[GreenKeys] What brought you here?

[Gary Chatters WA9ZZZ]

Some of you guys are making me feel old talking about using computers. 
When I got started in RTTY, computers were not something one had at home 
or even at the local public school.

I got in to RTTY back in high school, not too long after getting my 
general license.  The ham who gave me my novice test was in to RTTY, so 
that is probably where I first learned about it.

The early days of amateur radio RTTY (before my time) shows how 
resourceful hams can be.  Back then some hams had arranged with Michigan 
Bell Telephone company to provide Teletype machines to hams when they 
went out of service.  There was a nominal $25 charge plus you had to 
sign a multi page contract saying you would not use it for commercial 
purposes nor sell it (as best I can remember).  Other states had similar 
arrangements, but I don't know how wide spread it was.

I got a nice clean model 15.  It took a while to get it copying off the 
air.  Fortunately, I knew another ham who was in to RTTY and told me 
that it was running at 75 wpm.  A change of gears got me on the air.

I got on 80m with a DX-60 and an SX-100.  Fortunately, back then we were 
running 850 shift.  I am not sure I could have run 170Hz shift with that 
setup.  I built up a Twin Cities TU from parts scrounged from dead TVs 
plus some 88mH toroids and a polar relay.

Gary
WA9ZZZ  (formerly WA8ANI in Michigan)

On 4/7/20 1:44 PM, Jeff G wrote:
> I'm sure this has been done in the past, but figured I'd ask as I'm a 
> bit of a newb here and it would give me something to read. What got you 
> into Teletypes, and ultimately to Greenkeys? Can be a simple answer or a 
> short story!
> 
> For me...I always had an interest in them, and I'm into vintage 
> computing amongst many many many other hobbies. I acquired a Teletype 
> Model 32 and HAL ST-6 last year, and its been a learning experience to 
> learn about the history, how they work, current loops, baudot, etc. I'd 
> love to get a 33 some day, and (hopefully) have lines on a couple older 
> models as well now, as I LOVE the old/steampunk/electromechanical aspect 
> of them, and have several older items displayed in my living room, like 
> an Edison cylinder player (Edison Triumph). That said I'm probably a 
> youngin at 42.
> 
> I'm also a new-ish ham (licensed in 2016) and definitely want to try 
> RTTY, outside of a contest. Also just before the s--- hit the fan, I 
> started volunteering on the Battleship NJ and aimed to help them get 
> some of their TTY stuff going again.
> 
> Jeff KC3GJX
> 
> ______________________________________________________________