[Elecraft] Samuel Morse's birthday (Friday, April 27th); good excuse to break out your old hand keys

[Fred Jensen]

Ahh yes, if life were fair, it would be the American Vail Code.  Unlike 
Sam, Alfred had access to the family machine shop, was an accomplished 
machinist, and could build just about anything.  He even crafted his 
code so the most prevalent letters in English have the shortest codes.

In the mid 19th century, a wagon train was formed [in St Joseph MO, I 
think] for the trip to California led by a fellow named Donner.  It was 
a hugely dysfunctional group from the start, a homicide before they left 
and several more on the way.  Unlike the others, they managed to tee off 
the Paiute Chief near Pyramid Lake in NV, split up amid huge arguments, 
and, without guides [pissed off Chief, remember] were wiped out in the 
winter snows crossing the Sierra Nevada.

Conversely, the Stephens group, formed up, made good time, followed the 
advice of the Paiute guides provided by the Chief, and arrived in 
Sacramento with more people than when they left [several babies born on 
the way].  They spread out over northern and central California, were 
instrumental in founding several towns which became cities today, were 
active in government, and began some of the agricultural industry that 
marks the Central Valley today.  Legend has it that Stevens Creek in San 
Jose is named for their leader, misspelling his name in the process, 
although that may be urban legend too.

So what is the pass over the Sierra Nevada [originally the Lincoln Hwy, 
then US40, and now I-80] named for?  If life were fair, it would be 
Stephens Pass with Stephens Lake at it's eastern base, after a truly 
successful example of the western migration.  But life is rarely fair 
and it's Donner Pass and Donner Lake, named after the dysfunctional 
party racked by homicides, dumb decisions and, it is alleged, 
cannibalism, in a futile attempt to survive the winter.  Alfred Vail is 
not alone.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 4/27/2018 4:55 AM, Chris R. NW6V wrote:
> Good Idea Wayne!
>
> And I'll remind the assembled masses that the unsung hero in the story of
> Morse code was a fellow named Alfred Vail - who played Wozniak to Morse's
> "Steve Jobs." Vail pretty much invented the dash-dot code as we know it, as
> well as the hand key. But it's Morse's name, as owner of the company that
> paid for it, on the patents. Sic transit Gloria.
>
> Searching archives, I found a note where Morse urged Vail to increase the
> spacing between the characters he was sending because they were running
> together. Imagine that! Morse was the first guy ever to complain about
> somebody's fist!
>
> 73 Chris NW6V
>