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [CW] Pounding Brass
>
>
> > ---WB8NUT
>
> > > . It time ham radio kept up with the times instead of
> > > trying to have old fart hams continually try to relive
> > > ham radio's glory days with code.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> CW mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Post your free ad now! Yahoo! Canada Personals
>
>
> --- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
> multipart/alternative
>   text/plain (text body -- kept)
>   text/html
> The reason this message is shown is because the post was in HTML
> or had an attachment.  Attachments are not allowed.  To learn how
> to post in Plain-Text go to: http://www.expita.com/nomime.html  ---
> _______________________________________________
> CW mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
>