[Elecraft] OT-Preserving CW memories

[Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604]

   From: "Mike Morrow" <kk5f at earthlink.net>
   Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2004 12:25:51 -0600

   Howard wrote:

   >... I can only imagine what it must have been like copying
   >code on the China Clippers with early radios...

   The long-route airline aircraft of the era often had a radio operator on
   board.  He had to be licensed the same as a merchant marine radio officer,
   with at least a Second Class Radiotelegraph License (20 wpm plain language,
   16 wpm code groups), PLUS he had to have the Aircraft Radiotelegraph
   Endorsement (25 wpm plain language, 20 wpm code groups) on his license.

If you're interested in fiction about some of this, I highly recommend
_The Lost Flying Boat_ by Alan Sillitoe.  This is fiction, but as a
former radio operator himself, and a fine writer, he communicates the
magic of Morse very nicely.

After he became a successful writer, he bought a shortwave receiver so
he could just listen in becuase he enjoyed it so much.

73, doug