[CW] Another bug weight question

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D.J.J. Ring, Jr." <n1ea at arrl.net>
To: "Richard Knoppow" <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>; "CW 
Reflector" <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 04, 2014 8:50 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] Another bug weight question


> Richard,
>
> You always amaze me with your observations and descriptive 
> vocabulary.  It
> isn't every day, an occasion comes up to use bi-conical, 
> never mind pine
> cone or balsam.
>
> I would think the vibrations, caused by resonances, 
> pounding pistons,
> battering winds and slapping hulls against waves would 
> never have a great
> effect on the slope of the sides of the bored out hole on 
> a pendulum weight.
>
> I think it's much more likely that the "by feel method" of 
> inserting the
> weight over the end of the vibrator rod, it softened the 
> shoulder each
> time, each time in a different position, eventually, 
> making a near perfect
> circle, flanging it gently with each insertion?
>
> Does your key have the smaller contacts of the older 
> telegraph landline
> models, or the stouter "radio model" that had heavier 
> contacts.
>
> Most of my 1910-1930 keys are landline keys, most newer 
> ones were radio
> models.
>
> At some time Vibroplex stopped offering heavier contacts 
> as an option.
>
> Now the shorting switch is no longer being made, it was 
> used by railroad
> landline operators to close the circuit when not in use. 
> The operator
> actually had to break the circuit to start communications. 
> The sounders
> would all drop in all the stations on the line, so they 
> knew someone would
> start sending.  The lighter contacts weighed less and made 
> a snappy crisp
> action.
>
> Anyone else have a theory of the widening of the holes in 
> the weights?
>
> Perhaps a musical composition rivaling the music of the 
> spheres?
>
> Wishing you all a bi-conical ice cream cone evening.
>
> 73
>
> DR

    Thank you David. Yes this key has contacts the same size 
as my newest Vibroplex which dates from 1961 from its serial 
number.  It was probably a wire key. I looked at the weights 
again just a moment ago to make sure I had not mistaken the 
shape of the holes, they are indeed bi-conical.  If the set 
screws are loosened the flop back and forth. Its not just 
that the hole is too large, its close to the right size in 
the center.  Of course, there is no way of knowing if the 
weights are original to this key.
     I associate "bi-conical" mostly with antennas.  Its a 
way of broadening out the bandwidth of an antenna without 
much affecting its impedance.  Bi-conical antennas were very 
common for both HF and UHF.
   I have never seen a bi-conical ice-cream cone but I 
suppose one could do it.  You would have to eat at least 
half of it fast to prevent its falling out.  OTOH, two 
people could eat, one from each end, maybe a new way of 
meeting girls.


--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles
WB6KBL
dickburk at ix.netcom.com