[CW] cw Yak

[mikea]

On Tue, Apr 08, 2008 at 09:03:45AM -0500, David Ring wrote:
> Nice Story, Danny.  I remember the ETM2B keyer, I saw one in 1980 in
> the Rotterdam Bootlek (tax free seaman's store) and I was amazed that
> they had one.  I guess they liked the Sparks that shopped at the
> store!  The manager told me that until recently they sold Vibroplex,
> but recently discovered that the Sparks wanted a keyer.  I wasn't sure
> if the unit would take the 180 volt 300 amp keyline of our USA
                             ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> ITT/Mackay transmitters, so I didn't buy one, and when I got to
> Germany I asked about getting a semi-automatic key in Bremmerhaven,
> but it would require a 100 mile trip to get one!

Wow! 54 KW of power through the cathode. That's a spicy meatball!

> So I kept pounding out long (800 word) messages every few days with
> the little blue boxed J38 that ITT/Mackay supplied the ship!
> 
> My hand got sore!

No wonder. 

I have to read what you wrote as 180V 300mA, David. 300A just seems 
... excessive. 

Heard the story about the guy taking the sending part of the First
Telegraph exam with a ratty old FCC-supplied J-38, wher the FCC examiner
kept telling him, "Faster ... faster ... a little faster"? He finished
with sweat dripping off him and his arm about to fall off his shoulder,
and remarked to the examiner that 25 wpm was much harder than he had
found it during his practice sessions. "I had you up to 37 wpm at the
end", the examiner told him. "I wanted to see how fast you could go."

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin