[GreenKeys] RTTY picture tapes

[jsheetz]

I see that we have a discussion going on about RTTY picture tapes!!!
Well, as some of you may know I have a collection of
about 1350 tapes which Don Royer, WA6PIR, now a
silent key, and I collected together.
   When you get a collection this large the major problem
becomes one of how to catalog them all. Don and I tried
to establish an original numbering system for all of the
tapes we had. We also produced a catalog listing of all
of our tapes both in numerical order and also grouped
into categories by "subject." I now have only a printed
copy of the catalog since the original files were on 8-inch
floppy disks on our old computers. It would be quite a
project to retype all of this info so all I have done is
think about it! I could xerox what I have.
   I am not sure how Bill Byetheway is cataloging the files
and whether or how he is screening out duplications.
When you have 20 or 30 tapes named "Snoopy" it
becomes quite a problem. And, speaking of Snoopy,
most of you may not be aware that a certain organization
got into BIG trouble by trying to give away calendars
printed with Shultz characters (which are copyrighted)
printed in pix form on top of each month.
    If anyone has any ideas on how we could catalog these
tapes once and for all I would certainly be interested.
    I specifically purchased a Hewlett-Packard 882C
printer under the premise that it could print out our long
RTTY pix. This printer is purported to be able to print
"banners" so I thought it would print out long pictures
on continuous or at least fan-fold paper. So far I have
been unable to print anything like this on my printer.
   I would appreciate hearing from anyone who might
have any constructive suggestions. Cataloging (spelling?)
is really the initial problem. The only possibly practical
method we had come up with in the past would be to
produce a "picture" catalog with a postage stamp sized
image of each picture. I did indeed produce such a
catalog many years ago when we were first getting started
but the pictures were only reduced to about ten to a page.
With over a thousand now available it is a differtent
situation. In the end I feel that visual identity is the only
satisfactory way to catalog all of the pictures.
   I must admit that I have not investigated how Bill
Byetheway identifies and catalogs his pictures. It seems
to me that he started assigning numbers as he received
them.
   I'll watch for any and all constructive criticisms or
suggestions anyone may have.   Let's hear it!

     John Sheetz, K2AGI, in New Jersey