[GreenKeys] saving machines

Sat Jul 16 13:23:45 EDT 2011

Gil,

I have always been interested in mechanical things. When I was a small child, my uncle and I built (out of tinker toys) a planetary gear train. I have always loved communication technology, the older the better. I have a complete working telegraph set up (sans crow foot battery) with relays, sounders and keys. Hollow state radios adorn my home, and electromechanical and manual telephone switching is my other hobby besides TTYs.

I am especially drawn to these things because I feel that it is vital to preserve our technological heritage. Many would laugh at the notion of having a 150+ lb TTY hammering away at 60 wpm, until the next huge solar flare destroys all of our very high tech solid state devices. It will be then that the old Western Electric rotary 500 sets will be dug out because the chinese made disposable phones are toast (as well as cellphones). The old vacuum tube communications receivers and transmitters will be dusted off, tuned up and working again (after possible recapping, if folks still remember how to solder).

I suspect that after the technosphere collapses for whatever reason (most likely X-flare or some rogue nation popping a small nuke in the ionosphere), that folks will start to rediscover the 70 year old "greenbooks" and figure out how to restring landlines and hook up real telephones as well as telegraphs. Yes, things might just go a little slower, but then, wouldn't that be cool for a change?

Best,

Joe

--- On Sat, 7/16/11, Lee Mushel <herbert3 at centurytel.net> wrote:

From: Lee Mushel <herbert3 at centurytel.net>
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] saving machines
To: gil at baudot.net, pmcconnell at snip.net
Cc: "aaa-greenkeys" <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Saturday, July 16, 2011, 10:35 AM

Gil, et Al.

I have long wondered what that "number" was and I will admit to being 
shocked to find it that small!

I've always been intrigued with "things mechanical" and I've tried to 
determine why this should be so.   I have two of my Model 28 machines always 
ready for demonstration for visitors to my ham radio shack and I must admit 
that over the past three years no one has seemed to exhibit the slightest 
interest even when invited to sit down and do some typing.   As far as I can 
tell I should thank my parents and grandparents for my interest.   There was 
a corner of the kitchen pantry where I, not much older than a toddler, 
could sit with my own "screwdriver" and was encouraged to disassemble 
clocks.   All relatives had instructions to save their old, non-working 
alarm clocks (usually from the "ben" family) so that I could take them 
apart.   Dad would start the screws and I could then proceed.   If I found a 
geneva movement that still functioned under the action of a probing finger I 
felt that I had something wonderful.   Thankfully, no one worried about my 
swallowing a tiny part or other imaginary danger so commonly loved by 
today's child rearing activists.   And the next step was the tinker toy. 
My family made sure that I had no shortage of components and I also had a 
electric motor and an electrically heated steam engine to drive my 
"creations."

I firmly believe that such interest, which has continued through my life and 
is now reflected in the 14,  15, 26, 28 etc. I now protect is due to the 
early encouragement I've described.   I wonder if any other of the 300 would 
agree?

73

Lee   K9WRU
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <gil at baudot.net>
To: <pmcconnell at snip.net>
Cc: "aaa-greenkeys" <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 9:37 AM
Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] saving machines

.
>
> We have about 300 folks on an email list called greenkeys, and I figured
> someone would be close enough.  We all hate to see machines end up in
> the dump (I have a couple of dozen myself).
>
> Thanks for letting us save these machines, and best of luck with your
> move.
>
> greenkeys moderator
> gil at baudot.net
> www.baudot.net
> Vaux Electronics:  480-354-5556
>
>
>
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject:
>> From: "Paul McConnell" <pmcconnell at snip.net>
>> Date: Sat, July 16, 2011 4:24 am
>> To: <gil at baudot.net>
>>
>>
>> Gil,
>>
>> Just a note to thank you for alerting folks that my
>> Teletype machines were in need of rescue.
>>
>> Thanks to your quick action, and the efforts of a few
>> very enthusiastic people, the last few scraps of my
>> collection will be enroute to an eager recipient in
>> Missouri later this afternoon.
>>
>> Everyone who received one of the machines was delighted,
>> and I am very grateful that everything was spared from
>> a trip to the smelters.  None of this would have happened
>> without your message.
>>
>> You have made a lot of people happy.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Paul McConnell
>> Millville, New Jersey
>
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