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

[Richard Knoppow]

     Interesting but I wonder about the number of dots. 
Somewhere, perhaps in a military handbook, I read that a properly 
adjusted key should produce at least 15 dots of reasonable 
spacing. My experience is that if there is some energy loss 
somewhere the key will produce fewer dots. The number of dots of 
course depends on the amount of energy imparted to the vibrator 
and that depends on the amount of swing the lever gives to the 
vibrator. The larger the displacement of the lever, as set by the 
stop, the more energy is imparted to the vibrator and the more 
dots it will produce. This is within some limits because if the 
displacement is too large the dots become irregular for some reason.
    It is interesting to tilt the key to see how much difference 
it makes. If tilted in the direction the dot paddle moves it, 
counter clockwise on a normal right -handed key, of course it 
will move the vibrator toward the dot contact. Eventually if you 
tilt it far enough it will hit the contact and of course will not 
vibrate. Tilted in the other direction it will reach a point 
where the vibrator just doesn't vibrate because it is locked to 
the stop. I find the amount of tilt either way is not very large. 
To a limited degree the tilt can be compensated by compressing 
the dot spring. I mean the coil spring that regulates the amount 
of force it takes to move the lever toward the dot side, not the 
U spring on the dot contact, which is not adjustable.
     I have never operated a key on board ship but it seems to me 
that the ship would not have to roll very much to make a bug 
useless. Its been too long since I read the mail on commercial 
stations and ships to remember what I heard exactly. But from my 
little experiment just now I suspect a sideswiper is a better 
choice for use on board ship. I suspect that no adjustment can 
make a bug work on a strongly rolling ship.
    I will of course take Dave's opinion over mine on this since 
he has the experience and I am mostly guessing.

On 3/20/2022 12:26 PM, Edward Tanton wrote:
> Interesting David!!!
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device
> 
> 
> -------- Original message --------
> From: "D.J.J. Ring, Jr." <n1ea at arrl.net>
> Date: 3/20/22 12:40 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: CW Reflector <cw at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [CW] Vibroplex Use on Ships, Coastal Radio Stations 
> & Aircraft
> 
> 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 
> <mailto: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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> =30=

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL