[GreenKeys] Help setting up a RTTY station

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

Joel,

AFAIK, Bell didn't build machines so I'll assume (and you can confirm) that 
the machine is a former Bell System Teletype Model 14 typing reperf.  
Further, you'll need to say what radio(s) you plan to use and (maybe) whether HF 
or VHF.  And if the SK had the machine running and on the air, you should 
look for the hardware he had to go with it.

But basically, to put a Model 14 into service on RATT (civilian term is 
RTTY), first you need to be able to run it on a local loop.  That basically 
means you can turn it on, type on the keyboard and have it print and punch on 
the tape.  The only real requirement for that is a 120-130 VDC loop supply 
with an adjustment to set the loop current to 60 mA (or maybe 20 mA but 
holding magnet selectors aren't that common).  Second, to receive you need a 
receiver and a receiving converter (civilian term is Tuning Unit or TU) to 
convert the audio coming out of the receiver to current pulses for the M14.  
Third, to transmit, you need a transmitter and a means to frequency shift key 
(FSK) or audio frequency shift key (AFSK) it to follow the on-off pulses from 
the keyboard (to transmit using the tape you need another piece of hardware 
called a Transmitter Distributor or TD).  FSK is traditionally used on HF and 
AFSK on 6 Meters and above.

You need to tell the list what radio you have, and maybe what bands you 
want to operate on.  Some of the others here can suggest specific hardware.  I 
don't know anything about any of the civilian TU's, having never owned one.  
But you should also determine whether the SK ever had the machine operating 
and find out what hardware he had.  It might still be around somewhere.

In a message dated 3/24/2011 11:17:50 PM Central Daylight Time, 
joel1847 at msn.com writes: 
> Good evening,
> I'm relatively new to ham radio and really new to RTTY and need a bit of 
> advice from the list.  I know of a widow to an SK that I help out quite a 
> bit (twice a week at least) and she has her Tech license and might get her 
> General someday but has no desire to operate her husbands RTTY machine.  She 
> is willing to let me "fiddle" with it as she calls it which boils down to 
> being on permanent loan.  The machine is a Bell 14m typing reporforator and 
> I would like to know what all would be needed to get this really nice 
> looking machine back on the air.  Starting from scratch what would I need?  
> Thanks for the help...
> 
> Joel
> kj6dif
> norcal   

Robert Downs - Houston
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