Any discussion of early RTTY brings back warm memories. I fell in love with RTTY when I first heard the diddle sounds in the headphones of my Ocean Hopper in the late 50's. Didn't really get a chance to work it until I was out of college in the 70's when I bought a Model 19 TTY with paper tape punch and reader from a friend. The whole thing (TTY, punch, reader, and current loop power supply) must have weighed well over 300 lbs. I ran it with an Eldico R-104/T-102 for HF Rx/Tx, and eventually on VHF using a comparatively tiny Wilson HT. I bought a used pair of small transistor circuit boards that converted the audio characters (diddle) to current loop characters (90ma current loop???) for RX and TX. The boards had burned at one point, were repaired by an owner before me, and again by me when some of the solder joints failed. Sold it all in 1984 when I knew my job would be moving me around and I just couldn't lug all that stuff with me; besides, computers had taken off and they could easily replace most of that stuff. Today, a KX3/KXPA100/Acer W3 gives me the same capabilities, weighs under 5 lbs. (not 300 lbs.) and fits in the space taken up by the paper tape punch alone! Now I miss the sounds of the motor in the TTY starting up as you approach a signal, the ker-crunch of the TTY keys as the signal is tuned in properly, the slight whisp of oil in the air, the ascii art (or more correctly, Baudot art) and more. I had a CQ tape, a CQ Reply tape, a Brag tape, etc. taped to the front of the Model 19 which acted as primitive Macros. You would load each tape into the reader as the QSO progressed. Sadly, computers didn't replace that character. Maybe the next generation will talk about the character that waterfalls have! Ltrs Ltrs CR CR LF FL
Mark KE6BB From: Bill W2BLC<w2...@nycap.rr.com> Sent: Mon, Dec 16, 2013 at 3:25 AM To: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RTTY in days of old Model 14 tape printer was the first. Demod and scope were 19" rack mounted along with a power supply that weighed in at over 40 lbs. by itself. Later Mode 15 and eventually Mod 28 (complete console). The latter was last seen at the Fairfax County landfill in Virginia over 23 years ago. I couldn't even give it away. Artwork was done with various characters being repeated into patterns and brag tapes hung on the wall for reuse (some were even on special indestructible 5-level tape).The computer stuff may work well, but it is cold and devoid of personality - about the same as everything else that is computer controlled. Today's "QSOs" are done with single key strokes (and the chance of finding a good rag chew is very rare). It is all about a fast contact and computer generated logbook entries.Bill W2BLC K-Line______________________________________________________________Elecraft mailing listHome: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: mailto:elecr...@mailman.qth.netThis list hosted by: http://www.qsl.netPlease help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
