Gosh, wonder who that nameless ham was?

-----Original Message----- 
From: Phil Scovell
Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2015 4:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Sending Code

My first code key was one I pried off my World Radio Lab code practice
oscillator and mounted on a smaller board for a base.  I had it for about a
year and used it as a novice on my DX20 for 6 months until I passed my
general.  My mom wouldn't let me have an electronic keyer unless I passed my
general.  I was mad at my Elmer for telling my mom to make me wait but I
knew he was right, haha.  So, for the last two weeks of being a novice, I
was using the H A 1 T O keyer designed by W9 T O, whom I later worked on a
regular bases on 40 meter QRQ, and the vibroplex paddle.  The keyer was 75
dollars in 1966 when I got it for passing my general exam, and the vibroplex
paddle was 25 dollars.  In January of 1980, I bought my first CW keyboard
for 130 dollars made by the late K4KN.  It had a single letter buffer.  Yep,
1 letter at a time so you had to be careful the way you typed.  Later that
year, I heard the Jack Curtis, who made electronic keyers and CW keyboards,
sometimes had used keyboards.  I called him on the phone, once I found the
Curtis company phone number, and he answered himself.  I told him a CW QRQ
buddy on 20 meters told me you had used keyboards once and awhile.  He said
he did and he had, for 200 dollars, one of his keyboards with a 285
character buffer.  I told him I had a hundred dollars I would send him and
as soon as I got the next 100 dollars, I'd mail it to him and to keep hold
of that keyboard for me.  He said he would and he said the one he had also
had two roller switches to preset the cw speed from 01 to 99 so it would be
easy for a blind guy to set and know what it was set for.  About two days
later, UPS delivered a box I wasn't expecting.  I had a bad winter cold and
had lost my voice.  It was so bad, I had to whisper most of the time so I
wasn't working any sideband at the time due to my loss of voice.  When I
discovered it was the Curtis keyboard, I called Jack Curtis right away on
the phone and forced as much of a voice into the phone as possible.  I told
him I had no idea when I would have an extra 100 dollars and he said, "If
you ever have another 100 dollars you don't know what to do with, send it to
me.  Otherwise, forget it; the 100 dollars is fine."  My new keyboard was
nearly 500 dollars brand new originally and the only thing it didn't have
compared to the one for 100 dollars more, was memory function keys.  The
more expensive keyboard had 4 extra memory buttons.  I was in hog heaven.  I
carried the Curtis keyboard down to my basement office and set it up
immediately and started making contacts after practicing for a few minutes.
I ran the thing for years until I met a ham, who shall remain nameless, whom
I worked on 30 meters one day, and sent me a copy of his CW software CW and
contesting program.  A friend built an interface and we hooked it up to the
Ten Tec Omni I had back then and I was jettisoned into the world of software
CW.  How cool.  Logging, CW speed setting, QSL printing, bunches of function
key memories; you name it and it was in the software.  It came just at the
right time because some of the keys on my Curtis keyboard were starting to
either fail, or bounce, which was a term used for sending double letters
without meaning to.  This was the old DOS days and long before I remotely
got interested in Windows.  I literally made thousands of contacts using
that software DX ing, contesting, and just rag chewing.  I knew when I
worked guys more than once, preset contest memory keys and key separate logs
for each band and each contest if desired.  Man, DOS made everything easier,
haha.  So, I have not made a contact on anything other than a keyboard for
over 35 years.  In other words, I never looked back.  I wish I had my old
hand key, it would be over 50 years old now, but I loaned it to a friend and
when I called and asked if he still had it, he couldn't find it.  It was
just a cheep key but for old times sake, I'd probably drag it out and use
it; especially after I heard a guy the other day running at least 30 words
per minute on a hand key.  I don't even think I could send on a keyer or bug
any more and there is nothing like listening to smoothly sent, and spaced,
code.  Just listening to yourself type is cool.  I have many hours just
randomly copying those 5 letter code groups that's been recently discussed
on the list, smile.  I know; it's crazy.

Phil.
K0NX 


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