[CW] Vibroplex Use on Ships, Coastal Radio Stations & Aircraft

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

Dennis,

I just saw your email.

Commercial radiotelegraphers adjusted their semi-automatic keys to produce
8 to 10 dots, and when they sent on their straight keys they made the dots
heavy to counteract tropical static.  I have heard from UK operators who
were seeking employment that they sent their dots too lightly and weren't
hired!

The close spacing that some Amateurs use for their semi-automatic keys
wasn't used at sea because on the average day there was enough mechanical
vibrations from the ship's engines, that the spacing had to be wider.  When
rougher weather was encountered, we learned to widen the vibrator gap even
more and lastly when we were in a violent storm we had to abandon the
Vibroplex and use a straight key - or if you had some foresight, a
sideswiper which was faster than the straight key for many operators.

73

DR
N1EA




On Thu, Mar 10, 2022 at 3:11 PM Dennis Berry <dennisberry at att.net> wrote:

> You always have fascinating stories in this forum. I have never been a
> shipboard op. But your comment here made me have to ask the question.
> Did shipboard ops learn to have the spacing wider on the bug keys to
> further compensate for ship movement?  Or was it fairly standard spacing
> for the most part as the seas were “calm” on average?  I can understand you
> comment about storing the key and only using a hand key with really rough
> seas.
> Just curious if any other adjustments to the key spacing were developed
> out of necessity
> Thanks in advance if you can reply.
>
> Dennis, NU8S
>
>
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