All this talk about W9TO's famous keyer has me wondering about several
things.
It was probably the most successful electronic key produced up until
the 1970's. Hallicrafters built a boatload of the things in the early
60's. So many in fact, that they are still a common item at hamfests
and online auctions. It is pretty safe to assume that the vast
majority of gray-based single lever Vibroplex paddles that you see at
hamfests started their career plugged into a T.O. keyer.
Yet, it is very interesting to me that plans for the T.O. were
published in a number of places, even as Hallicrafters was producing
them commercially. I can think of no other piece of gear that was
built under such an arrangement. Was this design licensed to
Hallicrafters, or did they simply appropriate it? Who was W9TO, and
did he have any connection with Hallicrafters?
Alan
WA2DZL
