[GreenKeys] news wire photos

[David and Joyce Meier]

I too did some facsimile over the air around 1969 using a military surplus 
Navy machine - the FNP-IS/A if I remember correctly.  Several hams in the 
Memphis area received them through the MARS program and put them on the air. 
The machines were large, consisting of a power supply box and a similar size 
unit that had something like a lathe bed, headstock and tailstock on top. 
Photographic paper was placed in a light-tight drum which was positioned on 
the machine bed between the head and tail stocks.  A shutter was then opened 
to expose the film to a "crater" lamp which travelled as the picture was 
received.  But wait - there was also a phototube on the carriage which also 
allowed sending pictures.  The machines automatically synchronized with each 
other and sent/received using audio tones.  I also had a modified drum which 
was open, for use with electric paper and a stylus from a Gestetner 
facsimile machine of the time.

I still have samples of my receptions, both from other hams and from the 
wire service facsimile transmissions on HF.  The Navy transmitted weather 
continuously on 8080 kcs.  I remember once receiving a photo that appeared 
in the local paper the next day - that seemed cool to me then and now.

I also played with the smaller Western Union DeskFax machines.  I still have 
some paper for these I think.

Dave Meier N4MW
www.n4mw.com


...


> Lee K9WRU said,
>
> Ya know, I'm beginning to suspect that I'm the only reader of this 
> reflector
> who has actually hands on sent and received one of these old fax images.
> If you push me much harder I might even have to take a few photos of my
> efforts of 40 years ago!
>
> Lee K9WRU