[CW] Russian Cootie Bug

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Enclosed is a document written by Lery, UA3AO a former Soviet Merchant
Marine Radio Officer and historian of Soviet and Russian radiotelegraphy
equipment .

A quote from the beginning of the document is included here as a brief
summary of what is in the document.

Photographs of three existing examples of this Cootie-bug which was used
from even before WWII by elite Soviet radiotelegraphers.

The benefits are obvious.  You can see this key in operation here :
https://youtu.be/9g6z7-d1fiI

A preview of the beginning of the document is pasted below.

73

DR
N1EA

The Semi-automatic key with two dash levers, The Cootie Bug WITH "COOTIE
DASHER"


If semi-automatic Cootie Bug and even automatic keys, are studied in all
their myriad constructed options, from 1904 to the present day, then the
Cootie Bug with “cootie dasher”, that is with two dash levers, which when
alternately pressing the index finger to the left, then to the right,
producing a nearly uniform sequence of dashes, is practically unknown to
the world.


Such a Cootie Bug actually exists and it was made in the beginning of the
World War II (or as it is called in Russia, the “Great Patriotic War” (i.e.
World War 2)  in the solely for use on communication lines of the special
services which had the most skilled radiotelegraphists on the circuits.


Advantages of semi-automatic with two levers are obvious - it exhibits a
noticeable improvement of the timing of the dash.


At medium operating speeds of 130-160 characters per minute transmission
(26 to 32 wpm) on the Cootie Bug with two levers is  indistinguishable
by ear from a transmission using the electronic keyer, indicating a high
quality of transmission in the absence of "Handwriting", or peculiarities
in the sending,  which could identify a certain operator.
This "Handwriting" is called an operator's "fist" in English.
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