Once maybe twice a year, MTC (SQ Chapter) has a luncheon at a prominent restaurant that will be selected by Kathy KS6CW the club Secretary/Treasurer.  Probable location will be in the Orange County, California area.  Time and place will be announced on this web-site and via e-mail and most certainly on the CW net.

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Below are some interesting tid-bits, lymericks and quotes.  We keep them here in honor of Gus Bogard, WM6J/SK.

Interesting Telegraph / Code Facts

• David N1EA has sent us the following information:  The banana boat swing refers to the style of sending done by some of the members of the Great White Fleet of United Fruit Company of Boston.  United Fruit had its own network of radio stations, one of which still exists, in Slidell, LA.  United Fruit become United Brands and the communications portion became "Tropical Radio Telegraph" and still survives today as telecommunicans company "TRT".  From Chapter 15 of "The Art and Skill of Radiotelegraphy" by W. Pierpont:  The use of "bugs", semi-automatic keys (the best known being the "Vibroplex") which soon became very popular, also gave rise to various personal sending peculiarities unless the operator was careful.  "swings" one of the most interesting developments in disturbed timing of hand sending was the rise of so-called "swings".  Swing has to do with a change in the normal rhythm of sending, sometimes described as a change in symmetry or lack of it: a peculiar way of forming the characters.  Swings most commonly developed among marine operators within a close-knit group having a large volume of specialized communications.  Thus we have the names "Banana boat swing", "Lake Erie swing", "Cuban swing", etc.
• The operators of the large United Fruit Co. were especially noted for this.  Some have claimed that swings developed as a most effective way of copying the early day spark signals (which sounded so much like static) through heavy static.  The basic principle of "sea-going swing" was to exaggerate the spacing between letters when a letter ending with a dah was followed by one beginning with a day, and similarly for one ending in a dit when next began with a dit.  The spacing before and after an E within a word was often made a bit longer for clarity.  Exaggerated day lengths were common also in the attempt to improve readability: e.g., the fist day in C was generally dragged out slightly.
• Other individual rhythmic disturbances were common also, such as drawing out the second day in "Q" (which we often hear on the air today).  In order to avoid confusion in the midst of typically heavy Gulf of Mexico static, sending the call signs of two main shore stations was modified: -- the P of WPA was made with long dahs, while the space between the A and X of WAX was exaggerated and the days of X were lengthened.  This stopped the confusion.  In later years such swings were found necessary for intelligibility in low frequency marine work when signals were barely audible.  Some said "Banana boat" swing developed from call letters KFUC, the general call for all United Fruit Co. ships.  Others suggested the rolling motion of boats contributed to forming it.  The "Cuban swing" or "Latin swing" came from the way most Cuban and Mexican operators ran their words together.  Some times it must have been quite deliberate -- just to try to be individualistic, such as a jerk in forming H P C S 4 5 Q; a lengthening of one of the days a bit in J, 1, etc.; any 'funny' little stroke.  but these things made them hard to copy by other operators. Early in 1936 the Eastern Air Lines (EAL) communications supervisor decided to develop an EAL swing for its operators.  He dreamed up the idea of modifying a "bug" by moving the stationary dot post a half inch forward.  This produced a swing like none ever heard before.  The operators did not like it and soon repositioned the post, but it unconsciously influenced the sending of many of them ever after.  Recently operators in a foreign navy were found almost impossible to understand at first because of a peculiar rhythm taught by their telegraph instructors. The other thing I see is that morse operators would send: WEE to see who the other operator was.  This would be WO? in American Morse, which sounds like the characters WEE / in International Morse.
• N1EA also tells us that Morse (as in American Morse) keys often had a bug lip after 1910 or so.  The date of the first key with the bug lip, is not known, but it was after the first Vibroplex, and after someone had invented the "wedge" which was plugged into the bug lip.  The J-38 was never used on morse circuits, it was a training key, although after WW2 when these keys became available on the surplus market, they were used widely by hams.  During WW2 the J-37 was one of the keys used on morse circuits - it was preferred because it had a leaf spring that couldn't get lost on the battle field.  Of course there were other keys like the flameproof used in tanks and ships where ever there might be an atmosphere that might be explosive.  (Sparkgap you know.  ED.) 

• It is difficult to learn to keep international code separate from American code, but that is what MTC is about!  One thing that brings it in common is that on international circuits International code was used on a sounder, as it is used in Peru and Mexico now.
• On November 22,1906 the "SOS" distress signal was adopted at the International Radio Telegraphic Convention in Berlin.
• An oil painting done by The Artist, Samuel F. B. Morse, was sold at auction for more than  $1,000,000.
• To copy morse code on a mill (typewriter), the typing speed had to be twice that of the receiving code.
• The Russian alphabet is larger than the English alphabet; therefore, to copy Russian code certain combination of typing keys represent those extra Russian characters and had to be copied as group code.
• Where hams use "Q" signals, the military uses "Z" signals.  For example ZAA means you are not using proper circuit discipline. Whole meaningful messages can be sent with "Q" and "Z" signals.
• In the past, radio operators had a "sign".  For example the sign of MTC Southern California Chapter is "SQ".  It was common to send your sign as "signing" the message.  Thus when you report you are "signing",  you are terminating your call.
• In "Olden times" operators would sometimes add "30"  just before signing, meaning THAT'S ALL THERE IS.
• To ask another operator to identify himself, a morse W E E was sent asking for his Sign.
• When "The Morse Code" is rearranged it becomes " HERE COME THE DOTS".
• W6MTC is publishing the W6MTC Telegraph periodical.  Ask Kathy to add you to her e-mail list.
• October 24, 1861 the first transcontinental telegraph message was sent as Justice Stephen J. Field of California transmitted a telegram to President Lincoln.
• W6MTC membership number to "FISTS" is 10350.
• The first SOS distress signal sent by an American ship was the Arapahoe off Cape Hatteras, NC on August 11, 1909.
• You can monitor the seismic structure of the world on your computer by going to http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
• WR6WR has told us that the circuit-lever on the hand key is a holdover from the old telegraph landline days.  Each key needed to have a shorting lever on it so the operator, when done sending his traffic, could short the key contacts together and thus keep the circuit closed.  If this were not done, other operators on that line could not use the circuit.
• In 1906 the "SOS" distress signal was adopted at the International Radio Telegraphic Convention in Berlin.
• In 1929 Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Byrd radioed that he'd made the first flight over the South Pole.
• The first public demonstration of the telegraph by S.F.B. Morse in Morristown, N.J. was on January 6, 1838.
• A man named SBF Morse designed the popular Pebble Beach Golf Course.
• S.B.F. Morse and President Lincoln were good friends but had different thoughts on slavery.
• A man named S.B.F. Morse invented a stone polishing machine, but he couldn't patent it because it infringed on another patent by another inventor.
• Chet Atkins W4CGP identified his call as Certified Guitar Picker.
• To honor his friend, Samuel F.B. Morse,  Thomas A. Edison nicknamed his two children "Dot and Dash".
• Western Union   announced it was exiting the telegram business after 155 years in service.  See http://www.dchieftain.com/news/59586-03-04-06.html for the terminating article.
• On January 6, 1838 Samuel Morse first publicly demonstrated his telegraph, in Morristown N.J.

W6MTC Lymericks (All Lymericks Copyright W6MTC)

He had to go up the ladder, And nothing else can matter. He missed a call from Tex, You'd  think he had a hex. He couldn't do it if he was fadder. June 27,2005	Oh, what a pity, I got a call from the big city. But I couldn't  copy his fist I couldn't add him to the list So I  sent him a ditty dum dum ditty. June 27,2005	There was a man named Mark, Who like to operate in the dark. He used a small light, So he could have some sight. Otherwise all there was, was spark. June 15, 2005
There was a man from Keatch, Whose whole life was to teach. So he joined MTC, And was happy as could be. Almost like being at the beach. June 15, 2005	There was a YL named June, Who could tap out a lively tune. She would send code all day, When she got no pay. She only stopped to lunch, at noon. June 15, 2005	There is a man named Miller, Who sat proudly at his tiller. He sent code the international way, But he liked Morse better, he would say. Watching him perform was a thriller. June 15, 2005
I felt like an attack, I just had to leave the shack. I'll go down and surf, That's really friendly turf. As for the shack, I'll be back.   05/17/05	There was a Ham named Ken, History he was to pen. He was on Jay Leno, And put on quite a show. He displayed to the upstarts the how and when. 05/19/05	My sked didn't jell, You could really tell. We would meet on the forty band, But it sounded like sand. So I guess I'll call him on the handhell. 05/17/05
Oh, listen to Tess, She sez my shack's a mess. If you don't clean it up, There will be no sup. I shouldn't do less, I guess. 5/17/05	Oh, listen to Tess, She sez my shack's a mess. If you don't clean it up, There will be no sup. I shouldn't do less, I guess. 5/17/05	There was an op with a rhythm, He looked like David Niven, He used his forefinger and thumb, Like it was glued on with gum, And he knew he was really livun
There once was a man from Yale, Who wanted to copy the mail. So he used the dot and the dash, That he soon turned into cash, And you know the rest of the tale.	There was a Ham who owned a sounder, And on most occasions he liked to pounder, But one time he lost his key, That was strapped to his knee, And he looked and looked till he founder.	There was man from Mass Who graduated with class. He went to art school But he was no fool. He invented the dot and dash.
Condensed Story of Ms Farad by A. P. French Miss Farad was pretty and sensual And charged to a reckless potential; But a rascal named Ohm Conducted her home - Her decline was, alas, exponential	There once was man named Sam, Who went to France on the lam. But invented the code, He got wealthy I'm told. And he yelled I'm rich, I am, I am 3/18/05	There was a Ham in his shack, He was a man with some knack. But during a que-es-oh, He was in need  of a cup of Joe. Wait, Wait, he said, I'll be back. 3/18/05
There was a man named Fred, Whose arm felt like lead. You see it was field day, And he had to find a way. So he used his head, instead. 3/18/05	There once was a lady op, Who spun her key like a top. You see it gave her a tingle, Cuz she would rather mingle, With a sparkgap then a mop.   03-28-05	Listen to the rhythm of his fist, He should make some kind of list. Even a list of lids, Or bubblegum kids. He says it is all in the wrist. 03-28-05
He loved to send code all night, But he had a terrible fright. Quit making all that noise, The XYL said, or I'll lose my poise. So he signed and turned off the light. 03/28/05	A young ham was most adept, He even sent code as he slept. An old ham came along, With a dit-dah song. It was so sad, the young op wept. 03-28-05	She said go empty the trash, You will receive no cash. But you can return to your call, And have a ball. Or else I turn you bug to ash. 03/28/05
The knob came off his Yeasu, So he got a bottle of glue. He swabbed on the stuff, There, that should be enough. Now it looked almost new. 4-8-05	Said the XYL to the OM, You'll be torn limb from limb. If you don't empty the trash, I'll turn your bug to ash. So he did it with vigor and vim. 03/28/05	One day the dial froze, I was chilled to my toes. I went and bought a new rig, The XYL said no you don't , Mr. Big. So I traded it for A Bose. 04-08-05
He loved to send code all night, Until his XYL gave him a fright. If you don't stop all that noise, I'm going to loose my poise. And bonk you with all my might. 03/28/05	He wanted to go DXing, Its part of our love of hamming. But his speed was so slow, It made him feel quite low. So he spent more time practicing. 03/28/05	Going to the low end of the band, In hopes I would get a hand. But I was too slow, So I had to go. To the Novice Band, it’s Grand. 04/01/04
Watching the Lakers was no blast, Since they were last. So I went to the shack, To get some happiness back. Couldn’t wait for their final collapse. 04/01/05	The old boy felt in a dump, He needed to get a jump. So he sent out a DX, And got a guy named Tex. Who said  "I'm fixin my oil pump".    04/08/05	He said please slow down, Your really going to town. I slowed down to twenty, Which I thought was plenty. But ten was where he was bound. 04/08/05
There was a gal named Alice, Who operated from her palace. Her antennae was high on the roof, It made her seem aloof. But that 's ok, she's from Dallas. 04/08/05	Look at the boy in blue, At hamming he was new. He listened as hard as he could, Sent dit-dahs when he should. Not bad for a tot of two. 05/01/05	There was a ham from Philly,  In an area quite hilly. He raised his antenna so high, It would make a Texan op cry. He got all the weak ones, really. 05/012/05
Just finished a bowl of cereal, But that's immaterial. I'm going to my shack, In my gold Cadillac. And that's very material. 05/12/05	I thought I had a good one, Now I can have some real fun. He said your a dupe, I felt like a stupe. I turned off the rig, I was done. 05/12/05	There was a ham named Neal, Who liked to run mobile. He raised his antenna high, And looked at it in the sky. You should hear Neal, squeal. 05/12/05

Amateur Radio Quotes

From  the traffic police to a Ham on his way to a hamfest.
"Quota?  Yes we have a quota.  Once we could only write just a few, but now we can write all we want to."
 
From  the traffic police to a Ham on his way from the hamfest.
"The answer to this question will determine your alcohol content.  Was Mickey Mouse a cat or a dog?"
                       
"Don't tell Mom I'm a HAM.  She thinks I work in Hollywood."
 
Comment from net control about novice operator.
"I'm sorry I can't  reveal her gender."
 
Ad in a Ham Magazine
BUY A KEY FROM ME AND I WILL ADJUST THE TENSION IN YOUR HOME.
 
Quote from a Ham on Saturday night.
"Electricity is actually made up of extremely tiny particles called electrons that you cannot see with the naked eye unless you have been drinking."
 
Anonymous
He threads his way through a pile up like a fish in a tank full of Piranha!
 
I am also in favor of treating code operators as human beans
 
I can't possibly think of amateur radio without the shattering noise of Morse Code.
 
Don't pity a code operator, he knows what he's doing.
 
You know he's a Ham when he dances in step to a CQ.
 
Certain Hams like to work alone, by themselves.
 
For the Mobile Ham - Drive carefully.  Its not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
 
Novice to Extra class lid  - Your not being too kind but at least  you have the decency to be  vague.
 
Comment to a Pirate - It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
 
Novice on low end of 20m - When everything is coming your way, you may be in the wrong lane.
 
For  OM'S who are really OM'S - Birthdays are good for you.  The more you have, the longer you live.
 
He is a classy operator.  He handles his key with Grace, much to the XYL's dismay.