[GreenKeys] Silly pricing and silly trivia

[telegrapher at q.com]

Back wheni was doing  tty work for Ma bell, late 70's, we started pulling 28's out of the different county Sherriff's offices and replacing them with 33's and the new KLETS (Kansas Law Enforcement Traffic System) or something like that with a data card set mounted under them.  I had about an 8 country coverage in SW Kansas for coverage and it didn't matter what time of day or season it was, when they called you went.  As i pulled the 28's out of service we stored them in an area of the CO that was used mostly for freight.  I also had some 28 ASRs awaiting disposition and had received the Bosses permission to confiscate one for my own use.  One day i got a call from the 2nd line asking me about a certain ASR that was not accounted for.  I told him about it and he said to get it and bring it down to the office as there was a big truck there waiting to pick it up.  Oh dear.  how am i going to \get that thing out of my basement , into my truck and down to the office.  So i went down to the CO and had a short visit with the boss.  Came to be that i got to keep the ASR and the truck driver said he had a full load anyway.  Yep, he had a full load of 28 ASR and KSR machines he had picked up around the state and was headed back to Wichita to unload them, in a scrap yard!  I wilted.

The machine in Scott City, KS is one of the ASR's that didn't meet its fate in the scrap heap.  I had one heck of a good 2nd line.  He even studied and became a ham before he passed on.  Never forget Pete.  He was one of the people i remember within  Ma Bell.

Oh yea, the 33 KLETS  system was terrible and not as reliable as the 28's were but it was higher speed (in them days) and it was a new toy.  While the FAA could go from 28's to the Model 40, the lower budget counties had to refrain from high cost and higher performance systems.

Larry
W0OGH