[GreenKeys] RE: MORSE code
S. Dashiell Hammett
s_dashiell_hammett at hotmail.com
Mon Mar 6 19:43:28 EST 2006
I read the two emails on morse code and not using it in military service. I
would hate to see that as any kind of argument against retaining the code.
We have already dumped technical competancy, real time station inspections,
log keeping and in general the gentleman's behavior that was as important
years ago. Today its all about agressive, cut to the chase, win at all
costs, show the bigger hammer ... etc. etc.
I spent 10 years in the service and used the code all the time. Inside
Vietnam it gave me a fast, low key way to get strategic information to
communications stations and all monitored their assigned frequencies even if
no one was doing much sending. Twice it saved my life. Outside of the NVM
areas code was regularly used to coordinate traffic snarls and obtain better
routing codes, correct gunfire support, pick up message resends as well as
assist in adjusting ingoing resources such as hospital ship pick-ups and
infantry replenishments.
I see no current practices in amateur radio that are any less vulnerable to
criticism. Katrina demonstrated that all organizations simply existed on
paper their energies previous to the hurricane focused on money, power &
position and everything but the publics own good was patronized. If
signaling methods, demonstrated technical comptetance, real time station
inspections, etc. etc. are obsolete, then welcome Mr. Cell Phone. I vote
disband the amateur service and let people who can really make a difference
in times of disaster have those frequencies. The amateurs certainly don't
want it.
Let's call a spade a spade and move on.
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2006 20:08:14 +0000
From: Bob McConnell <rmcconne at lightlink.com>
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Re: MORSE code
To: Teletype Friends <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Message-ID: <440B452E.9050206 at lightlink.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Don Robert House wrote:
>For what its worth,
>
>I know several Amateurs that passed their MORSE exams and have never used
>it since, not one single time. If I had better hearing and it did not
>give me a headache every time I tried it would be different. It is very
>hard to differentiate the tones when my ears ring all the time. If I try
>again, it will be with someone helping me with both a flashing light and a
>tone sequence at the same time. If the headaches return forget it.
I had to learn Morse to get into the US Navy Radio School in 1970. After
sitting in front of an Olivetti typewriter 40 hours a week for three
weeks learning how to type 40 words a minute, we put on headphones and
started typing the code lessons. We didn't get out of there until we
could send and receive 16 WPM, another three weeks for most of us. In
the remaining seven years I was a radioman, I used Morse exactly once,
via sonar, in an ASW exercise. As part of the drill, we had to exchange
ten messages with a sub. Unfortunately, the sub was close to a hard
bottom, so the echo made it impossible to copy. I never did hear any CW
on a radio during my 3 1/2 years on a destroyer. Nor did I ever find a
key in that radio shack. On the other hand, we had more crypto equipment
than TTYs. We could encrypt two UHF voice circuits.
Today, learning Morse code to get any license is about as useful as
having to learn calligraphy before you can use a work processor. Yes,
you might actually chose to use it, but what does it really gain you?
On top of everything else, my Tech Plus license was downgraded to Tech
when I last renewed it. If I ever do find a reason to take the General
Exam, I need to turn in either my initial Novice license, or my first
Tech license to the VE to prove I have already passed the Morse requirement.
Bob McConnell
N2SPP
------------------------------
Message: 11
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2006 20:02:48 -0600
From: Don Robert House <drhouse at nadcomm.com>
Subject: [GreenKeys] Re: NAVY MORSE code
To: Bob McConnell <rmcconne at lightlink.com>
Cc: Evan Evans <evan at bridgeportmfg.com>, Patrick Grieshop
<vp16vp16vp16 at cox.net>, Ray Sturch <sturch10 at cox.net>, Gene Troemel
<troemel2 at comcast.net>, Dave WG9J Alm <dfalm1 at ameritech.net>, Bob
Liddy <k8bl at ameritech.net>, John Pierson <thepfarm at earthlink.net>, Jim
Harvey <wb8nbs at prodigy.net>, Jerry Crispino <jcrisp001 at logical.net>,
JAMES MAHONEY <jicymahon at sbcglobal.net>, Ron Joyner
<Ronjoyner1 at bellsouth.net>, David Reid <w6kl at pacbell.net>, Teletype
Friends <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>, Jim Carlson
<james.carlson at mail.va.gov>, Bill Sherman <billin643 at comcast.net>
Message-ID: <E8BEA1A6-149F-4732-A489-6C7E735486E9 at nadcomm.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Good story Bob,
When I was going through AT "A" school at NATTC Memphis in
Millington, TN we had several ATNs go through MORSE training. The
instructor loved CW. He could stand at a chalk board and copy code
from two sources, one in each ear, and write out the messages on the
board.
When I completed ATS phase my rate was changed to AX and I then went
to ASW operators school in Norfolk. Finally I arrived at my first
duty station VP-16 at NAS Jacksonville. After a month I made AX3 and
after one year I earned my aircrew wings. In over 1,000 hours of
flying in both P2V Neptunes and P3A Orions I remember only one
occasion when our radioman "Spongee" used CW. All of us techs on the
crew, including our electrician, took turns on the radio. You could
go stark raving mad listening to HF hiss for 10-13 hours at a time.
The AN/ARC-94 and upward were all Collins 618T models. A very
dependable series of transceivers. We had both overhead and trailing
wire antennas. Encoded SSB voice was the mode used about 98 percent
of the time, and this was 1963 to 1965.
When I was transferred to the ASCAC on the USS Randolph CVS-15 we had
an AN/ARC-97 installed in our space to talk directly to S2F
technicians and some of the helo techs that operated dipping SONAR
(Not a good assignment.) When the air traffic controllers needed to
reach an aircraft and were having problems with the ships radios they
would come to our space and use our ARC-97. This is quite a
testament to the Collins 618T. I worked on a lot of gear in the Navy
and operated even more, but we hardly ever had a failure with a
618T. I have a "Navy" key from an old friend that was used on
Spangle One, our call sign. When talking to the Air Force we were
always "NAVY 151385."
Does everyone out there know why a "Navy" key is designed the way it
is? I suppose so...
Thanks for your post.
Don
K9TTY
On 5 Mar 2006, at 2:08 PM, Bob McConnell wrote:
Don Robert House wrote:
>For what its worth,
>I know several Amateurs that passed their MORSE exams and have never used
>it since, not one single time. If I had better hearing and it did not
>give me a headache every time I tried it would be different. It is very
>hard to differentiate the tones when my ears ring all the time. If I try
>again, it will be with someone helping me with both a flashing light and
>a tone sequence at the same time. If the headaches return forget it.
I had to learn Morse to get into the US Navy Radio School in 1970.
After sitting in front of an Olivetti typewriter 40 hours a week for
three weeks learning how to type 40 words a minute, we put on
headphones and started typing the code lessons. We didn't get out of
there until we could send and receive 16 WPM, another three weeks for
most of us. In the remaining seven years I was a radioman, I used
Morse exactly once, via sonar, in an ASW exercise. As part of the
drill, we had to exchange ten messages with a sub. Unfortunately, the
sub was close to a hard bottom, so the echo made it impossible to
copy. I never did hear any CW on a radio during my 3 1/2 years on a
destroyer. Nor did I ever find a key in that radio shack. On the
other hand, we had more crypto equipment than TTYs. We could encrypt
two UHF voice circuits.
Today, learning Morse code to get any license is about as useful as
having to learn calligraphy before you can use a work processor. Yes,
you might actually chose to use it, but what does it really gain you?
On top of everything else, my Tech Plus license was downgraded to
Tech when I last renewed it. If I ever do find a reason to take the
General Exam, I need to turn in either my initial Novice license, or
my first Tech license to the VE to prove I have already passed the
Morse requirement.
Bob McConnell
N2SPP
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End of GreenKeys Digest, Vol 26, Issue 5
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