[GreenKeys] i-Telex, revisited...

[Steve Garrison]

Mark,

 

I use an “autostart” device all the time.  It is just a small circuit that is inserted in to the loop that controls a relay that applies power to the machine when the continuous mark condition goes away.  Then after a time out period of continuous mark the relay opens up again and shuts off the power to the machine.  The board that I use was designed by a member of our GK list.  Jack, K0TTY (now K2TTY) if I remember correctly.

 

Steve G./N4TTY

 

From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mark Hall
Sent: Sunday, January 31, 2016 7:24 PM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [GreenKeys] i-Telex, revisited...

 

Hello everyone.

I contacted Henning about i-Telex, and received this reply:

"Hi Mark,

 

thank you for your email, nice to hear from you again.

Well, finding an original Telex machine within a reasonable distance might

be quite a challenge in your large country.

But we are a good step forward in a software modification for 60WPM machines

without answerback unit. I have a test set-up  running in my workshop.

But there is still some bug for outgoing calls that has to be fixed.

Could you check if your 28KSR has a idle line timer switch installed?

For the current modification it will be essential.

I will explain what it is if you do not know it already:

It switches the machine into stand-by mode (motor off) automatically after 30 ~ 60 seconds

after no character has been received or sent.

Once there is a break on the line or you push a certain key or the letters shift

key it awakes again from sleeping mode and starts to print.

If your machine has no such switch installed we will see if we can implement also

a hardware motor switch modification to the board.

73

Henning DF3OE

i-Telex: 92612, 55571"

The item Henning describes might just be something Teletype might have put in. With the mention of "Once there is a break in the line or you push a certain key or the letters shift key

it awakes again from sleeping mode and starts to print" almost sounds like there could be an 

USOS (unshift on space) function going on in there somewhere. I replied that I found no such 

device that comes close to the description of an "Idle line timer switch", but then I am but a pup here, and don't know much.

What all this sounds like is an "auto start" feature on a demodulator. I have several demods I put to use for ITTY, including an ST-5 and ST-6, both of which have the "auto start" feature, and a receptacle on the back of the units to plug the machine motor power into, to do this.

Do any of y'all have some insight to this baffling conundrum? It really doesn't sound like our friends in Germany are too far away now from a winning solution... Implementing an "auto start" feature to Fred's device won't be that much of a stretch. For me, finding a former Telex machine, or the T-39 call box, answer back and other gear to make a 28 KSR/ASR do all this

is pretty daunting to say the least. Paul Cembura has an answer back, geared at 60 wpm, but making sure all the plumbing is kosher to do this might be more than one would want to pursue. I'd rather opt for what Fred is cooking up for now.

Dumb looks and head scratching, blank stares and mumbling are welcome too. All I can do is drool and make clicking noises...

73!

Mark KE5LIB

Future Teletype Wizard and Sage... yassah!

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