[CW] Re: [NoGaQRP] Fwd: [BrassPounders] Interesting subject!!

[Donald Chester]

>But the Californian's receiver used a magnetic detector, which had to be 
>wound up periodically, like
>an old-time phonograph. The officer forgot to wind up the detector, and so 
>heard nothing at all.
>
>73 de Jim, N2EY


So that's what they were talking about in the late 50's version of 
"Titanic," which has a scene in the radio room and one of the ops mentions 
"winding up the detector."

That was probably the most authentic film version of the story.  The radio 
transmitter is shown in operation and actually sounds like a spark rig.  
There is a very chilling scene at the end, when the ship begins its final 
plunge.  The people remaining on board scream in unison, sounding very much 
like the reaction you hear in a packed stadium during a sports event when a 
team scores a goal or a foul is called.  That's undoubtedly exactly what it 
sounded like on the Titanic.


There was a network TV version of the story that came out shortly after the 
recent Leorardo DiCaprio film, in which the Morse code signals in the radio 
room sounded identical to modern CW on a receiver using a BFO.  I was 
disappointed in the DeCaprio film, in that there was no scene actually 
showing the transmitter in action.

Don K4KYV

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