[CW] Morse signals that used to be

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

You will hear mention in 1938 of both "starting signals" in this recording
put on tape
https://archive.org/details/maritimemorsememories/Hobart_Spark_1938.MP3#

Remember at the time upstate New York State was in the 8th call district.

Also notice in 1938 "QST" was used as it was then both commercially and
amateur use for "General Call" later replaced by "CQ."

The original recording is over 80 years old.

73
DR

On Sun, Feb 14, 2021 at 7:02 PM Darrel <demerson2718 at gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> In my youth, I was considering a career as a marine radio operator. My
> life took a different turn, but in my much-thumbed 1961 copy of "Handbook
> for Radio Operators", published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, it
> similarly defines "-.-.-" as "Commencing Signal."
>
> That brings up another, historical note.  When I was first licensed back
> in 1964 as G3SYS, it was usual to begin a transmission on the ham bands
> with "...-." or [VE].  Almost everybody, at least in the south of England
> did.  As you know, and can see from the above ITU Morse definition, [VE]
> now means "Understood".  I recently tried to follow up how or why it had
> changed.  I found the following, from a 1937 edition of "Signals", a
> publication for the British Royal Navy.
>
> Under "PROCEDURE SIGNS" on the left page, it lists "...-." as GENERAL CALL.
>
> I've since acquired a 1946 edition of the same, published by "His
> Majesty's Stationery Office", which includes the same definition of [VE].
> I've found that the Canadian Navy used the same publication.  However, in a
> 1955 edition of the same publication, [VE] has been removed.   At the time
> I was first licensed, there were many ex British armed forces operators on
> the ham bands, and so I'm presuming that this armed forces use of [VE] got
> taken over into the ham bands.  Years later, I was surprised to find that
> nobody in the USA knew of that meaning of [VE].
> ========================================================
>
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