[Milsurplus] A2 code groups broadcast

[Hue Miller]

Was tuning a crappy "Rhapsody" all-band wonder portable radio (equivalent to 
Radio Shack
SW-100, maybe? ) up to 31 meters to maybe get some Radio Australia before 
turning in for
the day. At around 8900 kHz  ( +-200 kHz due to minimal frequency markings ) 
I heard some
what used to be called "A2 mode" ( keyed audio telegraphy; this radio has no 
BFO ) in
5 letter groups, well formed telegraphy, very good practice at taking CW, 
except for NO
numbers and certain letters (  h, f, x, z, others? ) not used. Or was this 
"cut numbers" ?
Where was this originating from? Was a strong signal. Occasional fading but 
overall"
good copy, this with a crummy all-band inexpensive radio with a few feet of 
wire as
antenna.  Must be several kW of power anyway.

On another topic: I live in a small town served by 2 AM stations, among 
other broadcast
services. This weekend one station was off for the second time, about a week 
each time,
for a burned out part. From a photo on their website, looked like the power 
transformer
got charred. I heard from a station employee that the burned part the first 
time, some
capacitor, cost them $3000. Probably the power transformer cost as much or 
more.
Then Friday night, during a windstorm, our lights flickered a couple times,
and the other AM station, which I was listening to, went dead air also. Like 
primitive
times; only AM radio from the "big city", many miles away!
-Hue Miller