[TAC] Fw: [QCWA] CW

[Ian Hill]

Great read Kurt, thanks for sharing.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kurt T. Meyers" <pasteur at bex.net>
To: "TAC" <tac at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 9:43 AM
Subject: [TAC] Fw: [QCWA] CW


>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
>
>
>
>
> > The following is an excerpt from an account originally published in "The
> > ARC".  The news letter of the Asheville Amateur Radio Club of North
> > Carolina dated August 2, 1939.  I copied it from "The Spark Gap Times",
> > October 2005.
> >
> > CW - LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT
> >
> >
> > It seems likely that the Morse code requirement for amateur licensing
> > will be eliminated.  To many it is a second language that is music to
> > their ears.  Others consider it a noise and a nuisance.
> >
> >
> > Old Old Timers club member Harry Robinson, W4BC - 1929 now W2AZ, says he
> > was standing beside Ted McElroy as he set a new CW coping record during
a
> > special completion on July 2, 1939.  Harry is one or four or five
> > remaining eye witnesses from that historic day.
> >
> >
> >
> > The code machine had been adjusted to take high speed and the judges
made
> > sure the text had been sealed and was intact just as it was received
from
> > the FCC office in Boston.  W4HX sends a few preliminary centimeters of
> > tape through the machine and the contestants adjust their 'cans'.  One
> > can observe intense concentration in the faces of all the contestants.
> > W4HX glances at his stop watch and says, "Ready", pulls a switch and the
> > code contest destined to make history begins.
> >
> >
> > The machine is hitting up to 40 wpm and McElroy and McDonald, W4CRV and
> > one or two others are transcribing effortlessly.  Then W4HX, at the
> > machine, steps it up to 45 wpm.  One or two contestants sigh, and take
> > off their "cans".  At 50 wpm, the staccato clicks of the typewriters at
> > the far end of the table become piano, then pianissimo.  Now there are
> > only two contestants left plus McElroy.
> >
> >
> > At 55wpm, they increase their tempo but W4CRV slackens noticeably and
> > resigns himself to the inevitable.  All the while, McElroy and McDonald
> > seem to be playing a symphony with four hands, so perfectly that their
> > typing seems to blend into one cacophony of sound.
> >
> >
> > As the machine is stepped up to 60 wpm the silence among the spectators
> > becomes almost eerie.  The machine drones on and the two contestants
> > pound relentlessly.
> >
> >
> > At 65 wpm, they are approaching the world's record.  Bulldog like,
> > McDonald hangs on as McElroy is keeping even rhythm.  At 70 wpm there is
> > discord in the typing of the two contestants.  A glance of the eye
> > reveals that McDonald is losing his timing but McElroy with only a
> > momentary pause to adjust, gathers more momentum,  McDonald takes off
his
> > 'cans' and moves a shaking hand across a perspiring brow and concedes
> > victory to McElroy.
> >
> >
> > Meanwhile, the machine does not stop.  At 75 wpm McElroy, having already
> > eclipsed his former record of 69 wpm at Boston, Massachusetts in 1935,
> > tires and slackens his speed.  At 80 wpm, he copies furiously for a
> > breath or two and then halts the movement of his hands on the keyboard.
> >
> >
> > Amid the silence, W4HZ stops the machine and the full impact of the
> > occasion dawns upon the gallery.  There is an almost deafening volume of
> > applause, a new record in receiving code has been established.
> >
> >
> > Harry is also a QCWA Member.  I read somewhere that Ted McElroy could
> > type 150 wpm. I wonder how fast he could have gone with an electric
> > typewriter.
> >
> >
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Bob N0UF
> > _______________________________________________
> > QCWA mailing list
> > QCWA at mailman.qth.net
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
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