At 13 years of age, I salvaged a World War II Lionel J-47 telegraphy key. It was encrusted with filth, cigarette tar and ashes, and had no cable. It was also ceased. I donated 25¢ to the church rummage sale and took it home. It took me five hours to make it beautiful and functional again. Then it took me a few days to learn International Morse Code. After that, I made two spark gap transmitters that transmitted roughly around 1.6 megacycles. Each spark gap transmitter was made out of two motorcycle batteries, a car ignition coil, a primative LC tank circuit, a long antenna made from high tension cable, and one had my J-47 Lionel key. The other had a homemade facsimile of a telegraphy straight key. My cousin got one with the home made key. I got one with the J-47 key. We used to tune AM radios to 1600 kilocycles to receive our buzzing Morse code. My cousin lived about seven miles away. But we could hear our buzzing clearly. That summer, we got pretty good at the code. But unfortunately, unknown to us, the two neighbourhoods between us also got lessons in Morse code. The primative spark gap transmitters were heard over people's televisions, their radios, their telephones, their CB radios, (a sort of radio predecessor to Internet) and cassette players. I had no idea. However, my father came out with a handheld AM transistor radio with the antenna down to see if the signal was sourced close by. He found me with little effort come autumn when he started looking. Wow, did I get in trouble. I was made to destroy my transmitter and to apologise to all the nearby neighbours, most that I did not know. I was also made to cut the grass of all the houses on my side of the street the following summer. However, I think my father was impressed with my little invention. At the end of the next summer, after cutting lots of yards, he gave me a cheap powersupply, a used CB radio and a homemade antenna for it. He told me I could use it if I set it up where he could hear me. I was ecstatic. But I could not attach my telegraphy key to it. Today, at 48 years of age, I still have that ancient telegraphy key. It is a token to really good times, though it has not been used in decades. I believe I still know the code. But receiving the code would likely be hard. It seemed sending was easy and receiving was harder. The key adorns my home desk.
If Adi's cat is like ours, she'll let him work CW for about 20 minutes, then she'll run out of patience and sit on the straight key. "Don't pretend that I'm not here ! Go to the kitchen and get the can opener ! " (BTW, nice fist -- very smooth and clear -- de NV1E)
i could read you fine. resting the ellbow, and work more from the wrist will help you also in longer and faster QSOs. I think the base of your straight key should be a bit longer, i noticed it lifts on the far end slightly into the air. That has nothing to do with weight of the base, but with how straight and long the base goes under the lever. It is good to see, here is an operator that can walk (straight key) not only fly (paddles/keyer)
nice keying and nice cat :) 73's M6NUF (Training for 2EONUF (hopefully) if it isnt taking my exam is in 2 weeks :) i get 43/45 on hamtests hand 45/45 was highest so i got good hopes of passing :) Kind regards M6NUF "David" Not on QRZ yet I wanted to get my 2EO or M0 before signing up too that :)
there are a lot of nice straight keys, i use the army j37 leg key and the braumuster T1 key. these are the keys i used in the army but the Nye straight key is an excellent key with a heavy base ur key is good but change that knob. i collect keys so i have many to choose from. have fun.
there is two ways to talk to someone who dose not know any English #1 CW & #2 any form of data RTTY MT63 and many others. CW has been around for many years
work the wirst is often misunderstood. let me clarify, the wrist goes down on dahs, while the hand goes down on dits. ellbow rested. - that is how german navy, and merchant navy teach in germany - and i found it works rather well. Not saying this is the only way to do it, i just want to share it in case it helps and works for you.
Thanks for sharing. I love straight key operation. It's the way it's ment to be :-) Good timing also but in the days back you would have been slapped for hitting the key with your fingers. :-)
You need a heavy base for the key.Best to hold th key with fingers and thumb. Do not tap it with one finger. Try to stay relaxed with the wrist. Your sending is OK.
Nice qso Adi, i noticed you said ra3ff at the end of the qso but as you know his call was ra4ff, as thats what you were sending back to him. The wrist says one thing and the mind says another :) I have an old Japanese straight key, and also a Bencher BY2. Good luck, hope to work you in future. de Steve MM0SGQ
![[SFM] Risky Recital](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RzNkY1_Nk3o/mqdefault.jpg)
I love how you corrected from mistakes
At 13 years of age, I salvaged a World War II Lionel J-47 telegraphy key. It was encrusted with filth, cigarette tar and ashes, and had no cable. It was also ceased. I donated 25¢ to the church rummage sale and took it home. It took me five hours to make it beautiful and functional again. Then it took me a few days to learn International Morse Code. After that, I made two spark gap transmitters that transmitted roughly around 1.6 megacycles. Each spark gap transmitter was made out of two motorcycle batteries, a car ignition coil, a primative LC tank circuit, a long antenna made from high tension cable, and one had my J-47 Lionel key. The other had a homemade facsimile of a telegraphy straight key. My cousin got one with the home made key. I got one with the J-47 key. We used to tune AM radios to 1600 kilocycles to receive our buzzing Morse code. My cousin lived about seven miles away. But we could hear our buzzing clearly. That summer, we got pretty good at the code. But unfortunately, unknown to us, the two neighbourhoods between us also got lessons in Morse code. The primative spark gap transmitters were heard over people's televisions, their radios, their telephones, their CB radios, (a sort of radio predecessor to Internet) and cassette players. I had no idea. However, my father came out with a handheld AM transistor radio with the antenna down to see if the signal was sourced close by. He found me with little effort come autumn when he started looking.
Wow, did I get in trouble. I was made to destroy my transmitter and to apologise to all the nearby neighbours, most that I did not know. I was also made to cut the grass of all the houses on my side of the street the following summer. However, I think my father was impressed with my little invention. At the end of the next summer, after cutting lots of yards, he gave me a cheap powersupply, a used CB radio and a homemade antenna for it. He told me I could use it if I set it up where he could hear me. I was ecstatic. But I could not attach my telegraphy key to it. Today, at 48 years of age, I still have that ancient telegraphy key. It is a token to really good times, though it has not been used in decades. I believe I still know the code. But receiving the code would likely be hard. It seemed sending was easy and receiving was harder. The key adorns my home desk.
love how your cat just hangs out and watched. very cool cat! nice fist brother, very nice! de N5XTC op Scott , TX
Thanks Scott! Happy holidays! 73! Adi
You did very well with the straight key. Was able to copy everything with no problem.
Love the cat like "learning" CW down there...hi hi.. Congrats for CW QSO and hope to hear you very soon. Best 73 de PS7CY
If Adi's cat is like ours, she'll let him work CW for about 20 minutes, then she'll run out of patience and sit on the straight key. "Don't pretend that I'm not here ! Go to the kitchen and get the can opener ! " (BTW, nice fist -- very smooth and clear -- de NV1E)
YO2LIW very nice character formation and spacing on the straight key. Nice kitty too. 73 from Utah, USA.
Hello Steve, you ar right about the callsign, hi.
Thanks for watching, hpe to see u on CW!
73! Adi
yo2liw
i could read you fine. resting the ellbow, and work more from the wrist will help you also in longer and faster QSOs. I think the base of your straight key should be a bit longer, i noticed it lifts on the far end slightly into the air. That has nothing to do with weight of the base, but with how straight and long the base goes under the lever. It is good to see, here is an operator that can walk (straight key) not only fly (paddles/keyer)
I often work as de Kd8zm/PC (portable cat)
Lovely keying hope to work you myself with my straight key and what a lovely cat
Thanks Stuart, hope to meet you an the bands! Best 73!
Thanks for advice!
73! Adi
Good fist, nice and easy to listen to Adi. 73 de G0WBR
+timbojoh1 Tnx Tim! 73 es HNY2016!
Who is your friend in the background...seems like she(or he) is enjoying it..
nice keying and nice cat :)
73's M6NUF (Training for 2EONUF (hopefully) if it isnt taking my exam is in 2 weeks :) i get 43/45 on hamtests hand 45/45 was highest so i got good hopes of passing :)
Kind regards
M6NUF "David" Not on QRZ yet I wanted to get my 2EO or M0 before signing up too that :)
+David Metcalfe Thanks David! Great that you pass! Working CW is very rewarding. Hope to meet you on CW soon. Season greetings! 73! Adi/YO2LIW
The German Junker straight key is the best one I have ever used.
I use my smartphone with a morse code app and connect it to the TX of the radio. It is softer that way
+Chol Pak Yeah, that's called 'cheating'
there are a lot of nice straight keys, i use the army j37 leg key and the braumuster T1 key. these are the keys i used in the army but the Nye straight key is an excellent key with a heavy base ur key is good but change that knob. i collect keys so i have many to choose from. have fun.
there is two ways to talk to someone who dose not know any English #1 CW & #2 any form of data RTTY MT63 and many others.
CW has been around for many years
CW abbreviations are a good international language (from a native English speaker, second language Portuguese, then French, German, Welsh, Bulgarian)
I hope the second operator is still ok...
work the wirst is often misunderstood. let me clarify, the wrist goes down on dahs, while the hand goes down on dits. ellbow rested. - that is how german navy, and merchant navy teach in germany - and i found it works rather well. Not saying this is the only way to do it, i just want to share it in case it helps and works for you.
QSO is fun that uses a straight key ！
Nice fist! Nice cat, majority of radio hams have radio cats.
73 Dave M0GGK
m0ggk Thank you Dave! 73! Adi/yo2liw
Nice Demo, TNX OM
73
Jimmy, ARRL TC, WX9DX
The cat is like "Did you get all of that?"
hi hi ... Indeed Mike! 73! Adi
What kind of straight key is that ?? Thx
Thanks for sharing. I love straight key operation. It's the way it's ment to be :-)
Good timing also but in the days back you would have been slapped for hitting the key with your fingers. :-)
You need a heavy base for the key.Best to hold th key with fingers and thumb. Do not tap it with one finger. Try to stay relaxed with the wrist. Your sending is OK.
Nice qso!
Óptimo QSO 73/51
A good set up no doubt: An Elecraft Transceiver is always a good rig:-)))
Ади, как называется Ваш трансивер?
Nice fist!
73, de WA6SBB
Nice qso Adi, i noticed you said ra3ff at the end of the qso but as you know his call was ra4ff, as thats what you were sending back to him. The wrist says one thing and the mind says another :)
I have an old Japanese straight key, and also a Bencher BY2.
Good luck, hope to work you in future. de Steve MM0SGQ
Good fist..Congrats
NICE RIG!!!!! 73!
Curious cat contemplates coding key.
**cw very good~ de hl3lms over qsl 73!
Incredible, excellent cadence! PW8MV
Elecraft K3.
73 es DSW!
Adi
Thank you!
73! Adi
Yo2liw
아~~~나두 모스부호 전문가 되었음한다 위급상황시 필요 ㅠㅠ
Congratulations!
Wonderful video.
73 de VA6POP
first sleep cat! jeje nice 73's
Begali Blade.
Nice job and very nice 2nd op. :-) 73 de in3ade
73s to ur cat de DK3HN!
OneDawkinsFan Danke! 73!
YO2LIW, 73 DE PY1RX
All the best Pedro! 73! Adi/YO2LIW
You send perfect cw almost like a computer. Like you I call and no reply but my sending is not as good as yours Hi!!!.
Thank you! 73's
YO2LIW DE YU1VAA 73!
73!
Good fist
Thanks! 73!
👍👍👍👍👍890,350
Very nice sending. (G0SDT)
I would do that next time. Thanks for comment.
73! Adi
the cat wants morse also hi
73 de oe5htl
Thanks for comment. I will change the knob.
73! Adi
Hi YO2 LIW NICE K3
very cute kitten! Had good time Tnx ,de JA3PLM
I like cat hi hi