[GreenKeys] AP Model 15 longevity

[telegrapher at att.net]

Several of the radio stations, police departments and Sheriff's offices 
in western Kansas had 28's along with the National Weather Service (at 
100 WPM) and the KHP network also 100 wpm IIRC.  Only time i went to the 
radio stations was when they tore off the paper, with the lid open and 
then closed the lid causing the paper to get eaten up by the printing 
mech. Why they had to lift the lid and then tear off the paper i never 
figured out.  They didn't care so long as they got their current news 
print.  Actually they would read the same news over and over till i 
could get out and clean out the machine.  Never got called during the 
day though, always at night after i'd went to bed.  Then it was a drive 
to the shop, pick up spare printer and tools, drive 1-2 hours out in the 
country, clean or replace printer depending on how bad it looked, then 
drive back to the shop and then home.  By that time it was almost time 
to get up and go back to work.  Sometimes i didn't get to go home, it 
was just stay at work for the day.  Otherwise they ran forever.

The machines at the Nat'l Wx service were another story.  I can remember 
spending hours there after midnight at least once a week curing problems 
with their machines.  100 Wpm really beat them up.  Really glad when 
they went to Model 40's.

Larry
W0OGH


sdaitch at mor.ibb.gov wrote:

> Larry,
> 
> interesting about:
> 
> e.. 28 - 1950s - regarded as the most rugged machine Teletype ever built
> 
> When I came to work with the AP, I had asked why they were still using the M-15 series, when the 28 had been out for many years, and the story I was told is the AP had tested M-28s and found they would not hold up under 24/7 use as a wire service machine.  
> 
> I never worked on a M-28, but I have used them, we had many of them at VOA, before we went to the Extel systems, but seems the M-28 have a lot more moving parts, and I always thought tighter tolerances, therefore they might not run as long in continuous service.  I hope someone who knows both machines, from a mechanical standpoint, can add to this.
> 
> 73
> Sheldon
> WA4MZZ
> 
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