[CW] Bugs on aircraft ?

[Danny Douglas]

Many government operators used bugs.  I still have mine, issued to me in 1965.  We couldnt use them on the air until we passed a test of 20 wpm or more.  All operators started out, having passed 20 or more receive, and 15 send on a straight key.  To some embassies, that was the only communications, in and out, and sometimes shifts were 10-12 hours of traffic.  Luckily, that was the time that tty was also coming online with most embassies.  Far as I know, I was setting the very last cw circuit use by the department, and it was only every day or so that any traffic was sent, and sadly, that was a manual straight key, because of ops at the other end.  

Prior to that, I was a US Army Security Agency MOS 058, Morse Intercept operator.  There, we had to copy 22 wpm to get out of school, and I, for a long time, was tied with my good friend Downey, at 32 wpm.  That was the top speed our tapes would go.  Our pictures were on the wall of fame. hehe Eventually I was copying circuits at 35-40 wpm.  Today, my fingers wont move that fast.

Oh, and I failed the initial 3 letter test, given to all army recruits at the time.  Didnt want CW, and when got to Ft. Devens, they put me into it anyway.  I already knew the code, from my Scout and ham training days.   I held my hand up and asked "what happens if we are unable to get to 5 wpm in the two weeks allowed" The answer " we will make a security guard, pole lineman or cook out of you".  That did it for me.  I went in and passed 5 that afternoon.  

N7DC at ARRL.NET
Ex WN5QMX,WA5UKR,ET2US,ET3USA,SV0WPP,VS6DD,N7DC/YV5/G5CTB
QSL Bureau, DIRECT, LOTW Preferred, eQSL used but upload at a courtesy only, as do not use the system for awards.


> On January 6, 2017 at 9:33 PM "D.J.J. Ring, Jr." <n1ea at arrl.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> Most of the Flight Radio Officers (FRO) that I knew used bugs on the
> aircraft - but these were civilian  and the traffic was higher than
> military and when you had to send anything of length you had to get it
> out fast.
> 
> All USA Flight Radio Officers had to take the 1st class telegraph
> Morse exam of 25 wpm English and 20 groups per minute alphabet cipher
> groups, so  they were of the top tier of operators.
> 
> They were all excellent operators - K2LP is one of the only FRO's that
> I know who is still with us, if I am wrong, chime  in.
> 
> 73
> DR
> 
> 
> 73
> 
> DR
> 
> On Fri, Jan 6, 2017 at 8:26 PM, Ron Youvan <ka4inm at gmail.com> wrote:
> >  Jim abqcooks--- via CW wrote:
> >
> >> This weekend I get to tour a WWII B-17 bomber.  I'm looking at pictures
> >> on the web
> >> of the radio op desk and I see a straight key.  I'm wondering if bugs
> >> were ever used on WWII aircraft.  Anyone know ?
> >
> >
> >   I don't know, but:
> >   I worked with a Ex-navy man that used a bug on the ship (he was the
> > high speed operator) that was part of the ship.  (not his)
> > --
> >   Ron  KA4INM - Youvan's corollary:
> >                 Every action results in unwanted side effects.
> >
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