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Robertosala1 uploaded a new video
(5 days ago)
This is a Merit/S.E.L. Morse key.
This CW (Continous Wave)/Morse keys wer...
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This is a Merit/S.E.L. Morse key.
This CW (Continous Wave)/Morse keys were sold as part of a kit of two with a light bulb and a buzzer.
The set was called "Morse Signaling Outfit" and was a nice toy set, designed for the young enthusiast to learn Morse Code. The set of two was intended to provide a second key to a friend so both could send and receive Morse Code either by light (with a bulb included in the set) or by sound from a buzzer. The base is Bakelite and is adjustable in the gap separation and in the return tension spring too.
This particular one is from the 70's and has got metal on the top sending knob which is strange as usually they are made of Bakelite only. This must had belonged to a "luxury" variation of the standard set.
Originally this set was sold by S.E.L. (Signalling Equipment LTD). S.E.L. and Merit belonged to the Merit House, located at Potters Bar, Middx., England.
Merit/S.E.L. made also a professional/commercial grade Morse key, with silver contacts and nicely mounted on wood. This commercial version was much better and with additional adjusting features; a real gem.
They made fantastic toys in a wide variety. From dolls, microscopes, binoculars, toy dart guns, electrician sets, table top games or boxed games, telescopes, magnifiers, electric motors, dynamotor sets, transformers, electrical outfits, magnets, galvanometers, coils, buzzers, toy traffic lights, Morse sets and, the most sought after toys of all, were the miniature steam engines. This were nicely done and had a whole range of accessories available.
Special thanks to Tony ("Boxman"), a fellow member of "The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum" for looking for this key for me in the UK. He kindly bought it for me and sent it all the way from England to El Salvador.
Do you feel attracted by Miniature Steam Engines or do you have one gathering dust in your attic or loft? Start using it again and join the best Steam Forum on earth.
Hope you like the video.
73 de Rob.
YS1RS
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Robertosala1
Gracias... Si pude.
Voy a hacer un video y lo voy a subir. Tengo 4 video en espera y el manipulador naval es uno de ellos.
(1 week ago)
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Robertosala1 uploaded a new video
(1 week ago)
Bought it on eBay. Made in the USA, in the 40's, by Lionel Corporation a...
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Bought it on eBay. Made in the USA, in the 40's, by Lionel Corporation and used during the WWII years.
The J-38 type of CW/Morse keys were used by all branches of the US military. Were manufactured as part of the the war effort by a few specialized US companies. They manufactured them almost identical and sometimes it is hard to recognize the factory that produced that particular model.
Some of the companies were:
American Radio Hardware (ARH), Lionel Corporation, Telegraph Apparatus Corporation (TAC) and there were two more of unknown manufacture: One made entirely of brass including its frame and, the last one, made entirely of white metal including the frame.
They look all the same and parts are interchangeable between different manufacturers.
Very small differences that could give away the possible manufacturer are known.
The most easily type of J-38 CW keys to identify is the one made by the Lionel Corporation.
-Lionel had round corners in the Bakelite base of their keys. All others were sharp square.
-Lionel had a different angled knurling pattern on their lock nuts. All others had a normal straight vertical knurling pattern on their lock nuts.
-Lionel had the company name "Lionel Corporation" cast in between the trunnion supports. All others didn't have a company name written anywhere.
-Lionel painted their frames black. All others didn't paint them.
-Lionel had the Lionel logo cast in the bottom of the Bakelite base. All others didn't have any marks.
-Lionel installed position pins on all wire posts (rear and inner posts), to stop this posts from turning or getting loose during usage. All others had them only on the rear posts, the ones that are used for training. Lionel located their inner posts position pins in order to form a 45 degree angle.
All this extra features makes Lionel keys easy to spot and to be recognized.
Of all J-38s, Lionel seems to be the more common ones.They are recognized as being the ones with the best quality and attention to detail of all J-38s made.
After 70 years, thousands are still in use today in the hands of fellow Ham Radio CW Operators.
Lionel Corporation no longer produces this keys but the Company is well known and are still in operation. They manufacture Electric Toy Scale Train sets.Their toy products had set the standard in the USA for decades.
Got my Lionel J-38 CW key on eBay but it was incomplete (otherwise I could have not afforded it). Was missing the most important screw: The gap adjusting screw and it's corresponding lock nut.
The special fine threading is no longer common. You can find the Tap and Die (ordering from the USA) to make this threads but the special external knurling on the lock nut, was a different thing.
Jack Burks, K4CNW, a fellow member of the Straight Key Century Club, came to the rescue and, knowing that it was an impossible to find the obsolete screw in my country, looked around, found the parts and sent them to me. My key is again complete with all its parts and all are original from Lionel. Thank You Jack!
Hope you guys may like the video.
73's de Rob.
YS1RS
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Robertosala1 uploaded a new video
(3 weeks ago)
This is my Hendricks PFR-3A QRP CW Portable Transceiver.
Was put together...
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This is my Hendricks PFR-3A QRP CW Portable Transceiver.
Was put together in 1 week on December 2011.
I started to look for a portable rig I could take with me on travel.
Requested info from fellow hams for suitable radios and got a list that included the PFR-3A, the KX1, etc.
The PFR-3A seemed to fit perfectly:
- Its price was reachable for my local income, since it comes in a kit form,
- has got a BLT Tuner
- 3 bands (the ones I would have chosen to work at night, from the hotel, tent, or whatever accommodation),
- can use wire antennas (cheap speaker wire in case my baggage gets stolen, fits rolled up in a sealed plastic bag and efficient enough),
- Internal batteries (that can be charged via solar, wind or even powered by a small steam engine),
- 12 volts,
- 5 watts (which is ample enough for CW),
- can tune the whole band,
- digital display of frequency
- tuned by buttons (I have experienced what dust can do inside my equipment before)
- light weight
- yellow does not get that hot under the sun. I have seen black laptops overheat under the sun extremely fast!
- and the most important: Low profile.
This is being sold by www.qrpkits.com
My first QSO with this rig was nice. Conditions were good for the 20 meter band. This QSO was held at a rate of 386.51 Miles (622.03) Km per watt for a total distance of 1,933 Miles (3,111 Km) approx.
Pretty decent for a 5 Watt rig with a simple Long Wire End Fed Antenna.
73 de Rob
YS1RS
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Robertosala1 uploaded a new video
(3 weeks ago)
This is one of my very first CW QSOs in my life.
It was held with the he...
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This is one of my very first CW QSOs in my life.
It was held with the help of Lynn Hagar (NG9D), from Plainfield, Illinois.
Filmed in January 27th, 2012; this video is intended for those who, like me, may have interest in learning CW (Morse Code).
The tag line here is: If I can, you also can !!!
Lynn was kind in slowing down his CW speed so I could understand him and, for me to be able to respond.
This QSO was very slow. About 15 Words Per Minute.
Lynn's equipment is an ICOM 746 Pro with a dipole antenna.
My equipment is a Kenwood TS-690S @100 watts with a multi-band folded dipole antenna.
I am using two straight keys just for the fun of it:
"The best way to learn how to send good CW is learning by using a straight key".
Straight keys shown here are both military: An 80 years old German Luftwaffe Baumuster T1 (from WWII) and a 50 years old Czech RM-31 (from the Cold War).
I have separate videos showing them, in detail, in my YouTube channel.
CW is very efficient. No need for big power to reach longer distance and have fun.
Bandwidth usage is very efficient. You can have 10 CW conversations in the same space on the band (bandwidth) that you require to have a phone (voice) conversation.
If at 46 I am learning, there is no excuse for you to also learn.
Go on, blow out the dust from your CW key and start using it !!!
Thank you Lynn for a nice QSO!
73 de Rob.
YS1RS
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Voy a hacer un video y lo voy a subir. Tengo 4 video en espera y el manipulador naval es uno de ellos.
Te felicito !!!!!
Muy bunos videos !!!!
Pudiste restaurar el manipulador naval ?
Quisiera verlo en acción.
73 & Dx de LW7DDH