[GreenKeys] The "Low Down" on Bell Ringers

[Jack]

I operated (real) RTTY a lot during the 60's and 70's. I don't
recall a lot

of "bell ringers". But, since I always cut a tape to reply to a

QSO, I sometimes would put one or two "bells" at the end of the
tape to let

the guy on the other end know my transmission was ending.

 

Jack K2TTY

 

NNNN

 

 

 

 

From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Ralph Irish
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2017 9:10 AM
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [GreenKeys] The "Low Down" on Bell Ringers

 

(After a short discussion with Gil about "Digest" and "Moderated",
I decided to get off of

the Digest and see what happened.  This is my first post to the
group in this manner.  I

hope I have it so that the entire group can see this.  I have made
two 'off list' replies to

people so far.)

 

Sorry I was not more specific in the original "Bell Ringer" post.
I was thinking in terms of

the ham radio operators who used the RTTY mode at some time in
their careers.

 

Every once in a while, Dusty Dunn, W8CQ, SK) the Editor and
Publisher of the RTTY Journal

would print lists of "Definitions" at they might apply to the
Teletype Mode.  Many of them were

'tongue in cheek' and definitely humorous.  I am sorry I didn't
take the time to sift through a

few dozen years of the RTTY Journal to find some of these lists.

 

The one definition that always stuck with me was the one for  "The
Bell Ringer".

 

This was the fellow, whose excessive use of the Bell character
(usually upper case "S") finally convinced you to disconnect or

disable your bell.

 

Some felt that each of their sentences deserved to be followed by
a few bells for emphasis.

 

When printed in the Journal, it served a purpose.  Hopefully some
'Bell Ringer' would

recognize himself and change his ways a bit.  

 

So, after hearing the bell ringing far more than one's ears could
stand, a guy running a

Model 28 could simply lift one wire going to the bell to silence
it.  Those using a Model 19

had a slightly larger task.  The bell was run mechanically.  It
just took a bit more work, but

could be done.

 

Sorry for the confusion.  I should have indicated the Ham RTTY
Mode when I made the

post.  There are a number of non-hams on GreenKeys that think in
terms of Teletypes

in use in the commercial world of news forwarding, corporate TELEX
communications,

Western Union Telegrams and in later days, as a parts ordering
medium for auto dealers

and other large businesses.

 

One way or another, don't be a Bell Ringer!

 

 

 

Ralph - W8ROI

 

PS   Then, around Christmas, one was bound to hear someone playing
"Jingle Bells"

         on the air.  The real creative hams could generate a
picture simultaneously

         with the bells ringing.   That was borderline due to the
graphic content and

         the season.

 

R.

 

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