These days, all the young guys are studying computers and other associated "high-tech" subjects. However, in 1930 railroad telegraphy was still a well-regarded craft. Here is a letter from the Principal of the "Chillicothe Telegraphy College" in Chillicothe, Missouri. The letter is addressed to J. C. Moody, who was the Big Four Chief Dispatcher for the Cairo Division, which was headquartered in Mount Carmel, Illinois at the time. This is an early example of a college placement office! Most railroad telegraphers probably learned the trade directly from someone already on the job, but at this point in time, there must have been enough demand to justify specialty schools like this one. CAPT Rex Settlemoir Collection
Roger, that's very interesting. I had no idea that colleges existed to teach telegraphy, but then that was written nine years before we were born. It always fascinated me and I'm sorry I didn't pursue it further than learning the Morse code and getting to about five words per minute. :tb-biggin:
That makes two of us. Unfortunately, right after I relearned Morse, they did away with it as necessary for a Ham license. Oh well.
railroad morse and international morse are different anyway.I was in radio intelligence in the Army and I can still manuver my way thru the code, although just a bit slower. Never did learn railroad morse though! CT
Yes, International and railroad Morse are not the same. But at this point, I guess that it doesn't really make a lot of difference tho. And before someone jumps me on that, I know that it does make a difference if you are using Railroad Morse.
I never knew there was a difference....too soon old, too late smart. :tb-err: Here's a nice article on American (Railroad) Morse and the comparison with International Morse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Morse_code --... ...-- .... -.-- - . -.-.
Very interesting reading - all news to me. The original code seemed somewhat cumbersome, what with the varying spaces. I guess that operators would get used to the differences in timing or rhythm. Thanks for posting this. I always look forward to your interesting topics.
Charlie, I have a minor concern about your response. When I was involved (distantly) with a few Hams 55-60 years ago, "88" meant "Love & Kisses", whereas "73" meant "Best Regards". However, I'm sure much may have changed in the intervening period.....:tb-wink: BTW, pls xpln "SK" and "AR", thx, H EDIT - I found the following definitions of the 92 Numeric codes on Wikipedia.... http://www.ac6v.com/73.htm "In 1859, Western Union standardized on the "92 code" in which the numbers from 1 to 92 were assigned meanings. It was in this list that 73 got its present meaning. Later more numbers were added. Here's a partial list: 1 Wait a moment 2 Important Business 3 What time is it? 4 Where shall I go ahead? 5 Have you business for me? 6 I am ready 7 Are you ready? 8 Close your key; circuit is busy 9 Close your key for priority business (Wire chief, dispatcher, etc) 10 Keep this circuit closed 12 Do you understand? 13 I understand 14 What is the weather? 15 For you and other to copy 17 Lightning here 18 What is the trouble? 19 Form 19 train order 21 Stop for a meal 22 Wire test 23 All copy 24 Repeat this back 25 Busy on another wire 26 Put on ground wire 27 Priority, very important 28 Do you get my writing? 29 Private, deliver in sealed envelope 30 No more (end) 31 Form 31 train order 32 I understand that I am to ... 33 Car report (Also, answer is paid for) 34 Message for all officers 35 You may use my signal to answer this 37 Diversion (Also, inform all interested) 39 Important, with priority on thru wire (Also, sleep-car report) 44 Answer promptly by wire 73 Best regards 88 Love and kisses 91 Superintendent's signal 92 Deliver promptly 93 Vice President and General Manager's signals 95 President's signal 134 Who is at the key?"
I also remember hearing "73s & 88s" at the close of contacts, but I always thought the usage curious. Of course, that was long before the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" days. :tb-ooh:
- . . .-- -.-- --- .-. -.- -.-. . -. - .-. .- .-.. My weak reply. Apparently Hank and Charlie are graduates of the college, Roger. :tb-biggrin:
radio operators are a strange breed anyway. Some of those old Signal Corps guys had a really good hand on the telegraph key. You pick up a guy's rhythm and copy the character he was sending before he even finished it. Vibroplex keys ("bugs") were not G.I. so their usage was frowned on but sometimes guys working at the M.A.R.S. stations and even at our broadcast network where I was stationed,would break out their own personal "bugs" and have a go at it. You gotta have a lot of seasoning to be able to keep up with an operator using a "bug". A good op can really belt it out with one of those, but you gotta know what you are doing as those keys are unforgiving if you are "ham-handed". One of my Lucius Beebe books, CRS if it is "The Trains We Rode" or "The Age of Steam" has a photo of an agent's office in a railroad station sometime early in the 20th century and it shows the agent with all the tools of his trade. Quite prominent is his "bug" telegraph key. Both of those books are worth owning and reading often, if you haven't done so already. CT p.s. BTW I was in the Army before the "Don't Ask,Don't Tell" was coined. The attitude we had was more like "Don't Ask cuz I Don't Care, Leave me alone, I'll leave you alone". It worked we got along, a couple of guys disappeared without a trace OR a good-bye. I got a couple of medals and an Honorable Discharge. Nobody got hurt,nobody had their masculinity challenged!
-- --- .... .- .-- -.-- .... ..- -.. ... --- -. .... .- .-. .-.. . -- ..-. --- .-. . ...- . .-. --... ...-- :tb-cool:
Roger that, Hank. Boy, I'm so rusty I had to dig out my old aviation sectional charts with the code printed on the back side. I wonder if any young people even know of its existence, much less how to read it or send it? :tb-sad:
Don't feel bad, Jim. I've been using the Wikipedia/American Morse website all along...:tb-embarrassed: The only code I know by heart is .... . -. .-. -.-- & -.-. --.- Oh yeh, and Churchill's fingers showing ...- :thumbs_up: --... ...-- :tb-wink: BTW, Charlie, growing up on the East Coast, and with a lovely Hallicrafters S-38 receiver, I would occasionally hear ...---... transmitted by machine, much faster than any Bug.
==================================================================== One too many dashes on the last letter of the first line(presume you mean Mowhawk) CT
Got's me one a dem in me basement. Ain't fired it up for a while. If you're ever surfing the web, Google "Collins R-390 receiver", You'll get a look at the receivers I used to use when I was in the Army. CT
Well, I'll be.... The USS Tarawa, LHA-1 (I'm a Plank Owner), had a whole bunch of R-390s when she was commissioned in 1976. I remember hearing "old" Chiefs, both active and retired, saying they cut their teeth on the -390 in the late '50s, and that there was no finer receiver in the inventory, even 20 years later....:tb-cool:
