[GreenKeys] Teletype House Call

[Richard Dillman]

When's the last time you had a house call from a Teletype repairman?  Not recently, I'll wager.  But that's just what we had last Saturday at KSM.

In response to my message to the Greenkeys list George Hutchinson packed up his Teletype tools and drove down to KSM from his home in Sequim, WA.  He and Rich McClung showed up at about 1pm ready for business.

First the problem with the Model 28ASR was addressed.  George quickly unlocked the keyboard (the original problem) and then spent almost two hours removing the typing unit, lubricating everything, cleaning contacts, reassembling the machine and giving it a tune up.  By the end of that process it was running sweet at 60wmp and 100wpm, maintaining lock even being fed a significantly distorted signal.

The next item was the Model 28KSR that we plan to use as one end of a land line order wire between transmitting and receiving stations.  This unit worked but just barely.  George looked it over and declared that the typing unit should be swapped with one from a Model 20RO we had on hand that was in great shape.  The new typing unit got the usual lubrication and tune up before being placed in the 20KSR.  It too now ran very sweetly at both 100wpm and 60wpm.

Rich and I agreed that it was a real pleasure to watch a master at work.  Clearly, George knows Teletypes inside and out, a skill that comes only with long experience.

After several hours work George packed his tools and test gear saying "my work is done here."  The three of us went to the Station House Cafe in Point Reyes Station for a dinner that couldn't be beat.  We agreed it was a great day before parting ways. 

Naturally such an event deserves photodocumentation so here are some photos.

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George beams with anticipation at having two Model 28s to work on:

http://www.radiomarine.org/TTY/TTY-002.jpg

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A careful adjustment is made to the perforator:

http://www.radiomarine.org/TTY/TTY-003.jpg

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The typing unit out for lubrication and adjustment:

http://www.radiomarine.org/TTY/TTY-005.jpg

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The Model 28RO running well:

http://www.radiomarine.org/TTY/TTY-004.jpg

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A video of the Model 28RO being tested at 100wpm:

http://www.radiomarine.org/TTY/TTY-008.avi 

Thanks very much to George and Rich for generously making their time and skills available to help the MRHS move toward another goal.  Once we have the TTY land line link working between the two stations it will be another step back in time to the days when such links were common.  When that link is inaugurated - this year we hope - we'll be communicating the way transmitting and receiving stations did in the golden years.

VY 73,

RD



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Richard Dillman, W6AWO
Chief Operator, Coast Station KSM
Maritime Radio Historical Society
http://www.radiomarine.org
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