With the long (and somewhat forked) thread on SKN, I'm hoping someone
can lay a small uncertainty in my mind to rest:
Many years ago, around the time that Marconi was still in short pants,
and I was about 15 (I did not ever date Marconi's sister since radio
nerds didn't do much dating), I saved some money and purchased a very
proletarian-looking WW2 bug at Sam's Surplus Sales on Pico Blvd in Los
Angeles. I think I might have paid $6.00 or so for it. It had a
painted black base, a somewhat more angular frame than a Vibroplex, a
few spots of peeling chrome plate, three or four rubber feet, and the
metal tag on it said it was manufactured by Lionel (of model train fame,
I assumed). For some reason, I thought it was a "Key, Radiotelegraph,
Semiautomatic -- J-36".
I used it as a senior in HS when I had a job as a relief operator at a
coastal marine station. It disappeared in Korat Thailand after I had
had a 6-week run as HS1FJ and then got redeployed on very short notice
to a new team near Da Nang in the mid-60's. I liked it better than any
Vibroplex because I could actually get the dot speed down to match my
sending speed without a string of alligator clips on the armature.
Someone in the SKN thread mentioned the J-36 as a straight key and I'm
wondering if anyone knows what the nomenclature for my Lionel bug was.
I wouldn't mind finding one to buy too.
Merry Christmas to all, I'll probably get some time in on SKN with my
K2/100.
Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw
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