[GreenKeys] New to the list

[Bill]

Hello,
I served in the US Navy for 23 years and for about 18 of those years I 
was a teletype and KLB47 repairman. I got out in 1969 in Virginia and 
went to work for a company that contracted to the CIA for tty overhaul 
and repair.
In 1974 I returned to the Navy and resumed my labor of love of tty 
repair and communications. There was a time that I could take a box of 
parts and build a printer. It took  a few days but doable.
I retired in 1987 as Chief Radioman.
My first duty station was on the USS Samual N. Moore (DD-747). I 
remember the day we turned on the crypto equipment, geared the ttys for 
100wpm and stood back and watched as the printers ran for awhile and 
then started spitting parts. It was not long before all of them had to 
get an overhaul with updated parts that would let them run at 100wpm. 
After that, they seemed to just hum along.
I did like the 60 - or 66wpm (can't remember) unincrypted signal. Seemed 
if you concentrated real hard, you could almost read the signal, just 
like morse code.
Not long after I retired - 5 years - give or take, it seemed like all 
the ttys were replaced with computers. Really not sure where they all went.
  One ship I was on, the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) did a lot of "drop" 
tests of various computer terminals just to see what they could take in 
a war time environment. Sometimes it was real messy.
I have never lost my love for the 28. It was something I could almost 
hold in my lap while I cleaned and adjusted it to almost perfection.
While contracted to the CIA, we discovered that if you mix about 50% STP 
with teletype oil, dipped the printer in it (before you install the 
electronics and type box!)  then let it hang and "drip dry" overnight 
and wiped it down, you could hardly hear it run. And it seemed to last a 
little longer between service calls.
I still have my manuals for the 28 and most of the tools I collected 
while in the Navy. The only thing I am missing is a KSR or ASR or even 
an RO. I have not been able to find anywhere on the internet that I can 
lay my hands on one. I would truly love to be able to get a printer or 
system just to get back to the "old days".
But then there is the problem of parts. Where do you folks get the parts 
to repair your systems?
Anyway, this is a very informative list.
Bill Cain