[Elecraft] Bug ID

[Fred Jensen]

With the long (and somewhat forked) thread on SKN, I'm hoping someone 
can lay a small uncertainty in my mind to rest:

Many years ago, around the time that Marconi was still in short pants, 
and I was about 15 (I did not ever date Marconi's sister since radio 
nerds didn't do much dating), I saved some money and purchased a very 
proletarian-looking WW2 bug at Sam's Surplus Sales on Pico Blvd in Los 
Angeles.  I think I might have paid $6.00 or so for it.  It had a 
painted black base, a somewhat more angular frame than a Vibroplex, a 
few spots of peeling chrome plate, three or four rubber feet, and the 
metal tag on it said it was manufactured by Lionel (of model train fame, 
I assumed).  For some reason, I thought it was a "Key, Radiotelegraph, 
Semiautomatic -- J-36".

I used it as a senior in HS when I had a job as a relief operator at a 
coastal marine station.  It disappeared in Korat Thailand after I had 
had a 6-week run as HS1FJ and then got redeployed on very short notice 
to a new team near Da Nang in the mid-60's.  I liked it better than any 
Vibroplex because I could actually get the dot speed down to match my 
sending speed without a string of alligator clips on the armature. 
Someone in the SKN thread mentioned the J-36 as a straight key and I'm 
wondering if anyone knows what the nomenclature for my Lionel bug was. 
I wouldn't mind finding one to buy too.

Merry Christmas to all, I'll probably get some time in on SKN with my 
K2/100.

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw