[QCWA] Oldtimers

[Joseph Fenn]

Hank,
Wow you had some mountains to climb.  I was a CCC ro in Fla.
at the time I got a msg from the WW1 Master Sgt in benning
and he asked me to come straight to Benning and call him when
I arrived in the tent city were the possible new recruits
were waiting.     I did'nt do a day in basic training, they
put me to work on the mid shift at WUO right after I was sworn in.
I could do about35 wpm at the time.   Later on at WVN in San Juan
we worked WAR direct, but not with a bug.  We sent code to them
at about 350 or 400 WPM useing Boehme equipment.    I/E we could
crank the speed up to whatever we wanted long as Radio condx were
ok.    If a repeat from a certain point was necessary, we used
to breakin on WAR and use the "pb" (pullback) command.   They
would pull their tape back a yard or so and continue on.
We got it all on a paper tape which rode accross the top of our
typewriter at whatever speed we could sight read the stuff.
Most of our RO's could read the tape much faster than on the
air CW.  We averaged reading/typing speed at about 75 wpm.
We had a foot pedal so could increase the speed of the tape
as it passed in front of our eyes.  Them was the days!!!!
I know several guys on QCWA like Bob Nouf who were probably
working me direct from WAR.
                    Joe



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* Ham KH6JF AARS/MARS ABM6JF QCWA WW2 VET WD RADIO SYSTEM*
* Army MARS PRECEDED by AARS (Army Amateur Radio System) * 
*       Hi State ARMY MARS COORDINATOR                   *
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