[QCWA] Tape downfall

[Joseph Fenn]

Bob,
I was in GITMO in 1941 for several days on the USAT
Col Penrose.   It use to be the steam yacht Florida
before Vanderbilt donated it to the ATS.
We had to go into GITMO for serveral days as the Master
almost capsized just north of Cuba.  We sent a msg to WAR
about the thing and advised them that the Master refuses
to take the ship to sea unless they poured some cement
balast in the keel.  I and oneother RO were the only 2
GI's on the ship.  Rest of crew were all Civil Service.
We sent our msg out via radio to WAR just prior to entering
the harbor.  After about 3 days of sittin behind the Radio
Shack on upper deck and listening to The Dorsey bros and
Sinatra,  one night suddenly we were blinded by the Tower
light flashing in our face.   After several mins Charlie
and I recognized that they were keying CW with the light.
We had no idea what to do about it so went and asked that
ships Master whats going on.  He just reached in a drawer
and pulled out a hand key with a cable attached to it.
WE pushed the key down and the lights on the forward mast
went on.  So Charlie (the other RO) W4GAT said ok who wants
to read the stuff so and which of us is gonna type it out.
I said ok I'll read you type.   The msg was originated at
WAR and said in essence that we were cleared to sail out
the next morning and the ballast was finished.
Funniest part was getting the ball rolling.  I started
reading the code out but the light paused and repeated
the same stuff over and over.  Finally the guy at the lighthouse
said in blinker  "please send me a long dash for each word you
copied ok".  After that things went smooth as butter.
                        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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