Numfier88 — fefiruary 2004

'Br'yfit’5 ‘Ber

I I I — I I I —The International Journal of Morse Telegraphy

EDITORIALANDSUBSCRIPTION OFFICES:

Morsum hilagnificatfl'he Poplars.Wistanswick. Market Drayton.Shropshire TF9 ZBA. England.Phone: +44 (0) I630 638306FAX: +44t0l 1630 638051

MORSUMMAGNIF1CATu'asfirst publishedas a quarterlymagazine in Holland. in 1983. by thelate RirmsHellemons PAOBFN. It has been pnulm'edfiiur, then six times a year in Britain since I 986.and up to January 1999 was published and edited by Tony Smith. GJFAI and Geofi'Arnold.G.?GSR. It aims to provide international coverage of all aspects of Morse telegraphy. pastpresent and future. MORSl'M MAGNIFICAT is for all Morse entlmsiasts. amateur or

professional. active or retired. It brings together material which would otltenvisc be lost toposterity. providing an invaluable source of interest. reference and record relating to the

traditions and practice of Morse.

EDITOR: Zyg Nilski. 0301(1)e-mail: editor@MorseMag.com MM home page — www.morsemag.com

© The Nilski Partnership MMlV Printed by Henfordshire Display plC. Ware. HensAll drawings. photographs and articles are copyright and no part of this publication may be reproduced. storedin a retrieval system or transmitted in any lorrn or by any means without express permission of the publishers.The Nilski Partnership. Copyright may also be the property of contributors

“EA-NMake all cheques payable to ‘MorsumMagnificat‘PayPal: zyg@m0rsemag.com

“When does my subscription expire ...?“This is printed on the top line of the address label.

Also. we shall jog your memory with a renewal reminder included with that final issue

MM Back IssuesIssues Nos. 34.35 and 38—87 axailable from the

Editorial offices (see top of page). Price including postage £2.75 each to UK: £2.95 to Europe£3.25 tUS $5! Rest ofthe World by ainnail. Deduct 20% if ordering J or more.

FRONT COVERBright Bell's patented in 1853 and used extensively on British-built

railways. This is the forerunner of the Double Plate Sounder.

Photo/Collection: Fons Vanden Berghen. Halle. Belgium.

CommentI am sorry to say that there is nothing definite on the future of MM. There havebeen a number of enquiries but no decisions made yet. I am now at the advancedstage of arranging refunds and so a new publisher would be starting with newsubscriptions from all readers.

If the continuation of MM comes to nothing. back issues. binders and theremainder of the book stock will continue to be for sale for as long as stocks last:but credit card facilities will no longer be available after closure. This willespecially affect overseas readers because of the high cost of international bankdrafts.

There is time yet and we live in hope!

Zyg Nilski, G3 0KD

Contents[J News5 Morse Matters — The Best CW Audio Frequency/Morse Paddles/Morse @

Symbol/Another Sounder/Morse Fonts by Dr Gary Bold. ZLIAN[2 RCA Morse Key Tie Clip by Chris Bisaillimz, VE3CBK14 Australian Gems — The Pendograph & the Automorse by Ron McMztllen19 The Australian Simplex Auto by Ron McMul/en23 MM Binders and Back Issues24 Showcase26 RAEM/mm Is My Callsign translated by Mike Hewitt, G4AYO31 The Imaginative Approach of Sir Francis Ronalds to Electrical Telegraphy

by E. Geoffi‘ey Walslz, GM4FH (SK)‘77 Some Telegraph Developments in the 19‘" Century British Anny

by Jolzn Goldfinch40 Info Please!42 MM Bookshelf43 Your Letters47 Readers Ads

Mam:10 Fists CW Club — The International Morse Preservation Society23 Morse Enthusiasts Group, Scotland30 Radio Bygones30 G-QRP Club46 The Radio Officers Association47 The Art & Skill of Radio Telegraphy — book by William G. Pierpont. NQHFFLMM88 — febrwzry 2004 J

NewsNew Biography ofSamuel Morse

A new biography of Samuel F. B. Morse.the first in 60 years. has recently beenpublished. It is entitled “LightningMan: The Accursed Life of Samuel F.B. Morse" and written by Pulitzer Prizewinner. Kenneth Silverman.

As the blurb explains. “....Inthese pages we witness the evolutionof the great invention (the telegraph)from its inception as an idea to itsintroduction to the world — an eventthat astonished Morse‘scontemporaries ....... We see how ittransformed commerce. journalism.transportation. military affairs.diplomacy and the very shape of daily

life..."

LIGHINING MEN./~»,

fiainuel E1 Billions

KENNETK SILVERMEN‘lelliffi.’ 1-! He 3115222: Frizz

"But we discover as wellthat Morse viewed his existenceas accursed rather than illustrious.his every achievement seemingto end in loss and defeat..... andthe commercial success of thetelegraph engulfed him inlawsuits challenging theoriginality and ownership of hisinvention...".Lightning Man — The Accursed

Life of Samuel F. B. Morse. 503pages. 49 photos and illustrationsis published by Alfred A. Knopf.New York. hardcover price$35.00. ISBN 0-375-40128—8I am not sure of the countries in

which Random House, theinternational distributors. havedecided to make it available. I

cannot find it listed on ‘Whitaker'.the database of in-print booksavailable in the UK. and used bybook shops. but my copy was

Mflf88 - fefirwzry2004

purchased from Amazon.co.uk withonly a UK delivery charge. and onoffer with a 10% discount at £17.19. Sotry your 'local' Amazon web site.

A most enjoyable andinteresting book that provides newinsights on S. F. B. Morse and hisachievements.(Zyg Nilski, edilor, with thanks to DavidPennes for drawing attention to thebook)

New Radio Room Clock

John Davies had this pocket watch forChristmas. It has a maritime radio dialwith the CW and phone silence periodsjust like the ships‘ radio room clocks.

It is made by Authentic Modelsand will be treasured along with hisother R/O clocks.(Information: John Davies, G4ETQ)

M91188. - yearning 2004

Marconi Keys Revisited

When retirement approached, PhilBoyle pondered how he should occupyhimself during this period of enforcedinactivity. Although he had trained asa fitter and tumer some 45years earlier,he had spent his working lifemaintaining various electronic andcontrol systems, first in the Royal Navyand then in the nuclear Industry. Hedecided to return to his tools, albeitboth a little misty by now, and set up asmall workshop in the garage.

After a couple of yearsrelearning skills on various tool andsteam engine projects, he decided tocombine the interests of radio andmetalworking by making a few ‘old'telegraph keys. His first source ofinformation was Louise RamseyMoreau‘s book ‘The Story of the Key'and he made a 'C Plumb Key‘ and asmall ‘Signal Electric‘ key from thissource.

Although the results lookedgood and the relative dimensions werereasonably accurate he had noinformation to absolute dimensions butthen found Tom Perera’s web site. OneMarconi key was shown with the basedimensions so he had a go. This keywith its combination of polished woodand brass was a beautiful object.perfectly functional; but no utilitariankey this.

The attention to detail, the fourpart base with the shoulders to coverthe end grain. the detail on the top ofthe lever, the elegant terminal nuts - hewas hooked and decided to specialise

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in this type of key. After a visit to theMarconi Archive in Chelmsford. nowsadly closed to the public. he made hislatest offering, the side lever or‘guillotine‘ key.

In 2002, whilst recoveringfrom a hip operation and banned fromthe workshop. he found the e—bayauction web site and decided to try hisluck with a key and was amazed at theresponse. There are now these replicakeys residing all over the world. Evenbetter were the friendships made withthe key collecting fraternity and theaccess to their knowledge and advice.

His next project is to be the‘Grasshopper‘ using information fromDennis Goacher via Mr. Wyn Davies.

He makes a plea to all thosefortunate owners of Marconi keys whomight be willing to share informationon the keys, he is especially lookingfor information on the Marconi

4

maritime key(without theside lever)and ‘

M are 0 ni ‘s

second key‘the one listedas No. 50 inthe Marconiarchive.He can becontacted at99. HeathR o a dP e n k e t h .

Warrington,Ch e s h i r e ,

WAS 2BY.UK: telephone: +44 (0)1925 723618or e—mail: phil_boyle75@hotmail.com

Morse Code for @

Morse code is not dead. At 2003 WorldRadiocommunication Conference(WRC—O3) the ITURadiocommunication Sector StudyGroup 8 agreed on the wording of adraft new recommendation whichincludes a new Morse character to coverthe “"@ symbol.

The IARU had proposed addingthe new character for sending e—mailaddresses in Morse code.The draft recommendation proposesusing the letters AC run together

to represent the @ symbol.(Information: John Davies, G4ETQ)

MM88 - feEruary 2004

Morse Mattersby Dr Gary Bold ZL1AN

The Best CW Audio Frequency?Morse Paddles Keyed with Fingers?

A Morse “@” Symbol?Another SounderMorse Fonts

The Best CW Audio Frequency?

Ron. ZLlTW, writes:"A discussion has been raging

on the Elecraft Reflector lately aboutthe best audio frequency for copyingCW. The general opinion seems to be‘whatever works for you'. but there areblokes who like a low tone (around450112). They say that the CW is theneasier to pick up out of the background.Others have stated that 1 kHz used tobe the ‘normal‘ frequency used in theWWII and swear by it.

"I use 700 Hz. but then myhearing is pretty poor. with all the highand low tones filtered out by Tinitus -that‘s another reason I like using thecans if there is some backgroundQRM. either in the radio, or locally.

"However. I have to say that I

often do find myself listening to Morselower in frequency than 700 Hz, andonly pick that up when enabling theKl‘s ‘spot‘ tone feature. I have towonder if I should experiment myself.What are your ideas on the best all-round frequency?"

The “best audio frequency for91/[5W88 — fefirumy 2004

copying" has been debated for years.New operators usually prefer thefrequency to which they‘ve listenedduring the learning process, but thispreference becomes less pronouncedas experience grows. I‘ve set the defaultfrequency in my teaching software to800 Hz, the "traditional" frequencyused when I was young, a compromisebetween "high" and “low", which mostfind acceptable. But remember that thiscan be changed both for learning andtaking the test.

Earlier. it was indeed commonto use 1000 Hz. That was the audiofrequency which Ted McElroy heardat Asheville, in 1939, when he set aworld record of 75.2 wpm copyingplain newspaper text on a typewriter.At this speed. the dit contains just 16cycles of a 1 kHz toneburst! A fewyears back I delivered a Morse test to acandidate trained in the serviceswho requested 1000 Hz because that‘swhat he was used to.

Individual operators usuallygive "preferred frequencies" in the 450- 800 Hz range - but some have nostrong preference, and many are veryinaccurate in their frequencyestimation. Older people often preferlower frequencies. Some DX ops,especially those active on 160 metres -

a very noisy band - sometimes evenadvocate 200 - 300 Hz.

Psychological literatureconfirms that tones are best picked outof background noise at frequenciesaround 500 Hz. Also. it's easier todiscriminate aurally between audiosignals that are closely spaced at lowerfrequencies. It‘s interesting that this is

1,"

not in the range in which the ear is mostsensitive.

Figure 1 shows the famousFletcher-Munson curves. Theindividual traces give lines of constantperceived loudness as a function offrequency. labelled with loudness levelin Phones. The lowest curverepresents the lower limit of hearingfor a normal person. and we see that theear is most sensitive between 4 and 5kHz. Low and high frequency soundsare hard to hear at low levels. but thedifference decreases as sound intensityincreases. Zero dB represents a powerlevel of lO_12 Watt/n12. at which levelthe ear-drum is responding to an airdisplacement of about a hundredth ofthe diameter of a hydrogen molecule.Astonishing.

What frequency do I prefer? I

would have said 700 — 800 Hz. but I

decided to investigate experimentally.

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The results surprised me. For thisexperiment I used CWGet Version 1.36.

C‘VGet Version 1.36I have reviewed an early

version of this software by Sergei.UAgOSV. You can download and tunthe latest. fully featured. time unlimitedversion. and read my original reviewfrom the same website'. I rated this anexcellent program. very easy to set upand use if you have a 166 MHz or betterPentium grade computer withsoundcard. If your sound-card isduplex. version 1.36 adds audio outputof the incoming Morse. fromthe soundcard speakers. You can filterthis audio with either FIR or HR digitalfilters having selectable bandwidthsranging from 10 Hz to 3 kHz.

If your rig doesn‘t have a CWfilter. thisnew feature allows you tosee the difference one makes. Like all

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E'IZI 5|) tIZIIjI 5111] 1IIIIIIII| 5'3'3'5' 1':'-':”:”:' 20hFfEIqUE'rllZ-Ll'in h:

Figure 1

6 MM88 - fefirumy 2004

DSP filters. there‘s a delay, in this caseabout half a second. between the rawaudio going in and the filtered audiocoming out of the soundcard. You can‘tsave any defaults that you set unlessyou register. for $35 (US), but you don'tneed to do this to try it out.

The ExperimentI fired up CWGet and went to

20 metres. Figure 2 shows a screencapture of the CWGet operatingwindow. Chas. ZLlBAV. is sending toPete. W6ZH. I‘d set CWGet to jump tothe frequency of the largest signal in

.’ '; UAQDSV EwfietFile Setup Help”

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the passband. (A nice feature. You don‘thave to continually adjust the tuning).The signal‘s envelope is shown inthe oscilloscope-type display atbottom, the spectrogram of the audiopassband at top. and the decoded Morsein the middle window. CWGet estimatesChas‘s speed at 16.6 wpm. andshows that I‘d selected an audiofrequency of 1087 Hz.

This rather high frequencysurprised me. so I tuned in several othersignals. and again found that I dialledthem up at or above 1000 Hz. But I didthis when listening through the speaker.

CWGet V1.35

threshold.

(c)1999—2|]l]3 Sergei Podstrigailo, UAQOSVUse mouse to select sound band and detector

#{ ..... — -} keying line. but luckily i managed to fix bothproblems in time lorthe sked. not a great deal fr I

WEM88 — fefirwzry2004 \I

When I repeated the test usingearphones. I found that I automaticallytuned signals in lower. between 700 -

800 Hz. The reason for the differenceappears to be the frequency responseof the rather small speaker in my Yaesu767GX. This responds better around1000 Hz. and also stands out over theambient noise in my shack better (twoolder computers. with several harddrives).

The 'phones. encapsulatingmy large and handsome earscompletely. have a much betterlow frequency response. the ambientnoise is blocked. and I tune lower.Interesting.

I‘ve long known that onsignals with a reasonable SNR. my braindoesn‘t particularly care what audiofrequency I set. and I can read twosignals appearing in the passbandalternately if one is maybe at 600 Hz.the other at maybe 1.5 kHz. At closerfrequency spacing. it becomesmore difficult. My ears. at least, havesome band—pass filtering built in. I tendto listen at higher frequencies forhigher speeds. Around 35 - 40 wpm I

find I set audio frequencies between800 — 1000 Hz. since I then perceivethe code as “crisper".

Some. like Fred WSYI. haveturned a hearing handicap into anadvantage. He once wrote tome asfollows:“A11 young American men had to servein the Armed Forces. or be drafted.back in the early 1950's during theKorean ‘conflict‘. as it was called. Bothmy brother and I have a genetic hearingproblem in that our hearing drops off

8

drastically with higher frequencies.We both became radio

operators. however. when a militaryaptitude test revealed we were goodat distinguishing wanted fromunwanted tones (copying throughinterference.)

Actually. we never heard theunwanted higher frequencies - we hadnatural filters! "I operated CW in Korea- but couldn‘t read what I copied.Everything was encrypted groups.Iusually did better than the otheroperators copying the same circuit. andmy copy became what the crypto guyswanted. I simply would set the BFOtone low and used my “natural filter" toget rid of the garbage. They thought I

was gifted rather than handicapped. (Istill wear a hearing aid.)

Morse Paddles Keyed withFingers?

Several people have alertedme to the fact that it's possible toconfigure the microphone on an ICOM706 so that the "up/down" buttons actas keyer paddles.

Several overseas Hamsapparently use this keying methodwhile operating mobile. as it savestaking a separate paddle.

You use two fingers instead offinger and thumb. I infer that themicrophone cable has to be modified.but I don't have any hard technicalinformation.

A few articles have appearedover the years describing how toconvert a dead computer two- buttonmouse into a keyer paddle. which is

WIM88 — fefirumy 2004

operated with two fingers in the sameway. but I‘ve never got around to tryingit. It sounds inviting, since dead miceare easy to obtain, but keyer paddlesare expensive. However, I don‘t thinkthat I could send very fast by fingeringa mouse.

I have built a number ofconventional “sideways operated”keyer paddles with micro-switches, butnever found them particularly user-friendly. Even a carefully adjustedmicro- switch paddle has too muchmovement for my taste. The same goesfor cheap straight keys mounted back~to-back.

Does anyone out there useeither of these "finger" methods?

A Morse “@” Symbol?

Greg. VSSGD. writes"I found a site on the intemet

where all of the Morse symbols aredefined? However, it occurred to methat with the advent of e—mail, wesometimes need to send the 'at' or '@'symbol. No Morse symbol currentlyseems to be defined for this. Is itsufficient to send 'at'? What do othersdo?"

Coincidentally. I had a coupleof other enquiries about this almostimmediately. I have never had to sendmy e-mail address in CW; I always say"it's in the QRZ database".

However, I asked Fred.ZLZAMJ who knows lots of things, andhe referred me to a letter in QSTfrom David, G4DMP/KK7GL, who hadwn'tten “In February 2003 I attemptedto find the Morse sequence for “@",FIE/W98 — fefirumy 2004

but at the time I was told that it wasundefined. However, I have sincelearned that the French use “di-dah-dah-di-dah“, the symbol for (‘1. I havesince used this on two occasions. and itwas understood perfectly."Well. I‘ve learned something. What doothers do?

Another Sounder

Arthur, ZLlHV. sent thisrecollection:

“When I was with 203Squadron in Basrah in 1935 the mainmeans of communication was an earth-return telegraph line to Shaibahterminating in sounder stations at bothends. All W/T traffic was passed overthis line, which was about 15 mileslong. Nothing could be simpler.A Morse key. a sounder and agalvanometer.

“The only sounder trainingRAF wireless operators received duringtheir 15 month course at the Electricaland Wireless School at Cranwell was ademonstration. So being at the end of asounder line for several hours a daywas a bit of a shock. However, after aweek as second operator we couldcruise along at about 20 W.P.M.

"When Stan Waite, ZLlAB,became a silent key I found a key, asounder marked GPO 3315 and agalvanometer mounted on a base. Acomplete sounder installation! Two ofthe terminals are marked “L" and “"Eand two are marked “Z" and "".C Therehave been a number of suggestions asto what these letters stand for.

E and L mean “earth" and9

“line". Z and C mean “zinc" and“copper" - the battery connections.Some suggest that C stood for “carbon",which would be correct for a standarddry cell. but this is contradicted by theearliest references. It‘s clear thatinitially. it meant “copper".

Where did “copper" comefrom? It's not. as you might expect. areference to a connection to the tele-graph line, but to the positive terminalof a copper/zinc cell. One of the earli-est. if not the earliestelectrochemical cell was Cruick-shanks “trough" battery. inventedabout 1800. This used alternate platesof zinc and copper. immersed in sul-phuric acid or even ammonium chlo—

ride. It had polarization problems. andin 1836 J.F. Daniell modified it into the“Daniell cell". which still usedcopper. zinc and sulphuric acid. buthad a different construction, which ef-fectively solved thepolarization problem. In the 1850‘s.Varley and Fuller independently mod—

ified this again into the “gravity cell".which was used in telegraphy for manyyears.

But there were an astonishingvariety of other batteries. In the USA.the “Grove cell". azinc/platinum cellwas used in Morse‘s first telegraph in1844. and continued in use untilafter the Civil war when the "gravity"battery replaced it. The New Zealand

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Figure 3

lrom traders.

FISTS CW Club— The International Morse Preservation SocietyFlSTS exists to promote amateur CW activity. It welcomes members with all

levels of Morse proficiency, and especially newcomers to the key.W— The club has awards, nets (including a beginners’ net), dial-a-sked forbeginners. straight key activities, QSL bureau, newsletter, and discounts

Further information can be obtained from Geo. Longden GSZQS, 119Cemetery Road, Darwen, Lancs BBS 2LZ. Send an s.a.e. or two IRCs.

MMSB - fairway 2004

H E] F1 E E I: El D E00-. III I. I CIOICI 00- .0. .

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I... OI "I I 00 III I. OIOIOIC 2 U T I C] N

telegraphy system used differentbatteries still!

The set is enshrined in a glasscase in the Stan Waite, ZLlAB.Memorial Station at 400 East CoastRoad."

A photograph. courtesy ofHenry. ZLlAAN. showing thiscomplete key, sounderand galvanometer set is shown inFigure 3. After 65 years. Althur cannotnow recall why or how thegalvanometer was used in a simplexline. but somebody out there must surelyknow.

There‘s a 52 page PDFdocument3 on the web outlining theextensive and fascinating historyoftelegraphy. written by a Physicistwho gets the technical details right.Well worth downloading and printing!

Morse Fonts

A reader told me that two“Morse code fonts" were available fordownload and installation from a websitei Samples are shown. If you wantthem. font installation on a PC is nothard.

Search under "fonts, adding"to see the procedure. When you‘vedone it. they‘ll then appear for selection

91/[91188— fefirwzry2004

in Word. Powerpoint etc. Figure 4shows a sample printed in the font“Radios in Motion", where codesymbols for the characters appearabove the text. But now. pay attention.

The reason I mention these isto counsel caution. Those of you whohave learned Morse from my (or othercorrectly structured) software willknow that you should never look atvisual, symbolic representations of thesymbols before learning. or you'll bedisadvantaged. Morse is a soundlanguage. and for optimal progress.must be learned audibly! Never show alearner aprinted code table!

Thus, if you use this font forwriting letters. send them only to otherMorse— capable people whose mindswill not be corrupted. MM

References1 Download CWGet from http://

www.dxsoft.comDownload the table of Morse symbols fromhttp://vku‘qsl.net/\veéw/text/morse.txt

3 Download the document “TheElectromagnetic Telegraph" fromhttp://ww\v.du.edit/~jcalvert/tel/morse/morsehtm

4 Download the Morse fonts fromhttp://www.jetler.com/stationery_b_vjo/font_index.html#k

Ix)

(Adapted andedited for MM fromGary Bold‘s TheMorse/nan column in Break In. the journal ofNZART.)

J]

RECENTLYOBTAINEDATIECLIPfeaturing a Morse Key with the RCAlogo. It came complete with the

original cardboard box bearing themakers name "Robbins" and thelocation Attleboro. Massachusetts.This was my only clue as to the maker.since the name did not appear on the tieClip.

RCA Morse Key

Tie Clipby Chris Bisaillion,

VE3CBK

provide aPinkos was able to

information on the tieclip. It was producedtwice. On April let1959 they produced2.500 tie Clips for TomPennett at RadioCorporation ofAmerica in Harrison.NJ. These tie Clipswere made out of #10gauge Rich LowBrass. On Nov 21st.1968 they produced

Above: The finished product. Below: Factory drawing,

After a short websearch I found out that TheRobbins Company stillexists today. It was foundedin 1892 and continues in the“recognition" industry.See www.therobbinscocomfor more information.

I sent an email to themand received a great replyfrom Mr. Kip Pinkos. Mr.

12 MM88 - feliruary 2004

1.000 tie clips and they

were sent to the samelocation. These tieclips were made outof #14 Rich LowBrass. Mr. Pinkos alsosupplied copies of theoriginal die cards. cutouts and original artwork.

It has beensuggested that this tieclip was a give awayfrom the sales reps tothe retailers thathandled RCAproducts. Forinstance. HarveyRadio advertised inQST August 1959saying. “One isavailable to you FREEwith any purchase ofRCA Power Tubes for$10.00 or more suchas 2-6146. Etc."

Robbins factory1013 card.

Any furtherinformationon this veryinterestingitem would bem o s twelcome.Ithank Mr.

Kip Pinkosfor providingt h einformationon such anice productfrom the past.

Samar.“ “swag givTima”we” rumba; yaw Rum ‘ xswims mmpéma,

HARVEY RADIO has"an for you

a Qa-tfiiwufiagmph May> flyevngztesimfie wig:

mkAvataha'memm-wmM 8“ Pom”- Tuhu {or $19.09 at man:Mas34i‘6, fit.

film/[88 — fefirwzry2004Courtesy ofAugust 1959 087'.

1.3

WO OF THE MOST sought afterAustralian semi automatic andautomatic keys are the

Pendograph and Automorse. Both wereused by the PMG (Postmaster—General‘s) Department Morseoperators. but not as widely as the betterknown Simplex Auto. The Pendographis often. but wrongly refen‘ed to as thePMGPendograph. It was at times issued.along with various other brands ofjiggers. to operators to combat“Telegraphist‘s Cramp" now known asRepetitive Strain Injury (RSI). EachState PMG Head Office wasresponsible for its own policy and somestamped their issues with PMG andsome even stamped their own serialnumber on them.

The PendographThe Pendograph was designed

by an Adelaide Telegraphist. AlbertMacDonald who applied for a patentfor “an improved telegraphictransmitter" 011 28th April 1908. PatentNo. 11389/08 was subsequentlygranted. His invention related “moreparticularly to mechanical transmittersin which vibrating devices are used forautomatically producing the ‘dots' ofthe telegraphic code. as for example,the "Morse Code'". Up to that timesemi automatic keys consisted of ahorizontal weighted vibrator. whereasMacDonald proposed a verticalpendant or upright vibrator for

14

Australian GemsThe Pendograph& the Automorse

by Hon McMu/len

automatically providing dots controlledby a horizontal lever. the electricalcontact being direct on to the vibratorspring thereby dispensing with thesecondary spring previously in use.

Three models of Pendographwere produced and MacDonald‘spatent application provided for allthree. The first was a ‘right angle'model with separate levers for dot anddash control. The vibrator was on theleft hand side ofthe base and suspendedfrom a cross piece attached to twopillars with a weight at the bottom.There was a recess in the left hand endof the base to accommodate thevibrator. Through the base to the recesswas an adjustable rod to act as a stopfor the pendulum rod. The dash contactwas located at the back of the base.

The next model was somewhatsimilar. but with the vibrator anchoredto the base and the weight at the top.Initially there was no secondary spring.but this was added later. The dashcontact was relocated to a post at thefront of the base. I have one of these

film/[88 - fefirwzry2004

30 Apr., 1908. AUSTRALIA. No. 11,889/08.ALBERT MACDONALD. Tdegmpln‘; Tranmiim.

0.13933. One lithe. sheet.

The PendographFigure 1. Isometric viewof complete instrument showing verticalpendant vibrator.Figure 2. Isometric viewofmodification which the thumb piece for producing dashes is mounted upon

the same lever as that for producing dots. the operation being in opposite directions.Figure 3. End view showing modified form of upright vibrator in which the weight is arrangedat the top.Figure 4. Shows a modified form ofpendulum with secondaryspring.film/[88 — IFeEruary2004 132'

line' style with no circuitcloser. Again there were thetwo individual levers for dotsand dashes and the secondaryspring. The Vibrator wasanchored to the base with theweight at the top with anarched flat strip attached tothe posts.

Figure 5. Front View of the firstmodel of the Pendograph.

models which interestinglyhas the 'Mecograph‘ typestripe. I have not seen anyothers with this finish.

The third model was themost commonly known ‘in

Figure 6. Rear View ofthe first model of thePendograph

Both right angledmodels and early “inline‘ models carrieda rectangularshaped label whilstlater ‘in line‘models had a roundlabel. Pendographsdid not carry serial

Figure 7. Secondmodel - right-angled Pendograph.

16

numbers. Whilst thepatent application

Ell/[M88 - fefirwzry2004

The AutomorseThe Automorse was a fullyautomatic key designed byanother Adelaide Telegra-phist, Norman Percy Tho-mas, who applied for apatent for “An automaticdot and dash making tel-egraph transmitting instm-ment", on llth April 1918.The patent number subse-quently granted was 7023/18. The Automorse wasmanufactured by

" "VW Hitchcock Bros. FlindersFigure 8. Third model — in-line Pendograph. Street, Adelaide.

In his patent applicationproyided for a single lever -in line‘ Thomas stated “a succession of dashesmodel with a circuit closer, none is may be made automatically With aknown to exist and was possibly never single movement 0f the hand, also amanufactured. succession of dots with a single

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Figure 9. Plan view of complete Automorse instrumentMW[88 — fefiruary 2004 17

Figure 10. Left and right-hand models of the Automorse.

movement of the hand. This will notonly conduce to the clearness of thetransmitted signals but by reducingthe number of movements and thetension upon the operator's hand andnerve. will prove of very great benefitto the operator in the prevention ofwhat is known as Telegraphist‘scramp".

The Automorse is basicallycomprised of three weighted vibratingrods. one for dots. one for manualdashes and one for automatic dashes,mounted on the base, moving in ahorizontal plane. A distinguishingfeature is the “T" frame fixed to the

base and extending above the leverswhich. whilst providing a degree ofprotection for the parts, made carryingthe instrument much easier. It was madein both right and left hand models. butI am only aware of one left hand modelwhich I own. The round label isattached to the base near the front righthand corner. The Automorse did notcarry serial numbers.

The Automorse was not an easyinstlument to adjust and to use. Alongwith the fully automatic Simplex AutoDe Luxe model they were the only twofully automatic Australian made jiggersand neither were very widely used. MM

l8 MW[88 - fefiruary 2004

HE SIMPLEX AUTO wasinvented about 1920 by Leo G.Cohen, an Australian

Telegraphist. He was the solemanufacturer. In 1923 it was adoptedby the Postmaster General'sDepartment as a standard sending aidfor the Commonwealth of Australia andwas also extensively used in RailwayTelegraphic Services. Unlike suchfamous names as Vibroplex. thereappears to be no recorded history ofthe inventor or the machine itself.

The InventorLeopold Gilbelt Cohen was born

at Kalgoorlie Western Australia onllth August 1900. He joined theAustralian Post Office at Healesville,Victoria as a Telegraph Messenger on18 January 1915 on an annual salary of£39 and became a Telegraphist in theMelbourne Chief Telegraph Office. In1934 he moved to the ‘Postal side' ofthe PMG Department as a Senior PostalClerk (Assistant Postmaster) atHawthorn, Vic and thence toCanterbury Vic, again as Senior PostalClerk, in 1937 before enlisting in the2nd A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force)at South Melbourne on 13th November1939 with the rank of Lieutenant (onprobation), just two months after theoutbreak of the Second World War. Hewas assigned to a Postal Unit with the6th Division departing for overseas on9 January 1940 and saw service in the

MM88 — [Fefirwzry 2004

The AustralianSimplex Auto

by Ron McMuIIen

Middle East until 28 February 1943.He was promoted to Captain on 28October 1941. He served inNorthern Australia, being promoted toMajor on 19 November 1943 and thenserved in NewGuinea from 27 February1945 to 13 September 1945. He was incharge of Army Postal Services inthe Northern Australia region until hisdischarge from the Army on 30 January1946. He returned to the Post Officeafter the war being Postmasterat Warracknabeal. Burwood andArmadale. He died at Camberwell,Victoria in 1954 aged 53.

VariationsThe first Simplex Auto model is

easily distinguished by the number of‘posts' located on the front of the baseof the machine. Not more than about400 had 4 posts: all later models hadonly 3. Very early models had a smalllabel attached to the base near the postholding the long thin ‘dot‘ contactspting before the larger label appearedon the top of the bridge.

19

SimplexAuto 281 - the first model.

Both the first and second modelshad black painted bases and apalt fromthe number of posts, are identical andhave semi circular ‘cut outs' at theright hand end of the bridge to provideaccess to the dash tension spring. Theyhad round pendulums with one flatside which remained through to thefifth model. Terminal screws werelocated on a square dash post and therear of the base, which arrangementcontinued through to the fourth model.Both labels show the name ‘SimplexAuto' sloping upwards from left to rightand LeoG. Cohen Telegraphist C.E.T.O.(Chief Electric Telegraph Office)Melbourne. The damper post was at therear centre of the base.

The third model saw the dashadjustment spring relocated to theposition formerly occupied by the

20

fourth post although not on the base.This resulted in a straight line of thebridge with no need for the “cut out‘.There was also a change in the labelwith ‘Simplex Auto” in large letteringat each end. curving inwards top andbottom to smaller letters at the centre.C.T.O. replaced C.E.T.O. reflecting thefact that the word 'electric' was droppedfrom the Telegraph Office title. Theactual size of the label was slightlylarger than previously to accommodatethe extra wording ‘manufactured by'above Cohen‘s name and ‘Vic' afterMelbourne.

The fourth model had changedwording on the label. The words‘Telegraphist C.T.O.‘ were dropped.perhaps indicating that Cohen had leftthe C.T.O. and moved to the Post Officeside of the PMG Department.

W88 - fefiruary 2004

SimplexAuto 3499 - the fully automatic model.The fifth model was called the

‘De Luxe‘ being fully automatic;automatic dots and automatic dashes.

These are easily distinguishedby the ‘in line' appearance, large topplate and the three paddles.Comparatively few were made,possibly because they had to competewith the ‘Automorse‘ which had bythat time become established and thefact that they required a further‘learning curve” and any advantageover using a semi automatic was notgreat. They are rarer than theAutomorse. From this time, the semiautomatic Simplex became known asthe Standard model. The ‘De Luxe‘was the only Simplex to carry a circuitcloser.

The sixth model had a fullyround pendulum with the damper postrelocated to the left hand rear end ofthe base.

The seventh model saw thereplacement of the square dash postMM88 — fefiruary 2004

with a round post and the deletion ofthe two terminal screws carrying theconnecting cord and plug. One screwwas provided beneath the base for onecord terminal with the other connectedunderneath the dash post.

The eighth model indicates twochanges. The under base screw for onecord terminal provided only on theseventh model was deleted and thatcord terminal placed on the bridgescrew. The pivot adjusting screwpreviously located on the right handend of the bridge was relocated beneaththe base. This arrangement continuedfor all future models. Some left handmodels of this type were made andperhaps of other models also.

Generally models up to thisperiod, with the exception of the two‘cut out‘ models had nickel-platedbases.

The ninth model saw apermanent change to a black paintedbase and a significant alteration to the

2]

Simplex Auto 5329 - left handmodel.wording of the label. Cohen‘s namewas dropped. with the wording beingsimply ‘Melbourne Victoria‘. Thebridge changed from right-angledcorners to a slightly larger angle givinga splayed effect. However there is. asalways. an exception. A few of thismodel in the early 6xxx series bore thenameplate ‘The Simplex Auto (Regd)made by Stuart Perrin'. Perrin was aSupervisor in the Melbourne C.T.O.and is believed to have been related bymarriage to Cohen. This possiblyindicates the exit of Cohen from thebusiness. Who manufactured latermodels is not known.

One remaining model bears nolabel at all and no holes in the bridgefor fixing points. These were made forthe Australian defence forces duringWorld War II and the componentsappear to be of a poorer quality thanpreviously. Some of these reverted tothe PMG Department and possibly22

other government users such as CivilAviation for issue to operators. Mine isstamped ‘C of A 45‘ which was typicalCommonwealth of Australianidentification.

In about 1938 a nickel platedsemi automatic ‘Special Model'Simplex priced at £2/5- was advertisedalong with the ‘Standard Model‘ pricedat £3/7/6. A later advertisement pricedthe ‘Special‘ at £2/lO/— being‘obtainable from J. W. Layther. S.P.C.Carnegie SI 9. Victoria. AustralianRepresentative for Leo G. Cohen.

None of these models are knownto have survived and it seems likelythat none or very few were actuallymanufactured and sold. The ‘Special'bore a resemblance to the ‘De Luxe‘.being an ‘in line" model and having alarge rectangular top plate supportedon four posts. The ‘De Luxe~ modelwas advenised as ‘again available at£5/5l—

W88 - fefiruary 2004

Photo/Collection:

Malcolm

Brass.

G4YMB

Photo/Collection

:Wyn

Davies

Shea/caseReaders are invited to contribute any additional information and stories, no matter how minor. to the Editor.

Morsum Magnificatt There have been thousands of designs of keys & telegraphy instuments. Information will

be lost unless it is compiled in one place and shared with other readers.wa-

MARKETSTREET..... PH/LA '.

A BunnellKOB with the suppliers name and address: ‘GEOA. SUPPLEE CO,.. 1933

24

Signalling lamp Hethermade by Francis to fit ontop of a pair of binocularsforshort range signalling.

“JMM88 — february2004

Photo/Collection:

Chris

Bisaillion,

VESCBK

Here is a photo of what is believed to be the lastMorse key produced for the Canadian ArmedForces. This is the 629-5895-001 key that wasused with an HF man-pack called the AN/PHC-515. made byRockwellCollinsin Toronto. lt wasatransistorlsedSSBtransceiverlorspecialpurposetactical use. Thereappears tobe two variants ofthe

Photo/Collection:

HeisukeKimura.

JA1

DVV

J. Ft. 0. Pump KeyMode/s KY—3andKY-3 A. The KY-3 ismanufactured using international standard (ISO) screwthreads andtheKY-SA usesJapanese IndustrialStandard(J/S) threads. Both weigh900g andaremade with a blackbake/ite base with Ftubberfeeton the bottom. It was used

‘ formaritime, ship and otherprofessional applications.M91488 — febrwzry 2004 25

N 24 DECEMBER 1973 EmstTeodorovich Krenkel wouldhave been 70 years of age.

But an untimely death cut short his lifeat 68 years. The memory of him and hisdeeds remain with us. hiscontemporaries and friends, for ever.One of the first polar expeditions ofErnst Teodorovich was a wintering onFranz Josef Land. Now, the polargeophysical observatory of thisarchipelago 0n Heys Island is namedafter the legendary radio operator.Great work was accomplished by E.T.Krenkel during a two year winteringon Sevemaya Zemlya (North Land). Inmemory of his stay in this bleak andcold territory. a bay. situated to thenorth of the archipelago. was named"Krenkel Bay".

For many years Krenkel—Explorer returned to the hydrometeorological service. A newscientific weather research vessel - theErnst Krenkci - recently left on avoyage. This was in recognition of hismajor contribution to the developmentof radio communications and amateurradio at the Central Radio Club USSRin Moscow.

The last voyage of ET. Krenkel.a voyage to the Antarctic Circle. tookplace in 1968. He headed a voyage ofthe scientific-research vessel ProfessorZubov. which was bound for the shoresof Antarctica to relieve its staff ofwinterers found there. and also for

26

RAEM/mm Is MyCallsign

(The last voyage of ET. Krenkel)

(From “RADIO” magazine Nr. 12 1973,translated by Mike Hewitt G4A YO)

oceanographic research.Below we publish extracts from

the diary of ET. Krenkel. which hekept during the voyage on the Zubnv.He was a gifted narrator, graphic. withapt language in which were no tritesentences 0r clumsy wording. ErnstTeodorovich appears before us as a

very ordinary man who with boyishardour is concerned with his daily"watch" on the air for radio amateurs.

14 November. Embarkation on Zubovwas set at 8 am. The day was grey anddark. It was frosty. In Nev almost solidpancake ice. In my cabin there was acrush. Treshnikov. Korotkevich,Chukhnovsky, Somov. Osterkin andstill more familiar and unfamiliarpeople arrived. A mass—meeting wasconducted. Treshnikov (Director of theArctic and Antarctic ScientificResearch Institute) and I paced. Thoseseeing us off were asked to leave thevessel. On the gangway there was nopassing: embraces, kisses, moist eyes...A tug slowly began to pull us. Therewere collective cries. waving of handsand a dwindling crowd of those seeing

MM88 - ‘fefiruzzry 2004

us off on the pier.17 November. In the evening we passedby Cape Skagen. We established radio-telephone communications with thediesel—electric 017. thanks to which wasmade our original radio—acquaintancewith the future “governor" ofAntarctica. Dmitri DmitrievichMaksutov. Audibility was excellent.We worked on a transmitter with apower of one kilowatt.22 November. On the horizon Spain isvisible in the haze. The warm weatheris wonderful. Towards evening thechoppiness intensified to wind force7—8. Stabilising sails were let out andon a rather stormy sea we tore alongalmost like Chest pond...24 November. Warm rain lashes down.all around was a grey hazy mist. throughwhich are visible the mountains ofGrand Canary island. on the easternside of which is located the port of LasPalmas. The island is beautiful. butsombre. A vast high steep stony shorestretches to the sea. In valleys andravines there are small settlements withtiny white houses. There are noanchorages - the depth is too great.Among our sailors an argument arose.which most resembled Grand Canary:the landscape of Murmansk or the coastof the Crimea?26 November. Our vessel slowly.without the help of the tug. went intothe rather small port of Las Palmas. Itastonished the Spaniards with its abilityto move sideways - we worked with aspecial reactive rudder. First troubleafter putting into port - restocking ofdiesel fuel. It is unlike being in a queueat a Moscow petrol pump, but is in

Mil/[88 — fefirumy 2004

essence the same.28 November. We took on supplies.fully loaded the refrigerators withvegetables and fruits for our“polyarniks”. polar explorers in theAntarctic. After a four day stop we leftLas Palmas. Then our route is without astop to Mirny. where we met up withthe 0b.

In the morning I received thegood news that I had been authorisedto work on the air from the Zubnv withmy amateur radio callsign RAEM/mm.This is great! In the evening at 2100hours (midnight Moscow time) I wentto the radio cabin to “listen around". Ituned the transmitter power up to onekilowatt in the middle of the twenty-metre band. My first CQ wentunanswered. After a minute on thisfrequency I heard a call from a Swiss —

HB9AMF. I called him. he answered.Geneva was healing us at RST 599!Then contacts were made one afteranother: with Italians. four Americans.a Spaniard. a Frenchman. with radioamateurs from the islands ofGuadeloupe and Curacao. Most of themwished me happy sailing. OneAmerican demanded whether or not I

am president of our amateur radiosociety.29 November. Every evening I wouldwork right in the middle of the band.Amateurs knew what frequency I wasalways on.

A.A. Losev - radio manager ofthe Zubov tunes up the transmitter.Karassev (watch radio operator) is onone side of me with a parallel link andsafeguards me. since there is such a dinon the air from radio amateurs. that one

27

can sometimes miss callsigns. I got toknow Karassev in his absence. He wasa keen radio ham and sent me long listsof his QSOs from Franz Josef Landwhile I filled in QSL-cards* for him inMoscow.

The airwaves rang out. it wasnecessary to turn down the receiver.The first contact was with a Germanfrom the FRG. then five Americans.One of them. K9CLO. said that he hadalready worked me several years ago.A YL called me — WA3HUP**. I saidthat she was my first contact with a YLfrom the Zubov. The last contact waswith an Italian from the island of Sicily.3 December. At eleven o'clock a

ceremony was announced, thatNeptune. the luler of all the seas. hadcome on board. Having been installedon the throne. Neptune asked of CaptainPetr Ivanovich Tairov in a loud voice,with an amplifying megaphone: "Whois there. where are you going?" Thecaptain according to form reponed andheld out a large scroll with the surnamesof everyone on the ship. And althoughhe was the only man not subject to"baptism". our dear Petr Ivanovich.himself jumped into the salt font inorder to inspire good spirits.

A “baptism" conveyor-beltquickly started up. “Devils" picked upthe "next in turn" and they were throwninto the pool. The faint-beamed tried tohide in their cabins. but the ubiquitous"devils" dragged them out. Theorchestra served its full repertoire onthe mass.And so. our ship crossed the equator.Neptune admitted us into the Southernhemisphere.

28

6 December. About three o‘clock inthe morning I went to the radio cabin. I

made a successful "catch" of ouramateurs. At first I only answeredAmericans but then came calls fromKrasnovodsk. Novosibirsk. Perm.Chardzhou. Sverdovsk (here workedmy old friend Portnyagin - UA9CC).Zaporozh. Rostov. Kharkov. Erevanand Crimea. All had good audibility. Apile of amateurs called me. two - threepeople simultaneously. It is a pity thatthere was insufficient time to contactthem all.8 December. At three o‘clock at night.as a mile. radio amateurs come on theair on my “watch". Today conditionsare such that nothing is heard of ourhams. Though, all the same. towardsthe very end I picked up two home DXstations from Blagoveshensk andMagadan. Those are perhaps the mostdistant contacts for the present.10 December. I missed some of my"watch", but all the same the catch wasquite good. A regular DX-contact withPetropavlovsk-on—Kamchatka. andwhat is more a meeting with A.F.Kamalyagin from Kuibyshev. N.N.Stromilov replied as arranged. but hewas heard so weak that nothing wasunderstood.13 December. Yesterday at 1600 wepassed Cape of Good Hope. On thehorizon, barely glimpsed and discerned.was a large flat mountain in cloud.In the morning I was on short-wave.One American paid me a splendidcompliment. with which I could byrights be proud of: "For us Americans,RAEM signifies Russia!"23 December. In the morning I worked

MLM88 - fefiruary 2004

on short-wave. As always it was brim—

full of Americans. Then UruguayanCX4CO called me at great strength. Healso heard me at maximum strength.We talked very nicely for half an hour.He reported. that he had my QSL card.we had worked each other in 1947! I

well remember this contact since it wasbig DX for me. This radio amateursometimes worked with the callsignCXlCX.26 December. From morning we beganto enter already very solid ice. In twohours they announced on the “speaker"- 0b was on the horizon. but she onlyapproached us by eight in the evening.0b forced a channel. and we slowlycrept through it. On the horizon was anentire barrier of icebergs. We counted20 pieces. but there were most likelymore of them. Here there was no “tiredsun". It was not up. This was mightywhite grandeur - unforgettable.1 January 1969. So then, Antarcticaappeared before us as a white dome.Below. a barely visible black spot,Mirny was revealed. Both ships cutinto the fast shore ice. Two Landrovershastily “came running". Penguins alsohastily approached to make everythingout. A ladder was lowered. On the icethe first messages are transmitted -

greetings from the Big Land.6 January. Karassev anived and saidthat band conditions for our radioamateurs were tremendous and that tenmen were already lined up in turn. Theair really teemed. I madecommunications with Rekach andStromilov.12 January. 017 set about unloading.For four days the flagship punched aMM88 — feEruwy 2004

channel in the huge field of fast shoreice up to the safe ice. where we couldwork the tractors. Zubov stands aside.waiting its turn to enter the four-kilometre channel. Seventy men arealready on the shore. On shoulders. onbuck—rakes. very delicate instrumentsare dragged four kilometres. since evenlight Landrovers are hindered in snowsaturated with water. Further from the0b it is a difficult journey: twentykilometres more with zigzags. withevasion, eight bridges.

Relief arrives on the Zubav forthe old winterers. There are sunburntfaces with white circles from darkgoggles around the eyes. The weatherallowed two aircraft trips to take outseven polyarniks from the very arduous"Vostok" station.

The eighth was a ceremonial day- the lowering of the flag of thethirteenth and the raising of the flag ofthe fourteenth Soviet AntarcticExpedition. The two heads. Shamontevand Maksutov. conducted a solemnceremony in the presence of personnelfrom both expeditions. The roof of theradio centre served as a rostrumadorned with flags of the States withpolar stations in Antarctica.

Radio centre. diesel. and someoffice buildings are well positionedand not covered with snow. Others haveless luck: hopelessly concealed by asnow covering four-five metres thick.In the centre of the large settlement isthe famous post with indicators — howmany kilometres to the base capitals ofthe world. Yes. they are a long way off!A second post confirms that Mirny isright on the Antarctic circle.

29

Forcedly puffing. clambering along anice ravine created by human hand. isthe next tractor. Flocks of penguinsrushed to its noise. seals just lazilyraised their heads. The Zzibm' took onboard nearly all the old reliefpolyarniks.

Notes by G4AYOii‘ 1 have one of these QSLs written outby Krenkel in response to a SWL report.Victor Karassev was UAlKED from1964 -1966. From 26th December 1999until 11th April 2001 Victor was QRVfrom RlAND and his Febnrary 2000QSL (manager Dominik DLSEBE)reads: “Being 59 years old Victor “Vic"Karassev joined the 45th RAE winteringteam as chief radio operator of theNovolazarevskaya Station which islocated about 50 miles inland from theice edge of Princess Astrid Coast onrocky ice—free ground of the so-called“Schirmacher Oasis". Besides his

to operate from the local club stationRlAND (ex. 4K1D) on the amateurfrequencies." Victor‘s others calls arelisted as:UPOL-22 (1980-1981)4KOA l 1982-1983)4KOB (1983-1984)4KOD (1986—1987)

(1988-1989)4K1A/R1ANT (1995-1996)RlANF (1997-1998)

:5“? Mary/17m Crider, WAfiHUP, writeson 22 October 2002."Your letter was a real surprise. TheQSOwithRAEM/mmwas so many yearsago [29 November 1968 2215 on14.050 599]. 1 was licensed a little overone year and I do remember the Q50. Iwondered why there was no number inthe call. The QSO was on cw. He gavehis name as Ernst s/s Professor Zubov— Lat. 18.00 North Long. 18.00 West.En route to the Antarctic. He was also

profession commitments he was able my first maritime station." MM

/ («P9 \Bygones *3I “7‘\ r

the vintage wireless magazine G-QRP ClubAnnual subscription (6 issues): The G-QRP Club promotes and

UI\ - £18.30; Europe - £19.30; Rest encourages low-power operatingof the World £23.75.

Or send £3.25 for a sample copyFor further details, contactWimbomePublishingLimited

408 Wimborne Road East. FerndownDorset BH22 9ND. EnglandPhone: +44 (0) 1202 873872Fax: +44 (0) 01202 874562

E-mail: radiobygones@wimborne.co.uk‘

1

VISAwww.radiobygones.com :

on the amateur bands with activity periods,awards and trophies. Facilities include aquarterly magazine, Morse training tapes,kits, traders’ discountsand a QSL bureau. Novices and SWLswelcome.Enquiries to Rev. GeorgeDobbs GsRJV,St Aidan’s Vicarage,498 Manchester Road, Rochdale,Lancs OL11 3HE. Send alarge see. or two IRCs

.30 MM88 - feErumy 2004

N 1852 RELATIONS betweenBritain and France were amicable,and when a submarine cable linked

Dover to France: the first messagessent between London and Paris dealtwith stock market prices. Earlier it hadbeen otherwise. tension at the time ofNapoleon Bonaparte made rapidcommunication from the Admiralty inLondon to the navy on the South Coastvital.

The first system adopted was anoptical telegraph devised by LordGeorge Murray. a son of the Duke ofAtholl and later the Bishop of St David‘ sand Archdeacon of Man (see Figure I).On a roof was mounted a frame of sixshutters that could be flippedhorizontally or vertically. but theboards were difficult to see at a distance.they were easily damaged by gales.and messages often could not be passed:relays of horses were then employed.

A better system devised laterby Sir Home Riggs Popham used a maston which were attached moveable armsand an experimental line to Sheernessfrom London was set up in 1815: thisowed much in its conception to aFrench system invented by ClaudeChappe but. like all optical telegraphs.it was useless in foggy or misty weather.A Parliamentary Report. dated 2nd May1843 stated the chain could not be usedin 323 days during a period of 3 years.From October lst to February 28th itmight be operational for 5 hours dailyW88 — fefirumy 2004

The ImaginativeApproach of Sir

Francis Ronalds toElectrical Telegraphy

by E. Geoffrey WalshGM4FH(SK)

and for the rest of the year for 7 hours.

Static Electricity (Figure 2)Amber, jet. sealing wax.

sulphur. diamond. garnet and glasswhen rubbed. acquire the power ofattracting small objects such as chaffand dust. The word electricity is derivedfrom the Greek word for amber. Interestwas heightened by Benjamin Franklin‘sheroic observations on the electricalnature of lightening; he flew a kite intoa thunder-cloud and perilouslyconnected himself into thearrangements. Three technicaladvances had led by the end of the 18thCentury to an improved knowledge ofelectricity:1. Instruments were devised to

rapidly rotate glass cylinders ordiscs against leather pads andthereby produce electricitymore reliably than by rubbingby hand.

.31

Murray’s Shutter Telegraph Gas Lamp Telegraph

Popham’s Semaphore Telegraph,9.n )

Figure 1. Optical Telegraphs. Thesemaphore arrangements were the more satisfactory; the ingenious gaslamp telegraph. devised forsigna/Iing atnight, appearsnever to have been constructed. it was describedin the Mechanics Magazine. January 7th 1826.

52 WfM88 - fehruary 2004

2. Musschenbroek‘s chancediscovery of the 'Leyden Jar‘that allowed electricity to bestored. The jar contained wateror lead shot whilst the outsidewas coated with metallic foil.The jar was the first type ofcapacitor to be developed.

3. The development of theelectroscope. dependent on therepulsion exerted between equalcharges. enabled the presenceof electricity to be verified.

The Ideas of Sir Francis RonaldsA single line wire of 26 miles

length was constructed betweenMadrid and Aranjuez by Salva in 1798:sparks from Leyden jars generated thesignals but the most serious attempt touse static electricity for telegraphy wasthat of Francis Rolands (1788-1873).He was educated privately anddeveloped a keen interest in electricity.He knew of the delays and unreliabilityof optical telegraphs and saw thatelectrical telegraphy might be practical

Glass Disc Machine

Electroscope

Figure 2. Apparatus available in the 18th Century for the study of static electricity.MM88 — fefirwzry2004 33

and could speedily, or perhapsinstantaneously. transmit messages.

He foresaw that perhaps soonit could be said that-

Hark/ The warning needles click,Hither, thither, clear and quick;Swinging lightly to and fro,Tidings from afar they show,While the patient watcher readsAs the rapid movement leads,He who guides their speaking playStands a thousand miles away.Sing who will of Orphean lyre,Ours the wonder—working wire.’

Initial Experiments (Figure 3)In 1816 Ronalds an‘anged two

wooden frames. 20 yards apart. that

carried eight miles of iron wiresuspended by silk from hooks When acharged Leyden jar was connected toone of the other end electrometers atboth ends diverged suddenly at thesame moment.

When the wire was touchedand the electricity discharged bothelectrometers appeared to collapse assuddenly. If a shock passed throughthe two insulated inflammable airpistols one connected with eachextremity of the wire the explosionsseemed to occur simultaneously.Shocks were felt simultaneously by anobserver if he touched the two ends.“Thus. then. three of the senses. viz.sight. feeling. and hearing. seemed toreceive absolute conviction of the

Figure 3. Wooden frames carrying insu/ated wire. The two pear-shapedobjects in the centre foreground

are gas pistols (Rona/d5 187t).

54 MM88 — fefiruzzry 2004

instantaneous transmission of electricsigns through my pistols. my eight milesof wire. and my own proper person.

The Prototype Telegraph(Figures 4 & 5)

Ronalds buried 585 feet ofwire in glass tubing three feetunderground. At each end wereclockwork-driven rotating dialssynchronized with each other. Theywere engraved with preparatory signals.letters and numbers. In front of eachwas another dial that restricted the Viewto one set of the alternatives. A pitchball electrometer signalled when asignal was sent. The prototype waselaborate and careful constructed.

In suggesting that this systemshould replace the optical telegraphsused by the Admiralty. Ronalds

commented on the possibility of wilfuldamage:

‘Should they succeed inbreaking the communication. hangthem if you catch them. damn them ifyou cannot. and mend it immediatelyin both cases.‘ However Ronaldsreceived a dusty reply to his suggestion.tension with France had abated.

On August 5th 1816 it wasminuted that-

‘Telegraphs of any sort arenow wholly unnecessary and no otherthan the one now in use will be adopted."Would a line dependent on staticelectricity have worked reliably over along distance? Lower voltageelectricity is much more tractable.insulation and leakage problems aretiny compared with those when usingstatic. In an address at Princeton by Dr

Figure 4. Upper/ett— the engra'i veddialrotated byclockwork.Upperright- the stationa ry dial throughwhich the signal was readwhen the e/ectrometermoved. Lower— Section of the underground wire.insulated andprotectedby glass tubing and a wooden channel.

flfM88 — fefirwzry2004

Figure 5. Upper right — the frictional instrument for producing electricity. On its left is ane/ectrometer and a gas pistol, To the right an intermediate arrangement carries anotherelectrometer. allowing the state of the circuit to be checked

Dickerson about 200 years ago notedthe advantages of using electricity frombatteries. In that form this subtle agentis far more manageable than in theform of static electricity: and that bythe use of galvanic batteries a currentof low tension. but of enormouslygreater power. can be maintained withlittle difficulty: whereas staticelectricity is like lightening, and readilyleaps and escapes on the surfaces onwhich it is confined."

After the death of Ronalds.William Mon'is lived for a while in thehouse, because of this association theaddress now is Kelmscott House. UpperMall. Hammersmith, London. The lineconstructed by Ronalds was dug up.after 100 years. in the garden.

Ronalds was appointedsuperintendent of the MeteorologicalObservatory at Kew in 1843 andknighted in 1871, a belated recognitionfor a highly enterprising scientist. MM

SourcesClark R. W. (1983) 'Benjamin Franklin.‘ London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.MottelayP. F. ( 1922) BibliographicalHistoryofElectricity and Magnetism".London:Griffin.Prestcott G. B. (1860) 'History. Theory. and Practice of the Electric Telegraph". Boston:

Ticknor & Fileds.Ronalds Sir Francis (1871) Description of an Electrical Telegraph‘. 2nd Edition. London:

Williams & Norgate.Wilson G. (1976) “The Old Telegraph's." London: Phillimore.

© Copyright Gillian Copestake. 2003

36 M91488 - ffefiruzzry 2004

N 1855 DURING THE CRIMEANwar Royal Engineers laid 21 milesof cable and established 8 telegraph

offices.In 1879 the British army in

Africa. because of material shortage.used bare wire laid on the dry soil forthe telegraph. Telephone receivers wereused to read the signals because currentleakage to the ground was high.

In 1881 Lieutenant P. Cardewof the Royal Engineers reported on thesuccess of using buzzer type electrictelegraphs. the signals being receivedusing telephones along lSmiles of barewire laid near a railway in Kent.

Mobile Cable LayingSpecial equipment was

gradually evolved for handling fieldcable and overhead lines. An 1881lithograph of a telegraph wire wagon(Mark II) appears to be little differentfrom the cable wagon of the 1869 fieldtrain except that it is fitted withconnections for using the wheel tyresas earths.

Mobile electrical communica—tion had arrived and this continued tobe available during the life of the finalcable wagon of 1900 to 1937. This wasa horse drawn limbered wagon similarto two carts coupled at a towing hookto give great flexibility over roughground. It was similar to the Wagon.Telephone. Mark I. (Figure 1.). Theelectrical circuit was quite ingenious: -

MEMSS — feliruary 2004

Some TelegraphDevelopments inthe 19th CenturyBritish Armyby John Goldfinch

“The line terminal of theVibrator (buzzer) Telegraph on thewagon is wired to the metal plates ofthe cable drum bearings. These areinsulated from the wagon frame. Thecircuit then passes through thebearings, the spindle and the metal caseof the drum on one side of which is aterminal to which the cable isconnected. The earth terminal of theTelegraph is wired to the axles. and thehubs of the wheels are wired via thespokes to the iron tyres. thus pickingup earth from the ground on which thewagon stands when stationary or is inmotion. With the foregoingarrangement communication ismaintained while the cable is beinglaid."

Manuals also gave guidanceon earthing: -

“In very dry weather it may benecessary to draw the wagon onto grassand apply water to the ground underthe wheels.

An earth pipe is provided on thewagon to supplement the tyre contact

.37

Lflaes Aha Bony

Figure 1t Wagon, Telephone. Mark 1 from the Handook of the (SO-PR. B.L. Gun.

and when the wagon is halted to sendor receive messages this additionalearth may be used.

A good ealth for a vibrator ortelephone circuit can be obtained bydriving a nail or the point of a knifeinto any living tree or bush. andfastening the earth wire to it."

The cable wagons usedCardew's vibrator / buzzer typetelegraphs and then telephones withbuzzer call until 1937 and with regardto the pace of laying the manual says:

"In open country the pace atwhich cable is laid is only limited bythe pace at which the wagon can move.

In close country. such asEngland. where provision must be madefor the security of the cable at road—

crossings. gates, and in villages. thenormal cable detachment should workat an average rate of 3 miles per hour.If two detachments are available to layone line. the pace may be increased to

38

5 miles per hour. At night, whenmounted men cannot work on theirhorses. progress is necessarily slower.and it will seldom be possible to laycable faster than about 11/2 miles perhour."

These rates of laying werequite adequate to keep up with. or infront of, an army on the move whenonly officers and gentlemen were onhorseback and soldiers and ordinaryfolk walked. In addition camp had tobe stmck and made each day so thatfifteen miles was quite a good daysmarch for a body of troops.

Pack Horse Cable LayingAs well as cable wagons.

various hand devices common tocivilian installers were used in the formof specialised pack horse equipment(Figure 2.) which also had the mobilefacility: -

“ To keep communication with

Wf‘Jl/[88 — felirumy 2004

the base office, while actually layingcable. a heel plate is provided for useas follows. The driver. who leads thepack animal. should be provided with atelephone, the receiver of which shouldbe strapped to his ear. He should wearthe heel plate. which should beconnected by a length of lead to oneterminal of the telephone. The otherterminal should be connected by alength a wire to the terminal on thestandard of the packsaddle. and thenceto the inner end of the cable on thedrum. Every time the driver puts hisfoot to the ground, he completes thecircuit. and can hear if he is beingcalled up.

If a heel plate is not available.it will be found that nearly the sameeffect can be obtained by connectingone terminal of the telephone to theearth pin, and giving it to the driver tohold in his hand,"MM88 — fefiruazy 2004

Figure 2. “Laying Pack Cab/e“ - from ’Throughto 1 970’ by kindpermission of the Royal S/gan/s Musuem.

Hence we had military mobilecommunications before Marconi. witheven the moving human body beingused as a conductor!

AcknowledgementsInformation was from many sources including thefollowing: -The Telephone As A Receiving Instrument In

Military Telegraphy by Captain P.Cardew R.E.:Read to the Society of Telegraph Engineers May1886.Instructions In Army Telegraphy And TelephonyVol. 2. 1909.Handbook ofthe 60-PR. B.L. Gun. 1915.Training Manual- Signalling (P1‘0\'.1. 1915.

Through to 1970 published by the Royal SignalsInstitution. 1970.The Royal Signals Library. Blandford. whichsupplied the information concerning the electricalcircuit of the telegraph cable wagon during a visiton 4 July 1983 M1”

3.9

Photo/Collection:

HenriJacob

4o

Photo/Collection:

Wyn

Davies

A very solid naval brass keymarked ‘Allen West & Co Ltd,Pattern No. 9881’. it wasprobably used with a signallinglamp on board ship. Maybe theholeon the upperside containeda monitoring lamp. The arm ismarked "operate". and a “safe “

and "receiving" marks are onthe side. The arm is locked in

receiving position. Anyinformation please.

An ltallanMarinekey WWll, maker unknown, the arm is 9 incheslong and is well balanced.

Mill/[88 - ‘februzzry 2004

I

Ilvlvlvvuvvuull

um...

wu-u,

This early Turkish land-line telegraph key wasfound in an antique store in Istanbul in 2003. Theletters stampedinto the bottomofthe base suggestthat it was used during the Ottoman Empire,

Photo/Collection: Fons Vanden Berghen. HalleBelgium

Can any readerprovide more information about this TickerKeyboard Transmitter 3-A .

M91488 - february2004 41

WWWSpecirzfist LEGO/{.5 on 'Z’efegnzp/ry [5y :Mrlif Ordér

PRICES INCLUDE POST & PACKING ANDALL EU/‘VORLD ORDERS ARESHIPPED BY PRIORITY/AIRMAIL UNLESS 0THER‘VISESTATED

MM BOOKSHELF REMAINDER STOCKAll the books listed on these pages are currently available from stock but cannot be replenished whencurrent stock is sold. When purchasing books. please order from the latest list. The remainder of booksand back issues will continue to be for sale after the closure of MM

Radio & Radio Operators by BirgittaGustatsson

This is a hardback book in Swedish with a companion Englishtranslation ofthe text. either in book formoron CD (needsMicrosoftWord). 1t traces the history of radio and radio operators illustratedwith 250 photographs and diagrams. 256 pages.See book review in1\Il\187. page 20.Book & CD: £20.00 UK 8; Europe - £24.00 Rest of WorldBook 8; Book Translation:£25.00 UK 8; Europe- £32.00 - World

Wake of the Wirelessman by Bd. Clemons

This is the true storyofDale Clemons. born in 1895. in Iowa.whograduated as a marinewireless operator in 1914. . For two years he sailed in everything from lumberschooners to passenger liners. Although there have been books relating to theexperiencesofseagoiug operatorsfromthe 1930' s onwards.“Wakeofthe Wirelessman"describes the practices. equipment and happenings of an earlier time. revealing manyfascinating and little-known facts.

£14.20 UK - £14.70 Europe - £17.00 Rest of WorldAmericanTelegraphy & EncyclopediaoftheTelegraph by William Maver Jr.

Facsimile by Lindsay Publications ofthe 700 page illustrated 1912 encyclopedia(5th Edition) but carries copyrights that go back to 1892. This is a classicencyclopedia ot‘telegraphywith 544 illustrations ofequipment. circuits. proceduresand installation methods. A must hare for collectors 8; historians. 6 x 9in ( 15.5 x23.5 cm). Gold-blocked hardcover.

£39.00 UK - £40.00 EU - £43.50 World

Vibroplex Collector’sGuide by Tom French

I IBRGP EThis classic work on Vibroplex bug keys and their history is back inprint. It covers all the models from the 1902 "Autoplex" to the presentday and includes original design information and drawings. copies ofpatents. nameplates. serial numbers and decals. The book is rich indrawings and photographs. Softcoyer. 126 pages. 81,2 x 103.4 ins (21.5 x27.5 cm J.

£15.00 UK - £15.80 EU - £17.60 World

42 M91488 — fearuary2004

. w... Classics of Communication(English Edition) by Fons Vanden BerghenCLASSICS OF

COMMUNICATION A book of exceptional quality produced originally to accompany a BrusselsExhibition sponsored by a Brussels bank, Illustrated with 240 high qualityphotographs. 1-10 in colour. including many rare telegraph instruments. The textincludes the history and technology of electricity through to wireless and earlyteleyision. but a large section of the book is devoted to telegraphy. Withoutsponsorship. a book of this size and quality could not haye been economicallypossible for such a limited readership — 10.7 pages. 24.5cms x 29.5cms (9.7in x11.6in). £21.00 UK - £22.50 EU - £25.00 World

My Road to BletchleyPark by Doreen Spencer

This is a personal account of Doreen Spencer who was a WAAF Wireless Operator atBletchley Park during WWII. Her duties included reading ‘Morse Slip‘: paper tape withmarks to represent dots and dashes which moved across a special typewriter and fromwhich the Morse was typed into text. Soft coyer. 45 pages with 12 drawings andphotographs -128 pages. 15 cms x 21 cms15.75 in x S in).£6.00 UK - £7.00 EU - £7.50 World

, The Star ofthe Ke b Louise Ramse MoreauTHE STORY y y y y

OF THE KEY This is The Best ofMM Vol. 1. It is areprint ofa series ofanicleswhich appeared in MMéI V H

< MMII. It covers the history of the telegraph key from 1837 » 19-11 and includes a listofAmerican telegraphinstrument makers. 1837—1900. Softcoyer77 photos/illustrations.60 pages. 534 x 8‘» inches (1—1.5 x 21 cm).

£4.25 UK — £4.50 EU - £5.00 World

_

History, Theory 8r Practice of AWA Review Vol. 8, 1993 by The“ ' the ElectricTelegraphby George ””4 w \ Antique Wireless Association.

.B. Prescott R EV [ [5“ Includesthe 45 pagearticle by Louis

1.This is a facsimile reprint of 1866 .. . Meulsteeon "UnusualMilitary Morse

:tilém ’

L

‘ edition.Reproducedin1973.there Keys“. mainlyBritish and European.1 are minorstoragediscolourations including 107 photos. RlCh in other

on the hardbackcover. 516 pages. @learticles. in total 154 pages. 6 X

119 illustrations. 512 X 73,11 in. 9 In £9.50 UK - £10.50 EU

. wows0

£14.50 UK - £15.50 EU “2-00 W°"d£17.50 World

UK EU WORLD

Marconi'sAtlantic Leap by Gordon Bussey (1 left) £7.00 £7.20 £7.50Hardback. illustrated with 71 archive photos. 96pp-centennialedition.RailroadTelegrapher’s Handbook by Tom French (2 left) £8.00 £8.30 £9.00Old-time telegraphy on the American railroadsBunnell’sLast Catalogue with notes by Tom French (2 left) £5.50 £5.70 £6.00Illustratesanddescribesthecompany's manytelegraphinstruments

SEND YOUR ORDER TO:Morsum Magnificat. The Poplars. Wistanswick. Market Drayton. Shropshire TF9 ZBA. England

Credit card orders M'Elt‘ollle by phone: +44 (0) 1630 638306 or Fax on +44 (0) 1630 638051

or by cheque/bank draftdrawn on a London bank. Please make chequespayable to ‘JlorsumMagnificat'

WfM88 — fefirwzry2004 43

, J

Q/owLettersRussian Key MM87 P36

According to Louis Meultee PAQPCRin his excellent article in the AntiqueWireless Association Review No.8 of1993. this key was one of three keys inuse with the Russian made RIO—lM

pack/vehicle station. This set operatedfrom 1.5 to 4.25 mc/s delivering 3.5watts on CW or 1 watt on AM on lowpower and 20 watts/10 watts on highpower. It was developed in the early1950's and was extensively used in theUSSR and its satellite countries.

In operation the Morse key isclipped on top of the lid of the powersupply/battery case.The GDR used this set and this key wasprobably manufactured in 1986.

Australian Post Office Key

I read on the last issue No. 87 about theAustralian Clipsal key which is not areal Post Office key. That's in facttrue.

I own a real Australian PostOffice key and I enclose a photo of itshould you wish to use my photo foryour next MM issue. The key shouldbe dated around 1910 has a woodenbase and has the shorting lever as wellas the typical “Aussie" brass anvils.

Alex Meregalli, HB9DTAPonte Capriasca, Switzerland

Wyn DaviesBrymbo, Wales

AP 7681 Key

Recently got hold of a 1939model of this key inbrown.Wonder if it is the earliestmodel of this key? I used to havea 1942 model that was alsobrown and made by Marconi]think they are the makers of thisone as it has a 'P‘ serial number.

Wyn DaviesBrymbo, Wales

44

Australian Post Office Key

JIM/[88 - february 2004

PS 213A Key

Reference Brian Payne's letter, my PS213A plated key in MM 85 page 25 waspurchased from Australia but not madethere!

The PS 213A keys were made bythe Marconi Co. in the UK (PS beingone of their drawing numbers) see photoI of a 213A with sleeve on the arm.

The key made by the GPO’sown engineers at Rugby was a differentkey and slightly larger. This was thekey used at British coast stations - seephoto 2. My sleeved version came offa GPO cable ship, they were also usedby some of the services. Both keys aregreat to use.

Wyn DaviesBrymbo, Wales

Key Type PS 213A

With reference to Brian Payne's letteron page 43 of MM87. may I drawattention to a number of MorsumMagnificat references on this subject.but particularly to my letter in MM62(February 1999) and to Wyn Davies‘sphotograph in that issue. in which I

attempted to describe the origins ofthis key. I concluded that the keys hadbeen manufactured probably at the PostOffice factories in London orBirmingham. However. it is quitepossible that later versions were madein the Post Office factory at Rugby.

I feel confident now that thesekeys. marked P.S.213A. wherever theyare found. and particularly inconnection with maritime coast radio

stations or otherland-based stationswith British PostOffice connections.are of British PostOffice design andmanufacture.However. it wasintroduced

Marconi PS 213Aoriginally longbefore 1970. Thekey in thephotograph fromthe collection ofWyn Davies datesfrom the 19405 andcan be seen with itscover in aphotograph of therecently re-

GPO, Rugby P8213A

2004

equipped Burnham(Portishead)MM88 — fefiruary

45

Receiving Station in 1948 (OneHundred Years Of Maritime Radio byW.D. Goodwin). The photographs ofmy key show it with its originalphenolic cover as at the Burnhamstation.

Unlike the specimen from thecollection of Wyn Davies and from mycollection, the later versions were fittedwith metal baseplates. A good view ofone of these is shown on page 28 ofMM62 (February 1994). in use atPortishead Radio in 1988.

However. they were standardissue at our coast radio stations at thattime and subsequently. hencepresumably its appearance at the handof G3RID at Lands End Radio.

Every ex—professional radioofficer I have spoken to speaks highlyof the handling characteristics of thekey. It is not surprising therefore that.when Morse came to an end. they triedto retain a P.S.213A and I know someex-ROs who treasure them to this day.

Ken Jones, G3RRNLincoln, UK

Further to the picture of this key inMMSS and the letter from Brian Paynein MMS7. I gather from enquiries thatthe key was manufactured by Marconi(presumably in Britain). I believe thekeys made in workshops in Rugby were

replacements for the PSZl3A keys atcoast stations.

Robert Charlton, G3CPCTwickenlzam, UK

Bathtub Key MM85 P37

I have used this key in severaldifferent aircraft and in combinationwith the T1154/R1155 and the olderR1082/T1083 transmitters andreceivers. Reference was made to thebakelite case enclosing sparks thatmight occur across the key gap tokeep them away from the fumes ofleaking fuel. Not just fumes! Howabout when the aircraft is awash with8 hours fuel swilling around inside.But that is another story!

Flt. Lt. Vic Reynolds, G3COYStoke-on-Trent, UK

Italian Key MM85 P24

I have a letter from Alberto Avanzini.IZAV. dated May 1994 listing somekeys he had for swapping. One itemreads. "STIRE. 1937. EXERCISE KEYWITH SWITCH ON SIDE. BAKELITELARGEBASEBRASS HARDWARE."

Could this be same key as theone in MMSS?

John N. Elwood, WW7PPhoenix, Arizona

Drive, Northampton. NN33LR.

The Radio Officers AssociationMembership is open primarilyto former MN radioofficers but is also open toanyonewho has had an association with

maritimecommunicationsor is interested in the subject.Members receivethequarterly newsletterQSO and its associated

amateurcomponentQRZ. There is an annual reunion and AGM. 2003 sees the meeting taking place in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Forturtherdetails and informationplease contactthe MembershipSecretary - John Russell. 21 Landcross

46 WEI/[88 — fehrwzry 2004

The Art & Skill of RadioTelegraphy

by William G. Pierpont. NOHFFAcomprehensive manual torleaming. using. mastering.improving and enjoying International Morse Code.PubRadio Amateur Educational Society (RAES) ofCanada.236 pp. 5.5 x 8.5 inches (14 x 21.5 cm) withcoilbinding.

SHIPPED AIR MAIL FROM CANADA$16.00 USD USA 326.00 CDN Canada$19.50 USDWorld £13.40 GBP UK

GIANTPRINTversion - 7 x11 inch, two column.825.00 USD USA 836.00 CDN Canadian Delivery$33.00 USDWorld £22.00 GBP UK

Send orders to: Radio Amateur Educational Society,8607 - 34AAvenue. Edmonton. Alberta. Canada- T6K089. E-mail: orders@raes.ab.ca Please be sure toinclude yourreturn mailingaddress. Pleaseencloseacheque. money order or lRC in the correct amountpayable to the Radio Amateur Educational Society or(RAES).CODorderswillnotbe accepted.You mayalsouse PayPal- URL http://wwwpaypalcom/ using thefollowingaccount: orders@raes.ab.ca

KWMFieaders advertisements are free to MMsubscribers. The number of insertions should bespecified. otherwise it will be assumed that it isrequired in the next issue only. Non-subscribersare welcome to advertise in the Classified Adssection. Please contact MM for styles availableand rates.Ads can include one photo free of charge

FOR SALE & WANTEDFOR SALE: All issues of MorsumMagnificat from Issue 1. Also thespecial issue of Q & Z Codes in 1988.Most in mint condition. Buyer mustcollect or arrange carriage. Offers. F.R. Hamilton. G4IAV. 329 No1th Road.Athenon, M46 ORF. Tel: +44 (0)1 942870954.MM88 — february 2004

\VANTED: I am interested in(somewhat special) telegraphyapparatus. Swap or buy. Thanks! FonsVanden Berghen. Lenniksesteenweg462/27. B-1500 HALLE. Belgium.E-mail:fons.vandenberghen@pandora.bewww.faradic.net/~gsraven/fons_images/fons_museum.htmlI HAVE much telegraph surplusincluding NOS 1950s US NavyFlameproofs - CMI & CJB 26003A —

$65 including USA mail: slightly higherelsewhere. Also includes copy of key'sllpage milspec. Dr. Joe Jacobs. 5Yorktown Place. Northport. NY—11768. U.S.A. Phone +1-631-261-1576: Fax +1-754-4616. E—mail:joekey@aol.comFOR SALE NSW BOOK:"Radiotelegraph and RadiotelephoneCodes. Prowords and Abbreviations"3rd Edition (236 pages). 610 gm (1.5lbs). now available. Probably theWorld‘s best compilation of this infonow available. Q.X.Z Codes. 142Phonetics. 24 Morse. 8 Needle codes.Myer. Phillips. 10. ll. 12. 13 and othercodes. Much other info. abbreviations.procedures and methods. Price AU$25+ p&p. (in Australia $7.50) Internet:http://www.sarc.or9'.au/sarc1/phonetichtnt John Alcorn. VKZJWA.QTHR. Phone +61 - 02-66215217kajwa@sarc.org.auTEXTBOOKWANTED: Handbook ofTechnical Instruction for WirelessTelegraphists. seventh edition (1942 -4—1) edition by Dowsett and Williams(Iliffe). A good price is offered. pluspostage costs. David Smith. ZLZBBB.

47

KWMPO Box 255. Hastings. New Zealand.dhs@clear.net.nzFASZINATION MORSETASTEN -

German Telegraph Keys Collector‘sGuide. 180 p.. 400 photos & diagrams.250 key designs from more than 100manufacturers in German speakingcountries. '25.00 plus “1.10 postageand packing. Greg Ulsamer. LogumerStr. 66. D-26723 Emden. Germany. E-mail: dllbfe@emsnet.de"

TELEGRAMSFOR SALE from 1901to 1955. A number of them are withadvertisements and some oncommemorative forms. Ranjit Singh.AN-lS—c Shalimar Bagh. Delhi-110088. India. E—mail:singh_ranjit70@hotmail.comwww.indiatelecardsnetWANTED: Early paddles such as theNikey. Autronic. Ham—key HKl & HK2.Ray Bullock. 40 Little Harlescott Lane.Shrewsbury SYl 3PY.England. Tel: +44(0) 17—13 245896.

\VANTED TO BUY: GPO Type 56key and Marconi side-lever Morse keywith brass hardware on a wooden base.Letters to: D. Johnson. W5FZ. 1551-1Ensenada Drive. Houston. TX 77083-5008. USA. Or Email: \v5fz@a1'rl.net

I AM A KEY COLLECTORwith over300 different keys from 20 countries andhave 50 keys available for swapping.Write to Henri Heraud. F6AOU 9Avenue de Bellevue. 91130 RISORANGIS. FRANCE.48

\VANTED: Back issues of MorsumMagnificat. Volumes 1 thru 23. 25. 27.28 and 30 are needed. Please contactDennis P. Skea. KC2CCZ. 25 ArgentDrive. Poughkeepsie, New York 12603.USA. +1 (8-15) 298 — 0951E-mail: KC2CCZ@a1Tl.netWANTED TO BUY: Telegraphic CodeBooks. as used to reduce the costs oftelegrams by replacing common phraseswith codewords. Would be interestedin both originals or photocopies. I am ahobbyist in Cryptography and amfacinated in different ways data is andhas been represented for differentpurposes (e.g. speed. economy.confidentiality etc.) Also interested inrelated items. Letters to Mark Darling.132 Knowlands. Highworth. SN6 7NE.United Kingdom or e-mail:darling@patrol.i-way.co.ukEXCHANGE: l have MM magazines.issues 36-80 inc(45mags)to exchange fora Vibroplex double-paddle. Can collect/deliver in UK. Phone Keith +44 (0)7946-663109.FOR SALE: Morsum Magnificat nos6. 9—11. 13-54. 56. 58, 60—76. 65 copies£125 o.n.o. including postage andpacking. Geoff Newland, 32 The Grove.Winscombe. North Somerset 8525 1JH.Telephone (mobile) 07802 78656—1. E-mail: MM@GeoffNewland.co.uk

FOR SALE: MM issues 41 — 83complete as new. Offers for the lot.Heathkit Electronic Keyer Model HD1410 unmarked with manual, offers.plus carriage. E. H. Trowell G2HKU.‘Hamlyn‘, Saxon Avenue. Minster.Sheerness, Kent. ME12 2RP. UK.Telephone 01795 873100.

awn/[88 - feliruary 2004

Chn'sBisailfionpurchasodfifisMomehead-scaflforhiswife. In’smadabyGIontexintwaSA,prabablyinthe 195025andm9527mchesby27mches.

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