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CT4SL - MY MORSE KEYS COLLECTION

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PLEASE MAKE YOUR COMMENTS AND E-MAIL THEM TO ME.....HERE

# 131 ..... ARRL - ADVANCED CODE COURSE AND ARRL CODE KIT

A huge lot of Morse Code LEARNING Tapes, yet sealed on their original packedges.
Included is a Carrying Case (in mint condition!) that contains ARRL’s Introduction to Morse Code as well as 5 and 10 WPM tapes.
Also in this set are tapes from the Herman Smith Company of Up to 15WPM and 16-25 WPM.
Next is a set of 2 ARRL Set 2 (Still Factory Sealed) that covers 10 to 15 WPM.
And last is The ARRL Code Kit - two cassettes covering 5 to 13 WPM.

I know that cassette tapes may not be the most modern media at the present, and learning the Morse Code is not as critical as it once was, but some folks still have a cassette player and want to learn the code!
I will try to make some CD's or DVD's with the audio and turn them available for those HAM's that would like to learn morse code and make some QSO's. Feel free to ask them to my e-mail.
I purchase all those items together on one oction on ebay, from Warrior County, Alabama, USA.

# 132 ..... VIBROPLEX "LIGHTENING BUG"

A LITLE BIT IF HISTORY:

BW Lightening Bug somewhere along the line of the Vibroplex numbering system went haywire, maybe because they wanted to forget about the Midget. The #6, or Lightening Bug, was actually the seventh Vobroplex model. It was introduced in about 1926 or 1927 and was manufactured until Vibroplex moved to Maine in 1979.
The Lightening Bug was a significant departure from previous models. The frame was no longer cast, but was assembled from two triangular plates and two vertical cylinders. The damper assembly was made from two vertical cylinders and a flat cross-plate with the damper wheel suspended from it. The damper is called the "M" damper. Lastly, the pendulum was a thin flat bar, and a cubical speed weight was used.
The first Lightening Bugs were available with black Japanned (standard) and nickel-plated (optional) bases. From about 1929 to 1936 the Lightening Bug, Blue Racer and Original were available with red, blue and green base finish. These colored bugs have been found with both smooth and crackle finish. Some of the smooth-finish bugs have the color only on the top of the base and some others have it on the sides. The colours seems to have been applied on top of a standard black Japanned finish. These colored Vibroplexers are quite scarce and is currently no agreement about wich finishes are authentic.
The standard finish of the Lightening Bug was changed to black crackle about 1940 and the grey crackle in mid-Fifties. The Deluxe version of the Lightening Bug was popular, and the WW2 Deluxe version can also be found. Just before the Lightening Bug was discontinued about 1980, but some were made with Sienna Brown and beige crackle base finish.
During WW2, the Lionel Corporation made exact copies of the lightening Bug for the Army Signal Corps, with a celuloid Lionel nameplate.

IDENTIFY YOUR BUG NOW...! (by Randy Cole, KN6W)


An " L " damper is made fron two cast pieces. The lower piece is shaped like the letter L. The upper cast piece is hinged to it and supports a damper wheel.	A " U " damper is simply a casting in the shape of the letter U with a damper wheel attached to one side.	A " T " damper consists of a vertical post with a horizontar arm through it. The damper wheel is mounted to the end of the arm.	The " M " damper consists of a damper wheel hanging from a flat horizontal bar between two posts. The result is an assembly that looks like the letter M.	An " I " damper has a U-shaped piece of bent metal that holds up the damper wheel. The result is an assembly tha looks like the letter I.	A " SIMPLE " damper is one without the loosely-mounted wheel.

Finally, the next table will tell you which model you have:

DAMPER TYPE	*3,5" BASE*	*3" BASE*	2,5" BASE
" L "	Original, double lever, presentation.	Junior	Blue Racer (later version).
" U "	Wide-base #4 Blue Racer (special order).	Wide-base #4 Blue Racer (special order)	#4 Blue Racer.
" T "	Patent 457, model x, a few originals and duble levers.	None known	A few #4 Blue Racers
" M "	Lightening bug.	None known	None Known
" I "	Champion.	Zephyr	None known
" SIMPLE "	Improved model x.	None known	Midget on 2,5" base advertised but None Known.

# 133 .... "NICOLA TESLA" MORSE KEYER

The JTs RTG-01 in an interesting straight key with a bakelite base, metal cover, and electronic adjustments. The mechanical parts are nickel plated and the hardware is stainless steel. On the right side is a 5 pin din style connector.
So far, I've found very little information about the JTs RTG-01, other than the fact that it was used by the Yugoslav Military in the mid twentieth century and made by NICOLA TESLA, Serbian-American engineer born on July 10, 1856, in the village of Smiljan in Lika, Yugoslavia.
The Man Who Invented Tomorrow.

# 134 ..... "E. F. JOHNSON" SEMI-AUTO KEY (model 114-520)

E. F. Johnson Company of Waseca, Minnesota, USA became the last manufacturer using the Speed-X name.
Johnson purchased Speed-X from Les Logan in 1947 and initially continued to produce basically the same type of keys. Eventually, a different weight design was used followed by a change in the fiber paddles to plastic. The last of the Johnson Speed-X bugs have chrome plating, different tags and other minor hardware changes. The bug shown is an early Johnson Speed-X Model 114-520 that is black crackel finish base and probably dates from early 50's.
This key was purchased to N2FQ, San José, California, USA.

# 135 ..... VIBROPLEX "CHAMPION" BUG

This is a very nice (almoast 70 years old!) semi-automatic VIBROPLEX, model CHAMPION and s/n 143939, dated from 1945.
The CHAMPION was the “Chevrolet” of Vibroplex bugs. It used the assembled frame and flat pendulum of the Lightning Bug, but had a simplified damper assembly and lacked a circuit closer (shorting switch). It was the lowest-priced Vibroplex, handled well, and could send good code a bit slower than the round-pendulum models.
The “Champion” model was the “low-end” Vibroplex for many years, and featured a set of “Lightning Bug” parts on a standard-sized base, but with the simplified damper design of the“Zephyr” and the circuit-closing switch omitted for cost reduction. Discontinued sometime in the 1980s.
This key is fully functional and in excellent condition for it's age. The Champion was the only model never equipped with a circuit closer switch (to reduce cost).
I purchased this key at "Redbow Antiques and Collectibles" in Southeast Missouri, USA. 3.5"

The three different models of this kind of bugs presented by Randy Cole, KN6W:


The LIGHTENING BUG (my #132)	The CHAMPION (note the circuit-closing omitted)	The ZEPHYR (my #136)

# 136 ..... VIBROPLEX "ZEPHYR" BUG

A pretty scarce and hard to find Vibroplex ZEPHYR s/n 190.261 dated from1955. The Zephyr was the only modern Vibroplex made on a three-inch base.
Basically a Zephyr is a Champion on a three-inch base with a circuit closer. The added circuit closer pushed up the cost, so a Zephyr cost about as much as an Original. Most people decided to just go ahead and buy the Original, so Zephyrs are fairly scarce these days.
This bug started been manufactured during 1939 (US Patent 2.187.351 shows a Zephyr) and stoped during 1958. Last Zephyr made has the s/n 201.928.
Not many were made so Zephyrs are pretty scarce. Made in standard black crackle finish and later in grey, discontinued in the 50's.
Purchased on St.Paul, Minnesota, USA.

ZEPHYR models by KN6W (The Vibroplex Collectors Page):

( S/N 190266 )

( S/N 198406 )

# 137 ..... C-MOS MEMORY KEYER ETM-4C

Made in Germany during 1976 by Samson Margot at Osburg. It runs with 4x1,5volt dry batteries.
This memory keyer was purchased at Santa Barbara, Califórnia, USA.

some information about "C-MOS MEMORY KEYERS"

ETM-1c		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1983 Transistors: (5) BC546,BC546,BC546,BC546,MPS-A92 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 4 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 65 x 36 x 108 mm
ETM-2b	#127	Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1968 Transistors: (11) Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 4 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 100 x 52 x 100 mm
ETM-3	#86	Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1974-1977 Transistors: (4) BC238,MPS-A92,BC308,BC238 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 4 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 100 x 52 x 150 mm
ETM-3b		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1972 Transistors: (9) BC108,BC108,BC108,BC108,BC108,BC108,BC108,BC108,BSX45,SN7400,SN7410,SN7472,SN7473 Power voltage: Alternating Current supply (AC) / 110; 220 Volt Dimensions (WHD): 100 x 52 x 150 mm
ETM-4c	#137	Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1976 Transistors: (5): BC238,MPS-A92,BC308,BC328,BC328 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 4 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 100 x 52 x 150 mm
ETM-4m		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1974 Transistors: (5): BC238,MPS-A92,BC308,BC328,BC328 Power voltage: Alternating Current supply (AC) / 220 Volt Dimensions (WHD): 100 x 60 x 185 mm
ETM-5c		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1983 Transistors: (3) BC546,BC546,BC546 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 4 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 113 x 46 x 160 mm
ETM-8c	#82	Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1985 Transistors: (4) BC238,BC238,BC238,BC546 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 4 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 113 x 45 x 160 mm
ETM-9c		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1993 Transistors: (3) BC546,BC546,MPS-A93 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 3 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 113 x 45 x 160 mm
ETM-9c X3		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1993 Transistors: (4) BC546,BC546,BC546,MPS-A93 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 3 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensionas (WHD): 113 x 45 x 160 mm
ETM-9c COG	#142	Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1993 Transistors: (3) BC546,BC546,MPS-A93 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 3 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 106 x 36 x 160 mm
ETM-9c COG x3		Country: GERMANY Manufacturer: SAMSON MARGOT, OSBURG Year: 1993 Transistors: (4) BC546,BC546,BC546,MPS-A93 Power voltage: DRY BATTERIES / 3 X 1,5 VOLT Dimensions (WHD): 65 x 36 x 108 mm

# 138 ..... vibroplex square racer magnetic iambic key

This Vibroplex Square Racer keys are a departure from the traditional Square Brass Racer.
These keys have a solid steel base, instead of brass, on four rubber feet, which anchor the Square Racer in the operation position. The same unique Racer magnetic design is retained on these keys. Each model has the famous Vibroplex brass logo plate, with a unique serial number pinned to the top of each base with stainless steel pins. The Square Racers are available in standard and deluxe models
Made by Vibroplex Company at Mobile, Alabama, USA with s/n 106098 and with the red bug on the logo.
Purchased to CT1EWx (Sérgio Lopes)

RACER SERIES IAMBIC PADDLES (by Vibroplex.Inc)

Square Racer Deluxe

Square Racer Standard BLUE

Square Racer Standard

Brass Square Racer

# 139 ..... WALTERS MORSE KEY TYPE 51

A piece of aviation history!
This very rare key was fitted to the first jet airliner - construction No. G51 - the de Havilland Aircraft Co's prototype DH106 Comet "G-ALVG" belonging to BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation), first flight flown by Cunningham, Hatfield on the 27th July 1949
Made by Walters Electrical Manufacturing Co. Ltd. Annotated “12OZS”, “TYPE 51”, and “10F5805-99-619-3832”. This almost certainly means this was made for the Air Ministry or RAF because of the 10F prefix. The annotation “5805-99-619-3832” looks like a Nato Stock Number.
I am guessing this is from 1950-1960’s
The key knob and fingerplate look to be ebonite, as they have faded slightly, which would probably date the key to the earlier part of the period. Ebonite was generally phased out during WW2 and replaced with Bakelite.
The key comes in what may be the original box and is in very good condition.
It was purchased to D.J.Holmes, Scarborough, UK

# 140 ..... LABORATORY MORSE KEY SWITCH

Unusual laboratory type of spring loaded morse key. Annotated with the “PYE” sign at the top of the unit, and “W.G. PYE & Co. Ltd., CAMBRIDGE. Made in England.” at the bottom of the unit.
This unit is in very good condition.
This key was purchased to D.J.Holmes, Scarborough, UK

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