[GreenKeys] series of "N"'s

[Wa3frp]

Joe, 

Is it possible that you were filing messages via the Japanese Trading Company Telex machine using the Western Union InfoMaster Computer Service, dial number 6111?

In most cases ZCZC as a Start of Message Indicator and NNNN and an End of Message Indicator were not used when dialing from one Telex terminal to another.  Use of tape transmission on Telex was encouraged as message charges were based on transmission time.  However it was common to chain multiple messages after making sure that you were correctly connected to the destination Telex machine by tripping the answerback at both the beginning and end of transmission. 

The InfoMaster Computer allowed the originating terminal to send messages going to varied destinations, such as distant Telex and Bell System TWX machines, the Western Union Mailgram system (pseudo -telegram delivered by the US Post Office usually the next day) and physical delivery Telegrams. It was handy when you had a lot of stuff going to different destinations, sometimes the same message going to multiple Telex terminals.  Does this sound familiar?

73
Russ WA3FRP
------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:12:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: "k0bx at arrl.net" <k0bx at arrl.net>
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] series of "N"'s
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Message-ID: <1313413959.63892.YahooMailRC at web82807.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

After I got out of the Navy (1966-1970) I went to college and worked part-time 
as a teletypest for Japanese Trading Company.
One of the teletype machines I used was a Model 32ASR setup for TELEX service 
from Western Union.

We were exporting F-4 jet's from McDonnell Douglas to the Japanese Air Force.  
TELEX was a dialup service.  Since most of the message went to McDonnell 
Douglas, instead of sending each message separate I could cut a paper tape with 
the ZCZC header, ending with the 4 NNNN's then next message, next message, with 
the last message having NNNNEND which would tell TELEX that was the last message 

in the batch which then would disconnect and turn the machine off.  I never 
heard of anyone else using the NNNNEND.

BTW, I cut tape 4 hours a night, 5 nights a week for 5 years.  We also had a 
model 28ASR on a lease line that connected all the offices together.

Joe K0BX
 

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