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Numer 24 - Summer 1992

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Tie Morse W-[agazine


Comment Contents
THAT TIME OF YEAR when we look at 2 News
[TS the subscription rates for Morsum Magnicat 10 Bookshelf
and try to guess what the Post Ofce will do to 11 Single Needle on
~ur mailing bill in their regular autumn price review. the LNER 2
So far as the UK is concerned,theyve surprised us 16 AmericanTelegraph
ll by promising no increase in 1992. However, wheth- Instrument Makers 2
19 Book Review
r that means we can expect one any day after 1
anuary 1993 is not entirely clear. Neither is it clear
20 More on Moby Dick
thether the price-freeze extends to overseas mail. 24 Showcase
Despite this, were taking a chance, and keeping 26 The Thin Red Lines
ur subscription rates the same for 199293. I just 30 Radio and Railway Morse
in Canada
ope they dont do the dirty on us.
We sometimes get enquiries from readers about 32 More on Abbreviations
hen their subscription falls due for renewal. You and Procedures
33 MM Back Issues &
ray rest assured that we do send out notices with the
tst issue of your subscription, but you can easily in the Next Issue
heck during the year by looking at the address label 33 Radio Bygones
n the envelope from any copy of the magazine. 34 Binders for MM
The code above your name on the label is in two 34 Readers ADs
arts. The letters are a simple short-hand indicator 35 Alfred Vail
rhich tells us what sort of envelope and postage are Another View
:quired for each address. The two gures are the 36 Why Famsworth?
umber of the last issue that youve currently paid 40 Reection from
in (At this point, I can hear you all scrabbling Uncle Bas 15
trough your wastepaper bins, trying to nd the 42 Your Letters
nvelope this magazine came in!) 48 Poem Ode to a
Finally, a plea When you send us cheques for Wireless Operator
ibscription renewals, books, etc., would you please
take them payable to G C Arnold Partners. I know
tat its natural to write Morsum Magnicat, but our
usiness account is in the partnership name, and the Mveisement
ew UK Cheques Act can make it difcult to bank
heques made out to another name. Thank you for
Index
our co-operation!

9 G-QRP Club
38 FISTS
39 G4ZPY Keys

M4
News
Morsecodlans at Alice Springs value of the whole exercise so the postal
THE ANNUAL Canberra/Alice Morse budget became rather elastic!
telegraph circuit was open this year from To give you some idea of the popu-
Saturday, April 25 to Sunday, May 3, op- larity of the free messages, I opened up
erated as usual by members of the Sydney the line at Canberra on Saturday morning,
Morsecodians Fraternity located at the May 2. This was the morning after" the
Old Telegraph Station in Alice Springs open night at Alice when the Telegraph
and the National Science and Technology Station was thrown open to the towns-
Centre in Canberra. people for barbecues, etc., while those
A brief look at a map of Australia will working at the station dressed in period
show the enormous distance involved in costumes.
this latterday landline (sounder) circuit, After I exchanged pleasantries on
provided by courtesy of Telecom Austral- the line, I was informed that they (Alice
ia This year, the Morsecodians offered Springs) had 130 messages on hand for
the public free telegraph messages. Spe- transmission to Canberra. This would have
cial forms were used for the occasion and been a fairly daunting task on a Morse
the messages were written out by visitors circuit in the good old days in the Post
in Canberra and transmitted to Alice Ofce. We took it in turns, taking about
Springs or written out in Alice and trans- forty or so each at this end and we were
mitted to Canberra, being posted to their clear by l 1.30 am. except for the messag-
nal destinations by mail. es that were by now starting to bank up
The reaction to this service was over- from the Saturday morning lodgements.
whelming and unexpected, probably be- The operation coincided with Nation-
cause the word free was included in the al Heritage Week in Australia, the theme
notices prominently displayed at each sta- of which this year was Australian WWII
tion. The proximity of Mothers Day had history. It is probably not widely known
also been overlooked and a lot of people to MM readers that Darwin, capital of the
took the opportunity to send Mothers Day Northern Territory, received about 70
greetings (see example illustrated). bombing raids from the JapaneseAir Force
A total of 1007 messages were han- over a period of 18 months, commencing
dled during the week, 485 originating in in February 1942.
Canberra and 522 in Alice Springs, and This year was exactly 50 years
there was a postal allowance at each end after the bombing and Morsecodian Reg
from the separate administrations. John (Curly) Moger obtained from the National
Houlder reports, We blew this in the rst Library in Canberra copies of all the press
three days. Fortunatelyeverybodysaw the stories relating to the bombing in 1942.
2 W4
CENTRE
THE NATIONAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ElllCTBlC Tl iECllllll MES AGE


Transmitted by Morse Code betwemAllceSpi-ingsmdonberra
MAY 92
SPRINGS TELEGRAPH STATION NT IST
e
ALICE
@
To ........
was A WILLIS
9 W
EMERALD OLD a
HAPPY WTHERS NY LOVE
GREG AND KAREN
RAYWND RENE

9-37A JH

Q houdly supported by Telecomand The Morsecodlans Fraternity


m
Electric telegraph message - Happy Mothers Day, etc.
1, I re- Mode and frequencies: CW only, on
)n the evening of Friday, May
ransmitted all these stories over the line 3.560, 7.030, 14.060, 21.060 and
0 Alice Springs. 2&0me, all iIOkHz. Power not to
In all some 2400 words were trans- exceed 5 watts RF output. Stations unable
nitted and the press reports were then to measure output should take half their
lisplayed on notice boards for the public DC input (e.g. 10W input = 5W output,
0 read. All in all, it was our most success- etc). Call: CQ EU QRP.
ul year yet and each year in Alice Springs Exchanges to be logged: RST, power
t gets bigger and better and is becoming output and name of operator.
nore widely known. Scoring: Contacts with own country
All information in this report was pro- do not score. EU stations score 1 point for
Iided by John Houlder, Charnwood. ACT, each European contact and 3 points for
lustralia. contacts outside Europe. Stations outside
Europe score 5 points for each contact
Europe for QRP with Europe. Final score is the sum of the
l\LL LICENSED radio amateurs world- points scored on each band used.
;vide are invited to participate in this years Separate log sheets are required for
Europe for QRP weekend, organised by
each band showing, for each contact, date,
he G and OK QRP Clubs (UK and time, call, RST, name, and power received
Czechoslovakia) to be held from 1600 and sent. A summary sheet must also be
JTC on October 2 until 2359 UTC on provided showing call, name and address,
1October 1992. claimed score for each band, total claimed
3
MM4
score, and brief details of equipment used. sian Republic in this contest, but each
Logs must be sent to P. Doudera prex worked within the Republic will
OKlCZ, U1 baterie 1, 16200 Praha 6, count as a multiplier.
Czechoslovakia, by 15 November 1992. Please supportour Russian friends who
Merit certicates will be awarded to the are trying so hard to establish QRP in their
three leadingstations from each continent. country despite many difculties.
The judges decision is nal in case of From Gus Taylor G8PG, Communi-
dispute. cations Manager, G-QRP Club.
Information from Gus Taylor G8PG,
CommunicationsManager, G-QRP Club. FOC Late Summer CW 030 Party
ALL AMATEURS ARE INVITED to
Russian QRP contest this party which aims to promote two-way
ALL AMATEUR STATIONS are in- CW activity on all amateur bands. It is not
vited to participate in this contest which a contest and there is no basic information
will be held from 1500 UTC August 22 to to exchange. The idea is simply to chat
1500 UTC on 23 August 1992. Call CQ R to each other and non-members working
QRP TEST, using 5 watts or less on all members will have the opportunity to learn
QRP frequencies, plus or minus QRM. a little about the First Class CW Opera-
Exchanges: RST/serial number/ tors Club and what it stands for.
power. Milliwatt stations should use 01 The party begins at 00002 on Satur-
for 100mW, 02 for 200mW, and so on. day September 5 and ends at 2400Z on
Scoring: Contact with HQ station Sunday September 20. The club station
RV3GM counts as 10 points. Russian sta- G4FOC will be activated by the President
tions in own continent, 1 point, Russian and members of the committee. FOC ac-
stations outside own continent, 3 points. tivity on the main bands is around
Multipliers: Each Russian prex con- 25kHz up from the bottom band-edge
tacted, RAl, RA3, RVl, RV3 and so on, and members will make themselves known
counts as a multiplier on each band. Total by calling CQ FOC during the party.
score is the total points forall bands multi- Logs and reports will be welcomed by
plied by the total number of multipliers. Peter Miles G3KDB, 151 Leomansley
Logs: Separate sheets required for each View, Licheld, Staffs W813 8AU,
band, together with a summary sheet England, before the end of October, to
showing score claimed, station details and gauge the levels of activity, propagation,
name and address of contestant Logs to etc. Plaques will be awarded to both
be sent to U QRP Club, PO Box 229, members and non-members for those
Lipetsck, 398043, Russia, within 30 days working the greatest number of FOC
of the contest Stations enclosing a US $1 members during this event and to those
bill will receive a special prize. Leaders who have contributed to the success of
will receive certicates. the event in any way considered worthy
Important note: Owing to the recent of a prize by the adjudicators.
political changes, stations outside Russia Informationfrom Chris Page G43UE,
must only work stations within the Rus- on behalf of F 0C .

4
W4
New Samson Keyer
HERMANN SAMSON DJZBW, who has
)een producing electronic keyers at his
works in Germany for over 26 years, has
ecently released a new iambic memory
ceyer, the ETM-9C, containing (by ar-
angement with Idiom Press) the same mi-
:roprocessor chip and firmware as the
CMOS Super Keyer 2 described in QST,
\Iovember 1990 and the ARRL Handbook
{992.
This keyer employs microprocessor
echnology and has only four Command
)uttons. Some Commands are entered
)y using the buttons, but most are simply
(eyed in by Morse code via the paddles. Samson E TM-QC keyer with integralpaddles
Amongst its many features, the keyer
ras optional dot and dash memories; vari- low power consumption, claimed to give
)US other memory facilities, including a over 12 months operation from three AA-
nemory entry immediate correction facil- size batteries; and a detailed operating
ty; nine selectable timing patterns, which manual.
:an mimic nine different types of keyer, The new keyer has the same paddle
ncluding Curtis; digital and linear ana- assembly as other keyers in the Samson
ogue speed control from 6 to 60 wpm, range, e.g. the ETM-SC and the ETM8C,
with speed announcement via sidetone; using point pivot and cup steel bearings,
idjustable weight control from 2575%; and solid silver contacts adjustable for gap
)ptional reverse keying for left-handed and tension. This assembly is also availa-
)perators; auto contest serial numbers, with ble separately as the ETM-SQ twin-
iwitched decrement facility if contact is paddle key mounted on a heavy enam-
rot completed; high speed mode, 500 elled steel base
)90 wpm, for meteor scatter operation; Two versions of the new keyer are

Samson ETMQCOG
keyer and ETM-SO
twinpaddle key

5
available, Model ETM-9C with integral has been a matter of great regret to them
paddlescosts 149.00 plus 3.75 post and that it has not been possible until now to
insurance; and Model ETM9COG with- plan a funher seminar.
out paddles is 102.00 plus 3.10 post More details will be published nearer
and insurance. The ETM-SQ twin-paddle the date, but in the meantime Ron will
key costs 37.00 plus 3.75 post, etc. welcome all ideas and suggestions regard-
The sole UK agent, Frank H. Watts ing specic features, etc, which could be
G5BM, can arrange for the ETM-9C and provided as part of the 1993 event, even
ETM-9COG to be dispatched direct from if he cant promise to arrange everything
Germany to foreign customers in Europe suggested!
or elsewhere via airmail (insured) without Please write to him with your ideas at
payment of Value Added Tax. 9 Greythom Drive, West Bridgford, Not-
Further information about this arrange- tingham, NG2 7GG and make a note in
ment, and about all Samson products, can your diaries now to reserve the date for
be obtained from him at Woodland View, what promises to be a very enjoyable and
Birches Lane, Newent, Glos. GL18 lDN, interesting day for all Morse enthusiasts,
England. whatever their abilities.

A1A avallable to MMreaders UCWC Contest 1992


CLAUDE PASSET 3A2LF publishes an ALL LICENSED AMATEURS, and
occasional Morse journal, AIA, in the short-wave listeners, are welcome to take
French language, containing much infor- part in this CW-only contest organised by
mation of interest to key collectors. Issue the Intemational Radiotelegraphy Morse
No. 3 (32 pages, A5) has just been Club (UCWC), which is a member of the
published and is available to readers of European CW Association.
MM free of charge except for postage Date and time: 4 October 1992, from
costs. 00000800 UTC. Call: CQ UCWC.
To obtain a copy, send two [RCs to Bands: 3.528MHz (excluding WARC
Claude Passet, 7 rue de la Turbie, bands). Mode: CW only. Exchanges:
MC-98000 Monaco. UCWC members RST plus membership
Information from Claude Passer, number; non-members RST plus name.
3A2LF. Scoring: Each QSO within same
continent 1 point; Each QSO between
Nottingham Morse Semlnar for 1993 different continents 3 points. SWLs
RON WH.SON G4NZU has provided score 1 point for each logged QSO, which
advance information that a Morse seminar must include calls, numbers, etc., of both
will be held at Sherwood Community stations.
Centre, Manseld Road, Nottingham on Multiplier: Each UCWC member
Saturday, 15 May 1993. worked gives one multiplierpoint on each
A previous seminar, held in 1989, and band. On 3.5 and 7MHz multiply scoring
reported in MM13, p.34, was extremely by 2. UCWC members do not qualify for
well received by most participants and it multipliers, score is QSO points only.

6 W4
Classes: A UCWC members; B just 25mm (1 inch) long, with fully adjust-
SWL-UCWC members; C non-mem- able silver contacts and adjustable spring
bers of UCWC; D SWLs not members tensioner. The key is mounted on a pol-
of UCWC; E club stations. ished Paxolin base measuring 30 x 25 x
Awards: Special memorial cup for 6mm. ( When I went looking for the keys
winner of each class; UCWC awards for on the G4ZPY stand at the RSGB Conven-
2nd and 3rd place in each class; Special tion in Birmingham in May, I coudntnd
memorial pennants for 1st place in each them at rst, they are so tiny! Ed.)
DXCC country.
Logs: to be sent th1 November 1992
(presumably that means end of November
Ed), by registered letter to UCWC

Contest Secretary, UA4YR Vladimir


Momot, Strelka 23-8, Alatyr, Shuvashia,
429800, Russia.
Results: Contestantswishing to receive
the full results of the UCWC 1992 contest
should make a note to this effect in their
logs and enclose one IRC.

UCWC Award
THE UCWC CONTEST provides a good
opportunity to qualify for the UCWC
Award which is available for CW-only
contacts (all bands) made with UCWC
members after 1 January 1990. Class 3 is
awarded for contacts with 10 members;
Class 2 for 25 members; Class 1 for Although Gordon Crowhurst G4ZPY
50 members. QSLs from UCWC-SWL believes it to be the smallest operational
members are valid for the award. Morse key in the world, the price of the
Applications and fee (DM7; US $5; Baby is comparable with that of keys of a
or 8 lRCs) by registered letter to more conventional size, as it takes just as
Vladimir StepanenkoUB1RR,PO Pox 28, long to make.
Chemigov-Postamt 250000, Ukraine. Initially, supplies of the Baby are re-
stricted, but it is already proving popular,
Baby Morse Key especially with overseas customers of
A new key, believed to be the smallest in G4ZPY.
the world, has recently been announced A copy of the new G4ZPY Paddle
by G4ZPY Paddle Keys International, of Keys International colour brochure, with
41 Mill Dam Lane, Burscough, Ormskirk, details of the Baby Key, can be obtained
Lancs L40 7TG. by sending a SASE (UK) or 2 IRCs (over
The G4ZPY Baby Key has a key arm seas) to the above address.

m4
Commemoration
DURING WWII Czechoslovak Independent
Armoured Brigade Group was established in
Great Britain. Some of its members were trained .

anxezo

in special paradescent courses. RAF planes


(138th Special Tasks Squadron) transported
them over occupied Czechoslovakiawhere they
MEBQCDL
_ _ ew-gm. 192 1(ng
were dropped.
These men performed various tasks, such
as communication, intelligence, organisational,
sabotage and terrorist, in the occupied territory.
Among them there were 40 radio-telegraphists,
12 of whom were killed during the ght against
fascism or were executed.
'SOZVIZO

OK QRP Club decided to commemorate the


activities of these radiotelegraphists during the
annual OK/G QRP weekend (see page 3 for
1 M," -,\ MN: 3 - [0 Mn 1.1 53; an: 3,-5 - 25 mu.
1.
u -
u. #5 - u use: : 5.5 - 1.9 i
a sus- u; u -
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9,0;
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m 40.!)
a f ,0 - u. :

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unt

Mr

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n-u-

:01 vvsrLA lMANDL

Transmitter section of one of the Czechdesigned sets

8
details). During 1992 a Special event ing been suddenly abandoned by its oper-
station OM5MCP will be active from the ator, for there were price lists, rubber
QTH of the club station OKlKBS as well stamps and pads, etc, still strewn across
as from some places where parachutist it. Suddenly, a supervisor hurried across
and resistance group radio stations were from the ofce, tidied away all the bits
active. On some occasions the original and pieces, made some adjustment to the
TX/RX used by the telegraphists will be till, and pressed 3 button on the bleeping
used (this is a radio station designed black b0x.
and constructed by a Czech constructor in The Xs' stopped, and a single, satis-
England). ed OK in Morse came from the box,
QSL for OMSMCP (Memory of
CzechoslovakPara-groups) shouldbe sent

------
followed by silence.
Obviously is some sort of security
it
via OKlHR. OKIHR willalso sendacom- device, but why signal in Morse? Do
memorative card to all who send logs from B&Q workers have to learn the code?
the OK/G QRP weekend (please include 2 The staff were, perhaps naturally, some-
lRCs to cover costs and postage). what guarded in their response to my
enquiries about it at the time.
A New Appllcatlon tor the Morse Code The development engineer who de
A couple of weeks ago, I was standing signed the box obviously knows and uses
waiting to pay for some purchases in our Morse. In view of the adoption of XXXs
local B&Q do-it-yourself superstore, as a warning signal, I wonder if he is
when suddenly from the next check-out an exseagoing radio ofcer, for XXX
came an electronic bleep with the unmis- is a recognised alerting call in the mari-
takable rhythm - ---------- -
turned in amazement and found that it
. I time service indicating that an Urgency
message is about to be transmitted .
seemed to be coming from a small black Whatever the background to this
plastic box beside the till. strange happening, it is further proof that
The neighbouring check-out was un- Morse is by no means dead!
manned, and gave the impression of hav- G3GSR

G-QRP Club
The G-QRP Club promotes and encourages lowpower operating
on the amateur bands with activity periods, awards and trophies.
Facilities include a quarteriy magazine, Morse training tapes, kits,
traders' discounts and a QSL bureau. Novices and SWLs welcome.

Enquiries to Rev. George Dobbs G3RJV, St Aldan's Vicarage,


498 Manchester Road, Rochdale, Lancs OL11 3HE. Send a
large s.a.e. or two IRCs.
URTHER EXTRACTS FROM gram must have a prex. There is a com-
THE BOOKLET Lets Send a plete list of the various prexes in the
Message by the Single Needle, LNER book of Instructions relating to the
published in 1943 by the London and Transmission of Telegraph Messages.
North Eastern Railway (This book should be kept near your in-
strument.) At the
The Parts ofa bottom of the list, re-
produced here, you
Message
Look at the tele-
Single-Needle will see DB, the
prex used on an or-
gram fon'n illustrat-
ed (Fig. 2.1). In on the LNER dinary message. If
additionto the actu- Part 2 you are sending a
a1 message there is DB to a station for
a column at the left- passing on to anoth-
hand side containing letters and gures. er not on your circuit, DB becomes DL.
This column is for your, the telegraphists The transmitting clerk at the passing-on
use. stationalters the prex back to DB when
First there is the prex. Every tele- he sends the message on.

W
p .. LN.E.R. TELEGRIM ,_.
an
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ax? non
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Tim.

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Tim 3?. Bin-ed 3W
Fig. 2.1

W4 11
Next there is the code time. This is The words above the heavy horizontal
fully explained under "How to use the line on the message form are the address.
Timing Code. Thosebelow the line are the text, or body
When counting the number of words of the message.
(the next part of the message) remember The Time space at the foot of the
that a single character standing on its own form is for the time the message is written
is, for telegraphic purposes, one word. So by the sender, who then signs or initials
also, is each gure in a number. The rst the message for handing in.
of the numbers in the specimen message
counts as six words; the second as ve How to use the Timing Code
words. The counting of words is fully dealt Under the prex on the message form
with in the Instructions book mentioned is the code time. This indicates the time
above. the message was actually handed in to the
The portion of the telegram form head- sending Clerk. A message may be written
ed Station and Inst. To is for a record of by someone a distance from the sending
the callsign of the station to which a mes- station (for example a Locomotive Run-
sage is telegraphed. If you have a choice ning foreman), signed by him and timed
of circuits, the number of the instrument (at the foot), say, 6.30 pm. Yet by the
actually used is in- time it reaches the
serted in this space. clerk at the tele-
The Time graph it may be
heading of the next 6.40 pm, and that
space refers to the is the time of hand-
time the message is ing in.
sent to, and ac- Returning to the
knowledged as re specimen message
ceived correctly by, (which was written
the other operator. out at 3 p.m.): the
The space code time is CAX,
headed CIerk is which means 3.9
for the sending op- pm. The clock face
erators initials. (Fig. 2.2) is an un-
The three spac- usual one. It has
es at the foot of the been specially
column are used drawn to show you
similarly when receiving a message, the how code time is arrived at and why CAX
time being that when nal acknowledge- means 3.9 pm.
ment is sent to the sending station. At Each hour gure from 1 to 12, you see,
transmitting stations, where a message is is represented by one of the letters A to M,
received on one circuit and sent forward excluding J, which might be confused, in
on another, all the spaces on the left of the writing, with I. If a message is handed in
form are lled. exactly on an hour the code time is simply

12 W4
the single letter that represents that hour. The message on the specimen tele-
For instance, 4 oclock, whether am. or gram (Fig. 2.1) would be sent as follows:
p.m., is just D. Noon or midnight is plain Signal Explanation
M. DB Prex-ordinary message
The letters A to M round the clock, as CAX Code time (3.9)
well as denoting the hours, indicate even Number of words spelt out
ONE SIX
multiples of ve minutes. You know that without Fl before 'one' and
D is 4 oclock. To code 4.5 pm. you write FF after 'six'
down D (for the fourth hour) and add A, MARSHAM Address from
which is at the fth minute. DA, then, is T0 Sent but not counted
4.5 pm. It follows that DB is 4.10, DC is G Goods Agent (abbreviated
4.15, and so on. address)
Refer to the clock face illustration IRONVILLE Station to
again: notice between each hour letter the II End of Address
smaller letters RSWX. One of these is CHAUCER Code word meaning
used when the minute hand of the ofce 'Following wagons have
arrived without labels. Wire
clock, at the time of coding, is between consignee and destination'
any of the two letters in the series A to M. Fl Commencementof gures
Then you write the hour letter as before,
NINE THREE
also the last large letter the minute hand TWO NOUGHT Figures spelt
has passed and, nally, the letter (R or S FOUR SIX
or W or X) at which the minute hand now III Full stop (not counted)
points. ONE FIVE
This may sound awfully difcult but THREE TWO Figures spelt
actually it is a simple job to code time. EIGHT
Study the following examples with the aid FF Figures nished
of the clock face picture and see how easy MOSELLE Code word meaning 'Give
matter special attention
it is:
1.9 AAX 5.27 EES SN Message nished
1.10 AB 6.2 FS
216 BCR 9.43 IHW Receiving and Delivering a Message
3.20 CD 11.50 LK The signalled conclusion of a message
is either SN (nished) or SQ (that is the
How to Send a Message end of the message but 1 have another for
Having (a) secured the attention of the you). The sending operator then pauses
receiving station; (b) offered your mes- while the receiver counts the number of
sage (by sending the prex); and (c) heard words and reads quickly through the mes-
an acknowledgement, you send the mes- sage. If a word has been missed (this is
sage by repeating the prex, then giving revealed by comparing with the Number
the code time, number of words, address of Words already signalled, its position
from, address to, and nally the body or may be obvious because the message as
text of the message. written does not otherwise make sense.

9M4 13
Then the receiving clerk, noting the 330 of the code words are for private use
last word preceding the missing one que on the LNER but the remainder can be
ries after ? Suppose, in the course of a tted into telegrams to other railway com-
message, there are the words tons of panies.
forwarded yesterday... It seems that be- Always use a code word if you can it
tween of and forwarded there should saves your time, the other operators time,
be another word. The receiving clerk sig- and generally helps to speed up telegraph
nals after of , meaning that the word fol- operation.
lowing of is queried. The sending clerk At the end of the code book is a further
sends wheat, thus conrming that the set of private LNER codes for the tele-
word has been missed. graphic description of coaching rolling
If the number of words counted does stock, common user coaching vehicles
not agree with the number of words al- and freight rolling stock. Yet another set
ready signalled, the sending clerk, upon of code words is provided for train work-
request,checks the whole message by quot- ing in the Scottish Area only.
ing the initial of each word or gure. If you should be handed a wire and the
When satised that the message has wording could be shortened by the use of
been correctly received, the receiving op- a code word or two, you should ask the
erator sends RD unless there is a further sender to do so. All departments are sup-
message to take, when he gives T or G, plied with the code book and there should
as the case may be. be no difculty in decoding at the other
Needless to add, no time must be lost end.
in delivering the message but the urgency
of one, compared with another, is deter- AbbreviatedAddresses
mined by its prex. Another timesaving idea for use when
sendingtelegramsbetweenLNER stations
The Railways Telegraphic Code is the abbreviation of addresses. A tele-
In the course of railway business par gram for a Locomotive Running Superin-
ticular operations are frequentlyrepeated. tendent is simply addressedLR', followed
Telegrams sent in connection with them by the name of the station.
similarly recur, perhaps many times in the When sending a telegram to a small
course of a day. Much time is saved and station only the station name, or its call-
delays avoided by using code words in- sign, is required in the to space, but where
stead of many-worded phrases in com- there are several ofces at a large station,
mon use. telegrams to it require some indication, in
Near each telegraph instrument there the address, of the person for whom the
should be kept a book of Code to be used message is intended. So this list of abbre-
in telegrams upon Railway Companies' viations is used:
Business. This contains nearly 800 code B = Booking Ofce
words covering all kinds of railway sub- G = Goods Agent
jects from acceptance of trafc to wanting L = Luggage Ofce
of witnesses to attend apolice court. About P = Parcels Ofce

14 W4
S = Station Masters Ofce 8. CR, SR, SRL, CSR, LR, WR,
Y = Yardmasters Ofce. CWR, SWR, PR, FR =
When wiring a large goods station, the Daily Wagon, Sheet,
following further initials are available: Coaching Stock, Pillow, Rug
A = Goods (Accounts) Ofce and Fmit Reports.
F = Goods (Forwarding) Ofce
R = Goods (Receiving) Ofce. The following three classes are used
only at stations doing postal telegram busi-
Glance through a copy of the code ness over the wires (at many stations post-
book as soon as you can its all in there. al telegramsare phoned to the nearest Post
Ofce).
The Prexes 9. SU = Postal Telegraph Urgent
The priority of a message is determined Service Message.
by its prex. The list below gives a de- 10. SG = Railway Telegraph and Postal
scription of the various messages and their Service Message.
order of importance. 11. S = Postal Paid message.
1. DM = Danger message. This is used SRP = Postal Reply Paid Message.
only in case of accident, or to SA = Postal Free Pass Message.
prevent an accident, and SARP = Postal Free Message, Reply
supersedes all other messages Franked.
on a circuit. You can interrupt Then comes the last on the list, but
a less important message nevertheless important.
between any other two places 12. DB = Ordinary Railway Message.
than your own station by
butting in with a DM. You have already read that when DB
. MT = Train Report. has to be transmitted it is originally sent as
DL. Similarlychanged prexesare sent in
MN

. TEQ = Train Enquiry. This prex


refers only to train enquiries the following cases:
sent as an operating matter. Direct For Transmission
4. TAS = Train Message. For use on TAS TAX
messages about trains in DS DX
motion, the running of special SP XP
trains, ordinary trains out of SG XG
course, reliefof train crews, etc. S X
5. DS = Telegraph Engineering SRP XRP
Message. Used only when SA XA
absolutely necessary in case of SARP XARP.
a fault in, or breakdown of,
the electrical apparatus. Extracts from the LNER booklet Lets
6. RQ = Repetition Required. send a message by the Single Needle are
7. SP = Special Message. For urgent printed by kind permission of the British
communications only. Railways Board.

W4 15
ORLD SPEED CHAMPION ties between successive models and to
for the reception of radio- properly place them in time. It is not easy.
telegraph code, Theodore Only after several modicationsdid McEl-
Roosevelt McElroy started making keys roy distinguishone by name from its pred-
in 1934. Working at home, he brought the ecessors so the earlier models have been
various pans from the plater and the foun arbitrarily designated by year name.
dryman together and assembled them into The models described (most with il-
his semi-automatic lustrations) are the
key. These were 1934, 1935, 1936A
(brass plate/alumin-
bugs in common
parlance, but he
Mac-Key Blue Book ium plate), 1936B,
An Illustrated guide to the bugs made 1936 Special, Jun-
gave them a name
to identify the style by T.R. McElroy ior, 1937 (several
and the maker. He variations), 1938A
reviewed by Tony Smith
called them Mac- and 19388, 600.
Keys although he 500, S-600-PC,
shortly dropped the SbOOSC, CP-500,
hyphen from the name. The unusual (but 500-742 and A-400.
not unique) T-bar frame style continued Tom French is performing a valuable
for six years and the name for two years service for key collectors with his ever
beyond that. when he ceased making keys increasing range of books on specialised
altogether. Apart from bugs, he also made aspects of the subject. In this present
straight keys but these are outside the scope publication, he hopes that his list is all-
of this present publication. inclusive but comments Its obvious that
Tom Frenchs booklet is written Ted McElroy wasnt satis-
for collectors of Mac-Keys. It is in- ed for long with any of his
tended to show the various models designs. Few aspects of
made, the differences and similari- these bugs were safe from

Ted McE/roys first


'bug' key, bearing
the date 934

continued on
page 23 If

W4 19
HAVE TO OFFER SOME transmitter valve in earlier TBX models
CORRECTIONS to my letter in is the 837, a 12-volt cathode-typepentode
MM22, p.44, about the rubber- which also appeared in Navy suppressor-
covered key nicknamed Moby Dick in grid modulated aircraft transmitters.
MMI. Contrary to my statement in that The list of TEX-2 components includes
letter, and after looking at the manual 1 telegraph key (mounted in rubber
for the US Navy set TBX-Z, I conclude jacket on special base with cord and
that I reversed the plug attached)...
situation and in fact Attach the key to
this key was used the buttons on top of
in all TBX models
More on Moby Dick the Transmitter-
before the TEX-8 Receiverunit so that
and not with the by Hugh Miller KA 7va
the top of the set
TEX-8 itself which forms an arm rest.
was the last produc- The photo of the key
tion model and signicantly different in in MM22 shows the locking mounting
circuitry from the earlier models based on holes in the key base. Possibly the re-
the original 1939 design. placementof this key with the metal-boxed
Note also that although the eighth model of the TEX8 reects concern
contracted production was the last in the that the rubber-covered key could not be
series this does not necessarily imply that adjustedor have its contacts cleaned with-
every number sufx was in fact produced: out destroying the waterproofcover.
a contract may be cancelled and its model
number not re-issued. I have never heard, Posed Photos
for example, of any TEX-7 in existence. Readers may be interested in the
accompanying location photos. The C0-
Boat Use ordinating disembarkation scene, like
Also, contrary to the notes in MM22, so many radiooperating photos of
the TBX was never intended to be WWII, is a staged piece: the sectioned-
floated to shore, although its very light mast antenna is leaning against a pipe;
metal cabinet and locking cover did make the operators headset is not plugged in;
that a possibility, and perhaps a valuable on the deck beside him is lying the lip
feature. Besides its use as a shore-party microphone to be worn like a moustache
radio, the manual also refers to its installa- strapped to the face.
tion in a small one-mast wooden boat of The radio itself is sitting on top of the
the whale-boat size class, perhaps a large same-sized accessory battery box. On top
lifeboat? can be seen Moby Dick clamped to the
The correct number for the TEX-8 radio. The fellow to the left is pretending
nal is 2E22 (not ZEZZ as stated), a to crank the hand-poweredtransmitter gen-
6-volt quick-heating pentode. The single erator. This generator produced 12 and

20 M124

i
2

3
y,
z

E:

Coerd/nating disembarkation of Marines off Iwo Jima

500V DC and is unlike any other US is again Moby Dick. The fellow in the
military design. Rather than standing middle background is, I believe, wearing
off the ground on tripod legs, this one is a TBY VHF-voiceradio in its canvas bag,
designed to be secured by a U-shaped but without the whip antenna attached.
mount and tightened to a vertical post such The last photo, on Okinawa, apparent-
as a mast or a palm tree. ly shows TBXs used as auxiliary commu-
The photo shows the generator nications receivers. The presence of the
clamped to some horizontal piping, but 'ITY machine in the foreground indicates
be assured the fellow could not crank it that there was probably better communi
under load in this awkward position. On cation equipment elsewhere in the post.
top of the radio you may also see the The TBXs are seen without keys or
corrugations used to strengthen the thin microphones. What were they monitor-
gauge metal cabinet. This is so thin that ing? Possibly waming-alen networks?
every time the radio is moved one hears This was a role relegated to simpler, auxil-
the cabinet buckle slightly! iary type equipment
The fellow to the left is tuning his
No Antenna! 'IBX receiver, using his thumb on the edge-
The second photo, on Roi Island, illus wise thumbwheel tuning control. Also I
trates the radios intended and typical use. note that these early TBXs used white-
The dark lump at the rear of the radio case faced panel meters,quite unusual for Navy

W4 21
Supervisors room in CommuniwtionCenter on Okinawa

22 MMZ4
combat equipment. The TEX-8, perhaps Several years later, pawing through
from lessons learned in combat, had black- a bin in a used-records shop, I suddenly
faced meters. connected the title on the obscure record
before me with the lyric I had heard that
Sounded Great night years before. (My Special Friend
As if this wasnt enough trivia inspired by the Australian musicians Talk Talk).
by a simple What is it? question, let As I pulled out my money to pay, I
me inict on you one TBX anecdote of began ranting to the clerk about how I had
my own. Some years ago, I was testing a heard the tune on short-wave radio and
TBX at home one night and I happened had wondered for years... Then I noticed
to tune in Radio Noumea, French New the expression on her face. She looked.
Caledonia, from the South Pacic. They at me as if I was a certied nut case. I
began playing a pop tune, a long dance quickly dropped the subject but I was very
number that intrigued me. happy at this ending to my search.
Thinking it would be stronger on a
more powerful set, I hurriedly switched Deadly Poison
on my solid state digital readout radio One nal TBX note. Walt Hutchens,
and tuned in. It sounded awful, a case of in an article on Navy portable radios in
transistor audio at its worst. I went back Electric Radio magazine, pointed out the
to the TBX and it sounded great through hazards from the copious use of radium
its one wide-band IF stage at l600kHz paint on the TBX (and TBY) front panel.
and simple valve (tube) audio stage. The radio has to be treated as a radio-
When the song ended, I was flustered active source, which means no continuous
by the announcers French language and exposure to it, and as being tainted with a
missed its title. I wrote to Radio Noumea deadly poison when cleaning the set is
in English; they sent me a QSL card, which considered.
I had not requested, but no information! MM

MAC-KEY BLUE BOOK USA. Price $4.50 plus postage as follows:


(continuedfrom page 19) Surface $2.00 per order any quantity or
change. So neither of us should be sur- destination; Air, Europe $3.75, Canada and
if
prised you have a Mac-Key with a fea- Western Hemisphere $3.00, Asia/Africa/
ture not shown in these pages. He asks Pacic Rim $4.50. All payments in US
for details of such further variations to be funds only.
sent to him c/o the publisher for inclusion Readers outside North America who
in a later edition of this authoritative and prefer to pay in Sterling may nd it more
helpful booklet. convenient to obtain this publication from
The Mac-Key Blue Book (16 pages, the MM Bookshelf. UK price 3.15 in-
paperback, saddlewire bound, 5% x 8%in) cluding post and packing. Europe airmail
is available from the publisher, Artifax (elsewhere surface) 3.40. See page 10 of
Books, PO. Box 88, Maynard, MA 01754, this issue for further details. MM

W4 23
Showcase
Featuring keys and other collectors items of telegraphic interest.
If anyone can add to the information given please contact TS

Unknown key. Unusual in having


a base which is a copper sand
casting. ltalso has on/ythe smallest
amount of machining and fitted
pans. Small size, about 3 x Min,
has a very nice feel. Further
information required
Collection/photo: Dennis Goacher GSLLZ

J H Bunne/I open circuit leg key. Cat. No. 9035, polished brass body
Collection/photo: Jon Hanson GOFJT

24 MM4
US Army Signal Corps J-36, Lionel Corp, 1942
Collection/photo: Jon Hanson GOFJT

US Army Signal Corps J36, J. H. Bunnell, serial No. 2413, 1942


Collection/photo: Colin Waters GSTSS
The SignalCorps designated all bugs J-36. They were basically commercialbugs
made by Vibroplex, Lionel and others, adopted by the military.
lntonnation from Introduction to Key Collecting by Tom French W1 IMO
(reviewedin MM17, and available from the MM Bookshelf; see page 10 of this issue)
WEI/[24 25
EN THOUSAND MEN AND Greater Invention?
WOMEN of fty-seven differ- Radio messages can be scrambled, or
in
ent races, working some two difcult codes used, but no codes are
hundred stations in seventy countries, and unbreakable, and both sides probably
on the high seas, maintained the lifelines intercepted every message sent by their
of British and Allied communications enemies during the war. It makes one won-
over the 355 000 mile Imperial Cable and der, says the author, whether, if wireless
Wireless network had been discovered
during World War before cables in-
stead of after them,
Two. Their story is
told in The Thin Red
The Thin Red Lines cables would not
Lines, by Charles able and Wireless at War have been regarded
Graves, published ARevlew as a far greater in-
by the Standard Art vention than radio.
by Tony Smith Cables which are
Book Co. Ltd, Lon-
don, after the war. seventy years old,
Once the war he says, can work
got going, it was fought at breakneck speed. twenty-four hours a day for three hun-
Campaigns which would previously have dred and sixty ve days a year, unlike
taken two years, were completed in six radio with its vulnerability to ordinary
weeks. More miles were covered by the thunderstorms and other phenomena.
armies on both sides than ever before in Radio too, can give the game away. A
history, and all this was due to the im- sudden increase in the volume of trafc
mensely increased speed of communica- on a wireless circuit is a sure hint to the
tions radio being essential for the tactical enemy of some imminent campaign.
handling of troops, and cable for strategy. Cable & Wireless was created in 1928,
Cable & Wireless owned 155 000 of when the British government and the gov-
the 350000 miles of cables throughout ernments of the various countries of the
the world, as well as 91 wireless circuits, Empire decided to merge, into one net-
later increased to 138, which covered work, all existing beam wireless and cable
another 200 000 miles of the Earths sur- services concerned with international com-
face. Over this arterial system, through munications. This was to be maintained
these thin red lines, the lifeblood of and developed through private enterprise,
Allied communications owed, enabling with the British government reserving the
governments to co-ordinate policy, strate- right to take it over in the event of war.
gy and supplies; newspapers and broad- In the event, this never happened, and
casting agencies to receive the latest war the Company functioned throughout WWII
news; and families at home to exchange without government interference,keeping
messages with their evacuated children or its services going often in the face of great
their men ghting overseas. difculties.This book is the story of those

26 W4
difculties and how they were overcome, Employees of Cable & Wireless often
and of some of the individual achieve- worked with the armed services overseas,
ments of the people involved. and their status as civilians caused various
For the most part, high-speed Morse problems, particularlyas they were not in
and teleprinter circuits were used for the uniform in operational areas.
work, but the hand-key had its day as As a result a new unit called Telcom
well, particularly in emergency situations. was formed. All Cable & Wireless men
were given a status similar to that of war
Destroy All Instruments! correspondents,and were put into uniform,
After the fall of Singapore, a Japanese wearing a special cap badge bearing the
ship shelled the cable station on the Cocos astrological sign of the god Mercury.
Islands, 600 miles south of Java. This was No military ranks were allocated, but
a vital link in the communications route to it was generally agreed that senior opera-
Australia, the loss of which could not be tors were equivalent to lieutenants, man-
afforded. agers to captains, and the Divisional
On 3 March 1942, signals stopped, Manager to a lieutenant-colonel.
resuming a few hours later with the
news, sent by hand, that the staff were Blue Trains
safe, although the cable ofce had received During the War, the RAF created mo-
a direct hit. bile radio transmitting stations known as
No sea or air protection could be given Blue Trains, providing forward radio
to the station, so a radio message was sent communications.The trafc to be handled
to Batavia, in plain English, to the effect was so great that Cable & Wireless was
that Batavia should destroy their instru- asked to help by providing its own Blue
ments because Cocos had been perma- Trains. The rst one went to Algiers
nently put out of action. This message was shortly after the landings in North Africa,
intended to be interceptedby the Japanese and consisted of ve vans and one trailer,
while, at the same time, the instructions with a staff of nine operators and three
were countermandedby cable, which could engineers.
not be tapped. The purpose of the C&W Blue Trains
For the rest of the war, the station was to handle trafc from war correspond-
remained operational, maintaining vital ents at each successive advanced press
communications between London and camp, in order to pass news of the latest
Canberra. When occasional Japanese re- battle developments as quickly as possible
connaissance planes ew over it, all they to the outside world.
saw was a group of damaged buildings, From a forwardobservation post a cor-
apparently deserted.WheneverCocos was respondent would observe the action. In a
mentioned over the air in ofcial commu- sheltered spot just behind the battle line,
nications it was always referred to as he would write his dispatch on a portable
Brown, Robinson, 'Jones, or some typewriter. This would be handed to a
other name, successfully concealing the radio operator in the Blue Train who would
true state of affairs. transmit it, usually by hand, to the receiv-

W4 27
The Blue Train' in use on the
Allied Armies' drive from
Salerno to Wanna

From a water-colourby
C. Conway-Gordon, a C&W
operator attached to the uni!

ing room at a main base where it was hardships on the way, often without food,
taken down manuallyon typewriters. shelter, or sanitary arrangements, and los-
After censoring, for security, the story ing most of their luggage. When the ship
was punched on Morse slip and sent to the landed them in the vicinity of Rangoon,
Central Telegraph Station in London by they carried their equipment for miles
automatic high-speed transmission, from to nd the Signals Unit where they were
where it was passed by direct line to the to set up station.
correspondents newspaper ofce in Fleet Although soaked to the skin, within
Street. two and a half hours they were on the air,
The Blue Trains followed the ghting passing correspondents messages which
through Italy into Austria. They went to had previously been own out as the
Greece and Burma, and when Singapore opportunity offered. They sat sideways at
was liberated they took a oating tele- the operating table because it was too low
graph station with them to ash the news to get their knees underneath.The tarpau-
to a waiting world. lin roof was only inches above their heads,
the heat was such that sixty minutes at a
Hardships stretch was too much during the day, and
Telcom operators often had to work there was no water for washing.
in primitive conditions. Four operators Despite all this, they dispatched three
were sent to Rangoon, suffering various thousand words to Colombo by the rst

28 W4
evening, using an American under-slung When Allied prisoners were liberated
key, and these were read in newspapers from the Japanese, they were allowed to
around the world the following morning. send free messages to their relatives all
over the world, announcing their deliver-
Re-occupation ance and state of health, and relatives
As the Allied forces re-occupied vari- were allowed to send messages free in
ous areas, the Cable & Wireless senior return.
staff immediately headed for the Compa- Just before dawn on 31 August 1945,
nys old ofces. the rst trickle of messages started from
In Singapore, Mr J .D. Mackie found a Colombo, having been transmitted from
Japanese colonel sitting in his chair. Mr Hong Kong,Singapore and Rangoon. The
Mackie, from Aberdeen,jerked his thumb, trickle became a ood, and nally over
saying with typical Scots brevity, Ootl, 114 000 messages were handled.
and out went the colonel! These were telephoned from London
Mr Mackie called his old Sikh watch- where possible, and in hundredsof homes,
man to muster as many of his old staff families, often after years of anxiety and
as possible, and ninety out of a hundred doubt about the fate of their loved ones,
Chinese employees soon re-appeared. heard the words, Safe coming home
Although the ofces were intact, the
r
8001'] .

instrument rooms were out of order, but


within fourteen days the rst message out Traic Carried
of Singapore was sent by General Sir Miles In 1944, the last full year of the war,
Dempsey, Commanding British Forces Cable & Wireless carried 704 719 661
in Malaya, to the Chairman of Cable & words, compared with 231 million in
Wireless commemorating the occasion. 1938, the last full pre-war year, an in-
crease of 205.7 per cent
Emntery Nearly 85 million Press words were
In Hong Kong, the local Cable & transmitted from London, from D-Day
Wireless manager had been a prisoner of to total surrender in Berlin. During 1945
war. He broke camp twelve days before more than 720 million words were han-
the British eet arrived, and took charge dled over the complete Cable & Wireless
of his ofce again, warning the Japanese system.
forces, who were astounded at his The book is long out of print. It may,
effrontery, that any attempt at sabotage however, be possible to nd a copy in a
would result in courtmartial when the second-hand bookshop, or local libraries
Navy and Army arrived. may still have it in stock. It is based on the
Once liberated, all the Hong Kong reports of the staff of Cable & Wireless
staff reponed for immediate duty. They themselves, many of whom died at their
opened and maintained communications posts, and, as the author says, it is ... a
until relief arrived, transmitting govem slight memorial to some of those who
ment messages and press dispatches to gave their lives that others might live in
London, via Colombo. freedom. MM

9101124 29
HE MORSE TELEGRAPH McMurray, Alberta, radio station and
was inaugurated in Canada with the Northern Alberta Railways telegraph
a line between Toronto and ofce at Waterways, Alberta, on the
Hamilton,Ontario, on 12 December 1846, Athabasca River where the railway ended
by the Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara and water transport began.
Electromagnetic Telegraph Company.
As was usual then, and in later years, the Northern Radio Network
railway and the telegraph were linked. In The rst station of the North West
those pioneering days, when the railway Territories and Yukon Radio System
tracks were run (N W T & Y R S ) ,
across virgin coun- which used Interna-
try, the telegraph
circuits used for op-
Radio and Railway tional Morse, was
opened in Mayo,
erating
usually
trains
the
were
only
Morse in Canada Yukon Territory, in
1923. Fort McMur-
available means for
byMoe Lynn VEGBLY ray was the tenth sta-
comm unicating tion to be opened, in
messages. As com- 1933, and these sta-
munities developed tions greatly im-
along the railways, the railway telegraph proved communications with the remoter
circuits began to carry public as well as parts of Northern Canada. Before 1924,
railway trafc. for instance, Dawson City, YT, had a lim-
By 1864, John Rae, surgeon and ited mail service and a DominionGovem-
explorer (who searched for Sir John ment telegraph line running some hundreds
Franklin with Sir John Richardson in of miles to Hazelton, British Columbia,
1851), had surveyed a route for a tele- with maintenance a great problem as the
graph line from Winnipeg to the Rocky line wandered through bush, up hill and
Mountains Western Canada, heralding
in down dale.
a construction era which eventually re- An NWT&YRS station openedat Her-
sulted a telegraphic span om coast to
in schel Island, NWT, in 1926. Previously,
coast with lines extending to the northem- in 1924, a crew had been sent to Herschel
most territories. to provide a service for Arctic whaling
Because of its use by the railways, ships harbouring there, only to lose their
the American code used on these lines food supplies and equipment when the 35
became known as Railway Morse, or Lady Kindersley sank on her annual voy-
Land Line Morse on the commercial age through the Arctic re-supplying the
lines, and this code was also used by at Hudson Bay Cempanys trading posts.
least one Radio Communications system. Other stations continued to be opened
This was the Royal Canadian Signals until a total of 19 were in operation, and
threemile landline between their Fort these began to be taken over by civilian

30 W4
Sgt. MR. (Moe) Lynn at the operating desk of a typical NWT&YRS station in 1960
Canadian Forces Photo

operators in 1957. It is not known exactly stations, with from one to ten positions
when Fort McMurray ceased using Rail- at each station. This particular desk is
way Morse for its trafc with the Northern now in the Communicationsand Electronic
Alberta Railways telegraph ofce. (formerly Royal Canadian Signals)
If callsigns are of interest to anyone, Museum, at Kingston, Ontario, where
they were issued to the radio stations with station diaries, records, etc., are also on
the prex VE followed by a letter. A was display or are available to visitors.
Dawson City; B, Mayo; C, Fort Simpson; The writer has available on Commo-
D, Edmonton; F, Aklavik; G, Fort Smith; dore C-128 oppy disc a concise history
H, Fort Resolution and so on through the of the NWT&YRS written in 1960 by
alphabet until the next prex, VD, came CW. (Cal) Vince, W01 (Retired).
into use with VDI for Beaverlodge Lake, Stories relating to The System will be
Saskatchewan. greatly welcomed for inclusion in a future
The photograph above shows the updated version of this history. MM
writer of this article in 1960 at the type of (Moe Lynn is at 10644 - 146 Street,
operating position used by the NWT&YRS Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5N 3A7)

W4 31
READ WITH INTEREST the arti- have found that rpt can easily be con-
cle Abbreviations and Procedures fused with rprt and for that reason do
in MMZZ, p.32, but seriously ques- not like it. How often has pse rpt
tion VE7BSs comment about WI, when ended up with yet another signal report!
he says So whether it means Question To ask for a repeat of information
mark or Please repeat is unimportant. must be one of the most common prob-
It certainly means both to most amateurs. lems facing the radio amateur, yet there
Nearly 50 years is no consistent
agonas trained by guidance given in
any of the usual
the Army that the
symbol M meant
More Discussion referencebooks.
say again or I say 0n abbreviations and procedures Is it not time
again depending this unsatisfactory
by Philip Scrivens GOHHL
on the context in position about how
which it was used. to say please say
In The Morse Code again and I say
for Radio Amateurs published by the again was cleared up on an international
RSGB there is shown a specimen QSO basis? If M is unacceptable (and it
in which M signies I say again and seems likely to remain so in the absence
it is also used in this context in RSGB of some denitive ruling) then I wonder if
news bulletins. the Q-code could be used. Does not QSM
When I obtained my new callsign I mean please repeat last message? (In
tuned with some trepidation to one of the professional use it means repeat the last
HF bands and replied to a G4 calling CQ. telegram' Ed.) I have never heard it
In the course of the QSO sent my name
I used and when I tried it once I did not
is Phil IMI Phil es QTH is Derby M meet with much success!
Derby. My G4 contact replied somewhat
tersely dont you know who you are or Why QRK and QSA?
where you are?! have found that ma
I It was not unreasonable to expect that
operators are confused by the use of [MI with the advent of the Novice licence
and indeed have met few operators
I who and the QSO-type Morse test some clear
use this symbol in this context. forrn of procedure would be laid down. It
seems unfortunate to me that in the two
Unsatisfactory Position examples of QSOs quoted in the article
Some time later a colleague suggested The New UK 5 wpm Novice Morse Test
I should use II to mean I say again. The the rst QSO commenced

a
(MM21, p.28)
use of this symbol is mentioned in the with whereas the second did not, and,
example QSO in the RSGBs Amateur in the list of Q-codes to be learned there
Radio Operating Manual. In this QSO appear QRK and QSA.
there also appears pse rpt ur name? I I wonder how many amateuroperators

32 MDWM
remember what these mean, and how by anomalies in procedures but these
many have ever used them? They seem anomalies do little for the condence
rather unnecessary when the amateur of the newcomer or, for that matter, for
RST convention seems to say it all. internationalunderstanding.
Then there is the end of message To tell novices and newcomers to
symbol KR. Should this be before or learn CW properly and not to pick up bad
after the callsigns at the end of an over? habits is pretty pointless if there is no
Should it be used in every over? and, in denitive example to follow.
any case, why use it at all?
Lost Newcomers?
Used Out of Habit? Finally, may I say how grateful I was
I suspect that most of us use AR out to the really good operators who were
of habit with little or no thought to its unfailingly kind, patient, and helpful to
meaning or purpose. Presumably, when me when I obtained my licence and rst
station A was sending a series of unre- dared to venture on the amateur bands. I
lated messages to station B, C71 and A_R soon learned to ignore those who were
were used to indicate the commencement rude and unhelpful and who, by so doing,
and end of each particular message. Now perform a great disservice to amateur
it seems we are left with the symbols radio.
but seldom the reason for their use. I had age and experience on my side,
In the examples of a CW QSO given but I do wonder how many would-be
in the books likely to be read by a new- CW operators are lost to the hobby through
comer to the hobby, variations in proce- the discourtesy of those who adopt an
dure detail are to be found and these attitude of disdain and intolerance to the
variations are, to say the least of it, con- strugglingnewcomer. MM
fusing. Those who have been operating (MM will welcome comments on the
for years may not be unduly concemed various points made by GOHHL. Ed.)

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W4 33
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Tel: 0708 852371.
FOR SALE
27 Keys WT 8 Amp, No2 Mkli, ZA 2869, EXCHANGE
various versions WER & LMK, some 5- Working instructions for Wireless Sets
hole base, some 4hole. Property of Norwe- No. 62 and No. 18/68 offered in exchange
gian Radio Historical Society, price 10 each for Key and Plug Assembly No. 8 to enable
plus postage. Write to Tore Moe LASCL, me to complete my W.S. No. 18 installation.
Kobenhavngt 15, N-0566 Oslo 5, Norway. Ian Mam G4WWX, 28 Welbourne Road,
Three Keys WT 8 Amp, No2 MklII, ZA Liverpool L16 6A1.
16929, all bakelite version. One marked
C.E.L. Two without makers initials but WANTED
marked with a circled C. Price 7.00 each Any issues of MM prior to No. 19, to pur-
including p&p in UK. Book bargains: SOE chase to complete my collection. John Clark
the Special Operations Executive by GOOWN, 2 Lyndhurst Road, Broadstairs,
M.R.D. Foot, list 8.50, few at 5.50 inc. Kent CT 10 lDD.
p&p UK; Clandestine Warfare (Weapons The same issues are sought by key collector
and Equipment of the SOE/OSS) by Melton Enrico Franciosi IK2HSW, Via Marco
& Ladd, list 14.95, few at 12.00 inc p&p dAgrate 10, 20139 Milano, Italy.

34 MM4
LFRED VAILS DECISION I have
made up my mind to leave the Tele
graph to take care of itself, since it
cannot take care of me', quoted in Alfred Vails
Magnetic Friendship with Morse, Part 2, in issue
21 of MM, is taken from a letter he wrote to Morse
on 21 September 1848.
After congratulating Morse on his latest suc-
cess in the courts in defending his patent, he contin-
ued, "The Washington and ND. Co. is at last
organised, and for the last three weeks we have
received daily communications from N0.
Our prospects are attering. And what do somewhat variable and unhappy. He
you think they have done with me? Super- and 1 got along very well together until I
intendentof the Washington and NO. line determined to order my own instruments,
all the way from Washington to Columbia his being too heavy and too difcult, as
at $900!!! I thought, for an operator to handle
This game will not be played for while receiving. We had our instruments
long. I have made up my mind to leave made by the same maker Clark & Co.,
the Telegraph to take care of itself, since Philadelphia. Yet even that did not greatly
it cannot take care of me. I shall, in a separate us, and we were always friends.
few months, leave Washington for New About some things his notions were
Jersey, family, kit very crude. It was
and all, and bid under his guidance
adieu to the subject Alfred Vail that David Brooks,
of the Telegraph for Henry C. Hepburn
Another View and I, in 1845, un
some more prota
ble business... dertook to insulate
I have just the line from Lan-
nished a most beautiful register with a caster to Harrisburg, by saturating bits of
pen lever key and an expanding reel. Have cotton cloth in beeswax and wrapping them
orders for six of the same kindtobemade round projecting arms. The bees enjoyed
at once, three for the south and three for it greatly, but it spoiled our work.
the west. But I have no desire to criticise him.
This letter was quoted by James He seemed to me to have great oppor-
D. Reid (author of The Telegraph in tunities which he did not use. He might
America) in the Electrical World, 12 have had, I thought, the register work of
October 1895, whocommented, The truth the country and secured a large business.
is Mr Vail had no natural aptitude for But it went from him to others, and so he
executive work, and he had a temper left the eld. MM

MM24 35
POPULAR METHOD of Fisher WZOC reveals that Donald R.
learning Morse code is the (Russ) Famsworth was a blind amateur
Farnsworth Method, in who was rst licensed in the mid-1930s as
which the characters are sent at a target W9SUV, who also held the calls W6'ITB
speed of, say, 12, 15, or 20 w.p.m., while and WOJYC. In the late 19503, Russ Fams-
the spaces between the characters and worth asked Bart Bartlett W60WP to
words are much longer than is normal for help him prepare some tapes for a code
the chosen charac- learning course he
ter speed. The extra had developed.
BarthadaKlein-
spacing provides
thinking time for Why Famsworth? schmidt tape perfo-
the learner and rator and with this
by Tony Smith
as prociency im- he produced the
proves this is gradu- perfectly timed
ally reduced until punched tapes which
the spacing is correct for the target speed. Russ then used to make the nal audio
At higher speeds spacing is then normal tapes for his Epsilon Recordscode course.
with nothing extra added. Surprisingly, however, it appears that
The idea is to prevent the student from Famsworth did not use the increased spac-
counting the dits and the dahs during the ing idea now universally attributed to him.
learning process by sending at such a speed His method of instruction was to main-
that rhythm recognition is easy and count tain the code speed at a constant 13 w.p.m.
ing is not The method is so well known (characters and spacing) throughout the
that one would assume it is based on spe- course, starting with simple text and grad-
cic recommended spacing ratios. How- ually increasing the complexity of the text
ever, when the American Radio Relay material. But if Famsworth didnt invent
League (ARRL) set about converting all the system, who did? And why is it named
its Morse materials to a Famswonh l8 after him?
w.p.m. character rate (for its code practice
and test tapes, and WlAW transmissions) Earlier Uses of the System
no denitive specication could be found I cannot suggest why Farnsworths
and it was necessary for the League to name has become synonymous with this
devise its own Morse TransmissionFams- particular learning method, but I can cer-
worth Timing Standard (see panel). tainly demonstrate that the method goes
back long before him. I have found sever-
Who Was Famsworth? al references to the idea in old publica-
Apart from the mystery of the missing tions and if readers of MM can produce
specication, there is also mystery about others I would be pleased to hear from
the association of Farnsworthsname with them.
this leaming method. Research by Bill A Wireless World booklet, rst pub

36 W4
The ARRL Morse Transmission 11mlng Standard (Extract)

1. Standard timing ied in 1. (left), using the unit, dot and


The period of a single dot is one dash periods, as well as the one-unit
unit, measured in seconds. A dash is a inter-element spacing. The adjustment
period of three units. A period of one to a lower speed is made by adding
unit separates each element(dot or dash) delay between characters and words.
within a character. The added delays are constant for a
A period of three units separates given Famsworth speed and will main-
each character within a word. A period tain the 3/7 ratio of character space to
of seven units separates each word. For word space. The added delays are cal-
purposes of specifying code speed, the culated as follows:
PARIS 50-unit standard is used... 6063123
2. Famsworth timing t _
sc
At speeds below 18 w.p.m., charac 3t,I
ters are sent using 18 w.p.m. timing, but 15 =
19
with extra delay added between charac-
ters and words to produce an overall 71.
t" =
19
lower speed.
Speeds are specied as s/c, where where
s the overall transmission speed and
is t_ = total delay to add to the characters
c is character speed. For example, a 5 (31 units) of a standard 50-unit word
w.p.m. transmissionsent with 18 w.p.m. tc = period between characters
characters is specied as 5/18 speed. t" = period between words.
The character timing used is as spec- (all periods in seconds)

lished in 1939, suggests the learnershould spacing between letters and words should
get the assistance of a competent operator of course be gradually reduced until it
to send practice signals to him. It advo- nally reaches the correct ratio.
cates that, except at the very earliest stage, My copy of this booklet [Ref. 3] is the
the symbols for individual letters should 13th edition, 1961, which is presumably a
be sent at a relatively high speed, corre- reprint of the original 1939 publication. If
sponding to a rate of 12 to 18 w.p.m. anyone has a much earlieredition, I would
It goes on, Though the spacing be- be pleased to receive their conrmation
tween the elements of individual letters that this assumption is correct
should be in correct ratio, spacing between
letters and words should at rst be greatly Gamages Records
eXaggerated in order that the learner may An earlier reference is to be found in
have time to think about what he has just Gamages catalogue of 1922. This sug-
heard... As the learner gains condence, gests Speed up your Morse by purchas-

Ell/W4 37
ing a set of Gamages Morse Buzzer invent the system, who did? It is very
Gramophone Records. The records (8) are satisfying to nd a similar method dating
graduated from beginners rate to regula- as far back as 1902. I wouldnt be sur-
tion speed, and in all cases each letter is prised, however, to nd that similar sys-
sent at top speed but the spacing varies, tems of learning were recommended
which governs the rate of transmission. almost from the beginning of professional
Morse telegraphy some 55 years previ-
Audible Alphabet System ously. If anyone can provide earlier refer-
Even earlier is a punched tape system ences, I would be pleased to hear from
marketed by Frederick J. Drake & Co., them.
of Chicago, and described by Theo A.
Edison in 1902. He says, It is not the References
speed at which the letter is sounded that l. A Standard for Morse Timing, by Jon
perplexes the learner, but the rapid suc- Bloom KE3Z, (ARRL Laboratory), re-
cession in which they follow each other. printed in SCAG Newsletter, Spring 1991.
The principle feature of the Audible Al- 2. Morse Code: The Essential language,
phabets is the graduation in the intervals by L. Peter Carron Jnr. W3DKV, 2nd edi-
between the letters. tion, 1991, pub. ARRL. Also correspond-
By beginning with a record in which ence (1989) between Bill Fisher W2OC,
the characters are widely separated and and W3DKV, courtesy W3DKV.
then changing to others with less and less 3. Learning Morse. a Guide to Wireless
intervals, the student gradually reaches the Operating, by HR Smith, pub. Wireless
one having normal telegraph spacing. World, 13th edition, 1961, rst published
(This system, with its associated trans- 1939.
mitting instrument, will be described more 4. Gamages, London,catalogue 1922.
fully in a later article.) 5. Telegraphy Self-Taught, by Theo A.
Edison, pub. Frederick J. Drake & Co.,
No Conclusions Possible Chicago, 1902.
So why Famsworth? and if he didnt MM

FISTS CW Club The International Morse Preservation Society


FISTS exists to promote amateur CW activity.
It welcomes members with all levels oi Morse proci-

ency, and especiallynewcomers to the key.


The club has awards, nets (including a beginners
net), dial-asked for beginners, straight key activities,
QSL bureau, newsletter, and discounts from traders.
Further information can be obtained from
Geo. Longden 63208, 119 Cemetery Road,
Darwen, Lanes 333 2L2. Send an see or two IFle.

38 W24
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MM24 39
URING OUR TRAINING as ships had long wave receivers in those
radio ofcers we were taught days and, as we all know, short wave re-
telegraphy, electronics, ad- ception is hardly ever QRM free, or as
ministration, English and rst-aid, although beautiful as that British transmitteron long
I never understood why rst-aid was in- wavejust a few hundred miles away.
cluded in a course for radio operators. However, every seaman knows that
Lets be honest, taking weather fore-
fatal accidents occur casts is the most im-
quite rarely in radio REFLEC'llONS from portant duty of a
rooms and even in ships radio ofcer.
the event of a fatali- Uncle Bas 15 And indeed the cap-
ty how can aknowl- Weather Forecasts tain of my rst ship
edge of rst-aid informed me that he
improve the condi- by 835m" V3" Es PAORTW wanted that informa-
tion of a corpse? tion twice a day, and
Fortunately such more if necessary.
tragic incidents never occurred in my life He was a Norwegian captain but he had
at sea, nor on shore for that matter. no interest whatsoever in Norwegian
Besides theory lessons, we received weather forecasts.
practical training on the use of receivers, He insisted on reports from London
transmitters and auxiliary equipment. and I might have told him to listen to the
Apart from CW lessons (90 per cent of BBC, which has world-wide coverage with
the time), we had to copy the news on lovely signals, but I didnt. I was a brave
short wave, and especially the New York young man in those days but to say such
Stock Exchange which was our teachers things to an old experienced Norwegian
special favourite. captain would have meant the end of my
Weather forecasts were received from career at sea. I just said Aye Aye Sir, and
GBY on 150kHz on an old Marconi long- disappeared into the radio cabin in search
wave receiver. It was a very strong and of a weather forecast.
beautiful signal. For us beginners it was
good experience while the steady, QRM He Never Noticed
free, signal at an agreeable speed gave The main receiver was a WWII
us the feeling of being ablebodied radio BC-348 with a tuning range of SOOkHz
operators who had no need for further to 18MHz, so I never found GBY on
training whatsoever. 150kHz. I tuned all day, that day, on
short wave to nd a re-transmission of
Only Fram London! GBY but although I heard many signals
Afterwardsat sea I realised it had been from all over the world I heard no weather
a mistake to let us copy that strong British forecast from London. Searching through
transmitter and almost nothing else. Few the List of Coast Stations gave me no

40 W4
clue either. I was getting worried and had Fortunately, in approaching the East
to compose a weather report from the Coast of the USA, many stations transmit
North Sea area somehow. ted weather reports and all those stations
In the end I copied a phone transmis- had lovely signals, just right for an inex-
sion from Scheveningen Radio/PCH, in perienced radio operator.
Dutch, covering the Channel and the North Atourrstpmdcall,SanJuan,Puerto
Sea, and translated the entire report into Rico, I found out what I was doing wrong.
English. As I mentioned before, the cap- Alongside the pier where we were dis
tain was Norwegian, and although he spoke charging our cargo was another Norwe-

arm:
an dun-rs!
Ml
SNITCH
cum ANY


[foe/36)

74

r'
couvrrtorl OF A Gonna? . - -
, _ , Tue

English uently he never noticed my gian freighter. I got talking with the radio
schoolboy English. It was the summer of ofcer and explained my problems with
1955, beautiful weather, the sea as calm N85 and the weather forecasts.
as a bathtub, so he might not have even The man, with already a good many
read my report for the Channel and the years at sea, told me that the frequencies
North Sea. It was a report which was and operating schedule had changed com-
never broadcast, in phone or CW. pletely and he gave me the correct details.
He also gave me the short wave frequen-
Never ToldHim cies of British coast stations but, being so
Later, in the Atlantic, wanted the
I far away from GB, I did not care any
weather reports from Washington/N85, more.
a coastguard station in the USA which Inever told the captain about the
also gave time signals and was a frequen- problems I had. He was a lenient man,
cy standard. Once again I did not get the but even after several years he might
signals I wanted. have thrown me overboard. MM

W4 41
9/0me
Chlnese Morse button, is an anchor in a small circle
A Chinese student from the Ministry of stamped into the metal tag.
Posts and Telecommunications, Peking, Just to the right of the nameplate can
working with me on a D'I'I scholarship, be seen the makers logo, in this case I be-
recently explained to me how Morse code lieve it is the symbol for Hitachi. Inside
was used in China. the cover is a heavy nickel-plated key. It
It appears that every Chinese charac is not a speed key the arm is too heavy
ter, of which there are about 4000, had but most aircraft communication was no
a unique 4gure code. When a message doubt at a fairly slow speed.
was to be sent, a translator convened the This is the nicest looking key I have
message into these 4-gure numbers seen. The nish is dark green ake,
which were then sent by an operator using almost like a reptile skin pattern, and the
international Morse. quality of materials, the perfect t and
At the receiving end, they were re- high quality nish remind me of the
ceived and translated back into picture excellent German toy trains of my youth.
characters by another translator. Appar- Another similar key is also shown in the
ently receiving translators capable of ON] handbook but with a toggle switch
writing down the message without having upper left. Incidentally, I have seen the
to rst convert the Morse into gures were same key painted black and I would not
held in quite high regard. dismiss this as a post-war treatment I
Dennis Goacher G3LLZ, have seen other WWII Japanese equip-
S windon, Wilts ment which was apparently painted black
(There is an article on Chinese Morse in when fresh paint was called for.
the pipeline'. ~ Ed.) Oddly enough, some of the associated
radio equipment I have scrutinised is not
Japanese Key of the same quality construction, having
MMZZs cover key appears to be an air- poor tting mechanical devices.
craft key of the Japanese Navy Airforce. It Hugh Miller KA 7LX Y,
can be found in a photo, together with Woodinville, WA, USA
radio equipment, in the handbook Japa-
nese Aircraft Performance and Charac- CW Etiquette
teristics published by the (US) Ofce of When I rst became interested in amateur
Naval Intelligence, December 1944. radio, I was told that it was not the done
In large print on the inside cover is the thing to reply to anotheroperator at a speed
message, PREVENT SOUVENIRING. greater than his. To do so showed that one
Perhaps this is one reason why these keys was neither a gentleman nor an operator!
are rare! On the nameplate,just below the I must admit that I am still not certain

42 W4
exactly how to interpret this advice. eight letters are formed by the simple
For example, it is obvious that if a movement of the right-hand needle, whilst
station is calling CQ at 25 wpm then it is the remaining portion of the alphabet is
poor operating to call him at, say, 35 wpm. representedby combined movements.
However, if you call him at 12 wpm how The rate of transmission varies great-
should the CQer respond? At 12 wpm, ly, being dependent not merely on the ex
i.e., your speed, or at 25 wpm? It can be perience of the telegraphist but on his
implied that as you have read his call, and education and quickness of comprehen-
not asked him to QRS, you have indicated sion. An intelligent operator would nd
your willingness (and ability) for him to no difculty in reading forty words per
conduct the QSO at 25 wpm. minute, whilst an illiterate railway signal-
The questioncan also be asked, should man would nd two sufcient for his com-
the 12 wpm operator have called the prehension in an equal space of time...
higher speed station in the rst place? This is from the Cornhtll Magazine,
After all, the CQer by sending at 25 wpm July 1860. Incidentally, although the arti-
was indicating his ability, and perhaps cle does not allude to the event, the open-
desire, to have a QSO at that speed. ing of the Electric and International
He may be wishing to improve his Telegraph Cos new Central Telegraph
CW and not look too kindly on spending Ofce in Telegraph Street, London, in
(wasting?) his valuable time at lower 1860 may have sparked off this article.
speeds. This may seem an unfriendly Bill Guest G41 YB,
attitude but compare it with an equival- Hinchley Wood, Surrey
ent scenario. You call CQ VK and a YU
replies. How do you feel? Media CW
I raise the question as I am not too The French TV channel known as M6
certain of the correct answer and wonder sometimes puts out a CW signal, reading
what views other readers of MM may M6, before or after publicity announce-
have on this subject? ments. It doesnt use a straight key but a
Gerald Stancey G3MCK, music synthesiser,- -- - - - making very

S taines, Middlesex nice music for a CW enthusiast!


Are there any other radio or TV pres-
Using the Double Needle entations using CW?
Bearing in mind the professed difculty Claude Passet 3A2LF,
of some in mastering the code, I wonder Monaco
how the DOUBLE NEEDLE could be (In the UK, the Inspector Morse TV series
mastered instead? spells out MORSE' musically in its
The alphabet is formed partly by sim- theme tune, and London Broadcasting
ple, partly by complex deviations. Take (LBC) has a specially written signature
the left-hand needle: Two movements to tune incorporating CQ which is used
the left indicate A; three, B; once right and to introduce the Clive Bull 1 a.m. call-in
left, C; once left and right, D; once right, radio show. We would be pleased to hear
E; twice, F; three times, G. The following of others. Ed.)

W4 43
Double-ended Key wondering why they were getting no
I recently saw an unusual key dating, pos- reply!
sibly, from the beginning of the century. It Here are a few phrases which may
has a wooden base and a straightforward help if the U station doesnt understand
varnished brass am, just like many other English very well.
early Morse keys, but this one is symmet- Your signal is very bad. U WAS
rical with knobs at each end of the arm to OlENX PLOHOJ SIG.
form what appears to be a double key. Check your transmitter. SMOTRITE

IHH
WAlll TX.
q) /(')\ $3 You have got harmonics all over the
band. OT WAS MNOGO GARMONIK
PO DIAPAZONU.
I
Your signal is very wide. WAlII SIG
OHENX lllIROKIJ.
The sketch shows the general arrange- You are causing interference on
ment. Does any reader of MM know what other frequencies. OT WAS QRM NA
this key was used for? DRUGIH llASTO'l"AH.
John Gilbert 0N4AGJ, (m = -- Li: --)
Brugge, Belgium Andy Troubachov UA3PIP,
Tulah, Russia
If Its T6, Say 80!
Im puzzled about the way many ama- Key Identication
teurs assess the signals they receive in The unknown key in MM3, p.23, is a
CW as they seem to know only two re- US J-48-A (Signal Corps 323448A),
pons, 599 and 339, especially in con- specication Nr 271-1800 of March 9,
tests or DX working. The tone is always 1941. Used with BC654A (SCR 284-A).
9 though Im sure many home-brewers Made by Crosley Radio Corp. (Ref:
dont deserve it. I often hearRussians with PASSET, Claude, Identication des
the famous chirp receiving "19 from all manipulateurs J - in AIA No. 1, 1988;
stations they work. Only a few (perhaps No.2, 1989; No. 3, 1992).*
old-timers) dare to give T9C or T8, and The J51 unknown key in MMS,
even then it should be T6, and no more! p.44, is a US Signal Corps 6B452 key for
So if you hear a U running high pow- signal lamp M227 or M438 used with sig-
er with a wide clicking signal, or spread nal lamp equipment 813-11 and SE-l LA.
ing across the band with harmonics, for The Ducretet et Roger oilbreak key on
goodness sake please tell him about it the back cover of MM20 was used in the
and long-suffering local hams working French Naval Service, c.1910. It was de
near him will bless you! veloped from an earlier laboratory key
Usually, nobody seems to care so the as illustrated. To avoid problems with
offending station, receiving 599 repons, spark transmissions the contacts were
thinks that everything is ne. I once heard immersed in petroleum or vaseline oil,
several stations calling a harmonic and while Marconi and others preferred large

44 {Mm/24
contacts or large heatsinks around the of war is truth. Churchill believed that in
contacts. I dont know of any other maker war truth has to be surrounded by a body-
of oil keys, but there were half-a-dozen guard of lies. Fair enough, but unless one
D. et R. models from 19101920. is careful some wartime deceptions be-
Claude Passer 3A2LF, come rmly established as history
Monaco capable of misleadingeven such a distin-
(*See the News pages in this issue for guished historian of radio technology as
information about the availability of issue ProfessorCharles Susskind.
No.3 ofAlA. Ed.) In his interesting paper Who invented
radar? (presented at the IEEs 50th anni-
versary of radar seminar) he included the
story of how the naval battle of Jutland on
May 31, 1916 was brought about by the
D/F stations detecting a tiny change in
the bearings of the transmissions from
German warships in the Jade estuary near
Wilhelmshaven over 300 miles away,
representinga change in bearing of about
one degree. This story has been widely
accepted ever since the end of the Great
War. It was not until recently that the true
story emerged in Patrick Beeslys book
Room 40.
Whereas the success of Alan Turing
in 1942 in cracking the four-rotorGerman
Enigma cipher remained secret for 30
years, the astonishing degree to which
rst model of Duaetet 9! Roger Admiral Halls Room 40 cryptanalysts
Laboratory Key were able to read the German naval ci-
phers virtually throughout the rst World
The Battle of Jutland War remained hidden for over 60 years.
Norman Burton in his letter Early Ger- Pam'ck Beesly shows that the inten-
man Wireless (MM23) rightly emphasis- tion of the German eet to put to sea was
es the excellent design of German radio obtained from a series of messages from
equipment in WW1 and WWII but accepts May 28, 1916 onwards, including trafc
uncritically the old canard that the Battle via Bruges informing U-boats to reckon
of Jutland was brought about by the Brit- with their own ships being at sea on May
ish D/F stations detecting the very slight 31 and June 1. There can be no doubt that
change in the bearings of the German High it was the decoding of the messages, rath-
Seas Fleet as it prepared to sail. er than super-accurate D/F bearings, that
Writing in Wireless World, September provided the intelligence that led to the
1985, I pointed out that the rst casualty Grand Fleet sailing to intercept the Ger-

W4 45
man warships and so bringing about the head dental surgeon at a prisoner of war
last major clash of battleships 35 British camp in Tokyo, where Tojo was among
and 21 German in an action in which no his patients in 1947. He and another sur-
less than 248 vessels were involved... This geon engraved the message on the inside
amended story does not deny due credit to of the generals dentures.
HJ. Round, since his sensitive receivers When their commandingofcer heard
were used for interception as well as D/F. of it, he ordered the message removed.
At the IEE seminar I mentioned this Foster told Tojo the dentures needed clean-
to Dr Susskind and he graciously admitted ing and took off the coded message.
that he had long had reservations about Tojo, who as Japanese premier had
the D/F story. His wife also found my been a prime architect of his nations war
version credible as she was actually in- strategy, had asked for new teeth so he
volved in decoding German naval trafc could speak better at his war crimes trial.
in World War II. He was executed for his crimes in 1948.
Pat Hawker G3 VA, Foster was stripped of a Navy com-
London SE22 mendation for his stunt.
Lt. Bill Hanes, of the Navy Dental
Dental Morse Prank Corps, took for the museum a gold dental
The following, which appeared in our bridge mold used for Tojo and a photo of
local newspaper, the Minneapolis Star Foster looking down Tojos mouth.
Tribune on 13 April 1991, may be of in- Jay Mathisrud WBOL,
terest to MM readers in the current 50th Minneapolis, USA
anniversary recollectionsof WWII.
Biting Humor LEM. Key
The US Navy once took a dim view of a I recently purchased the new L.E.M.
dental prank played on Japans military brass key mentioned in MM23, p.5, and
leader, but the joke will live on at a Naval note that you would like comments on it.
museum. I like everything about this key, its
A Navy Dental Corps ofcial this design and workmanship are excellent.
week picked up mementoes of the taunt- In my short time as an amateur I have only
ing message Remember Pearl Harbor, used three other keys but this one suits me
engraved in Morse code on the dentures best. Its long low base makes a rock-steady
of Gen. Hideki Tojo. They will be dis- platform when sending. There is also no
played at the Navy Dental Corps Histori- need for any further adjustment once the
cal Museum on Bethesda, Maryland. gap has been set. I only wish I had ob-
The perpetrator, the late George tained this key when starting out!
Foster, was reprimanded at the time. Very best wishes for your magazine
Hes probably rolling around on his which is most enjoyable and interesting.
cloud right now, laughing his fool head The article My days as an AmateurMorse
off, said his widow, Beverly Foster, in Examiner, also in MM23, was a cracker!
Pompano Beach, Florida. G.F. Armstrong GOLIU,
Foster, who died in 1989, was the Carlisle, Cumbria

46 W4
Pump, Pipe or PIckaxe? What Key Was It?
Readers of MM may like to see the latest Ever since I took my Morse test I have
creation, made from copper pipe, by been intrigued by the key used in the test.
F6EQC, which would surely win a contest This was in 1983 at some government
for the most inventive home-made key! ofces in Derby Square, Liverpool.
You can call it a pump as it certainly The key was a delight to use. It was
looks like a water pump, equally you quite small and looked fairly modern. The
could call it a pipe as it also looks rather arm was bent, rather like American keys,
like a tobacco pipe. Curiously, although and made from stainless steel, although
we have the verb pomper in French, we as time has passed it may have been a
call the hand-key La pioche, meaning chrome nish. The rear of the key was
pickaxe, but I dont know why! covered by a plastic case and seemed to
The basic idea with this key is to have contain components which may have been
a vertical arm so that the base is smaller chokes or relays.
and the key very stable. My friend is a real I asked if the pattern was available

craftsman and the key is a true work of commercially and was told that it was
art. Has any MM reader made anything made in their own (Post Ofce/8T? Ed.)
similar using this principle? workshops to their own pattern. Can
Dominique BourcartFEIOEB, anyone provide more information about
Pair-Terran, France this key please?
Rik Whittaker G4WA U,
Stockport, Cheshire

Isle of Wight
I was interested in the article about
Marconi in the Isle of Wight in MM23. I
recently had the opportunity to spend the
day there and made a point of visiting the
places with Marconi connections. How-
ever, a few changes have taken place and
the situation today is as follows:
Alum Bay The Needles Hotel is no
more and has been replaced by a large
childrens fun park. The stone memorial
to Marconi, with inscriptions on four sides,
is still there and is at the far end of the
large car park.
(The fence of the fun park' is hard up
against the memorial, giving the impres-
sion that the developers would have done
away with it given half the chance! Ed.)
Pumpkey made by F6EOC Ladywood Cottage Enquiries at
MMZ4 47
Osborne House drew a blank. Noone
in the reception area had heard of it but What Is It?
the senior attendant present thought it Several new readers have written to ask
might possibly now be an old peoples about the meaning of the Morse charac-
home or something similar. Presumably ters which appear at the bottom of the
it is no longer accessible to the general front cover of each issue of MM.
public. They originated long before my asso-
Kn0wloa Farm The Farm and surround- ciation with the magazine began, of course.
ing land is now owned by the National However, I understand from Tony G4FAI
Trust It consistsof two (or three) cottages that they represent a tuning-up signal
lived in by tenants of the NT. A 1/4 mile used on the air by the magazines founder,
walk has to be made from the nearest the late Rinus Hellemons PAOBFN.
parking area. The characters are in fact two distort-
The most westerly cottage is where ed Vs, with the rst dot of the second
Marconi had his living quarters and study. V' tagged on the tailend of the first, and
A stone slab with inscription is set in the the remaining elements of the second V
outside wall and this may be the same sent very slowly, in an almost pensive
stone erected by Miss Kirkpatrick. In the fashion.
eld between this cottage and the cliff top The signal became a trade mark of
a deep hole surrounded by cement can be Rinus, recognised immediately by those
seen. This is where Marconi installed his who contacted him regularly on the ama-
mast (or one of them). teur bands, and since adopted and used by
John St. Leger G3VDL, some of our long-standing readers.
Okehampton, Devon Geoff GJGSR

Ode to a Wireless Operator


by Mtny Tearson, 5115a Island (OMSD), 1905

When the air is ne and balmy Then the common Op gets sore
and the ether's free and clear and the language that he uses
and the sigs come in like thunder melts the contacts off his key
with a biff that jars the ear, burns the Bradfield to a cinder,
Then the PBO* is happy and he leaves the aerial hanging free,
wears a sunny smile and And the Old Recording Angel wears
doesnt curse the trafc that a stern and saddened look as he
keeps coming all the while, logs the bad Ops language in
But when the Xs come on steady the big Recording Book.
with a sizzly fn'zzly roar
and the sigs die down to nothing, *(PBO = Poor Bloody Operator)
Contributed by Gerry Kennedy, Dublin

43 MM24
Morse Q5L5
A new series ofreprowaions a! OSL cards with a Morse (heme

ENGLAND
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18 STATION
CASTLE BYTHAM
GRANTHAM
t:.:N(ZOI.NSH| RE N633 4SB

99" Go"
BahnhofstraSSe 21
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