[R-390] EMP effects:

[mlmccauley]

Cecil Acuff wrote:
 > I remember a movie I saw as a kid...wish I could remember the name of
 > it...would like to see it again.
 >
 > After an apocalyptic event it seemed most of the human race was 
eradicated
 > but one that survived was hearing a weird CW signal on a radio of some
 > sorts.  He traveled what seemed like across the country trying to 
find this
 > signal because he thought it might mean other survivors existed.  Went
 > through many interesting events along the way but when he finally got 
to the
 > source of the signal it was a string and a brick or something heavy 
tied to
 > a window shade blowing in the breeze that was keying the transmitter...
 >
 > I must have only been 6 or 8 at the time and can't remember anything 
more
 > detailed than that...
 >
 > Must have made quite an impression at the time....
 >

The movie was "On The Beach".

A US sub operating out of Australia goes looking for survivors/low 
radiation areas after a full scale nuke exchange between unnamed 
parties, assumed to be us and the Soviets. The CW signal was coming from 
a station at a refinery at Torrance, CA (we must assume Torrance, in 
that that's where the refineries are in LA). The "CW op" was, just as 
you said, a window shade cord that had become snagged on a straight key 
in the company shore-to-ship radio room. It was discovered by guys from 
the sub in anti-radiation suits who went looking for the "survivor".

Great movie from 1959. Rent it sometime if you get a chance.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053137/

73,

Mike, WB5MYY
Dallas, TX
Motorola 390A, as yet un-restored