Daniel Birchall <SHAG@mercury.bitnet> (08/15/90)
My father and I recently acquired (read: took from a pile of trash marked "free") a teletype machine. I don't know much about such machines, and as far as I am concerned, there is nothing special about this one. Personally, I didn't want to get it. :) However, on the stand (under the keyboard part) someone labeled it (with a black marker, evidently) CRYPTO. Does that mean that this machine will put out encrypted transmissions? Or was it used by some department that had 'crypto' level clearances? Any guesses? Well, my father looked through the stuff we trashpicked, and we have a few questions [I am presuming that telecommunications includes radio frequency] one of the widgets is a CV-89A/URA-8A "Frequency Shift Converter" ... what the heck is that? :) Also, there was an RCA AR-88 Receiver, 540 KC to 32 MC ... Final question, who is or was W2VZM?
ritchie@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (David Ritchie) (08/17/90)
Sounds like a pile of surplus government equipment from one of the services. The CV-89A is a device for converting levels (in this case, the current loop from the teletype) into a pair of tones for transmission. It most likely does the inverse function also. In short, it is a modem. The AR-88 is a general coverage shortwave receiver. W2VZM is an amateur radio call. There is a server that is telnet'able that could provide you with the 'who' behind the call. Dave Ritchie N4DJS
riddle@hoss.unl.edu (Michael H. Riddle) (08/17/90)
In <10923@accuvax.nwu.edu> Daniel Birchall <SHAG@mercury.bitnet> writes: >My father and I recently acquired (read: took from a pile of trash >marked "free") a teletype machine. >[marked] CRYPTO. Does that mean that this machine will put >out encrypted transmissions? Or was it used by some department that >had 'crypto' level clearances? Any guesses? >one of the widgets is a CV-89A/URA-8A "Frequency Shift >Converter" ... what the heck is that? :) Also, there was an RCA AR-88 >Receiver, 540 KC to 32 MC ... Final question, who is or was W2VZM? Ah, old memories! Sounds to me like you picked up the NON-crypto part of an old radio-teletype set. The CV-89 converted the frequency-shift keying into marks and spaces for the teletype machine. From the "Crypto" part, at least the table, if not the whole set, at one time was hooked through a cryptographic device. (I guess another explanation would be an offline crypto unit. I certainly spent many an hour repairing them). Your final question, W2VZM is an amateur call sign. I'll leave it for the hams in the group to explain if there was anything special about it. riddle@hoss.unl.edu riddle@crchpux.unl.edu mike.riddle@f27.n285.z1.fidonet.org Sysop on 1:285/27 @ Fidonet
Gabe Wiener <gabe@sirius.ctr.columbia.edu> (08/17/90)
In article <10953@accuvax.nwu.edu> riddle@hoss.unl.edu (Michael H. Riddle) writes: >Your final question, W2VZM is an amateur call sign. I'll leave it for >the hams in the group to explain if there was anything special about >it. I checked the North American directory and there is no W2VZM currently issued. The license may have lapsed. I suppose that you could dig back to older Callbooks if you wanted to find out whose set it was. Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ. "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings gabe@ctr.columbia.edu to be seriously considered as a means of gmw1@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu communication. The device is inherently of 72355.1226@compuserve.com no value to us." -Western Union memo, 1877 A note from a reader sent to someone else (with a copy to me) noted that it was now a Silent Key. PAT]
thomas%mvac23.uucp@udel.edu (Thomas Lapp) (08/19/90)
> I checked the North American directory and there is no W2VZM currently > issued. The license may have lapsed. I suppose that you could dig > back to older Callbooks if you wanted to find out whose set it was. > A note from a reader sent to someone else (with a copy to me) noted > that it was now a Silent Key. PAT] I've heard the term, but do most readers know that a Silent Key is an amateur operator who has died? tom internet : mvac23!thomas@udel.edu or thomas%mvac23@udel.edu uucp : {ucbvax,mcvax,psuvax1,uunet}!udel!mvac23!thomas Location : Newark, DE, USA
tad@beaver.cs.washington.edu> (08/24/90)
In article <10953@accuvax.nwu.edu>, riddle@hoss.unl.edu (Michael H. Riddle) writes: > Your final question, W2VZM is an amateur call sign. I'll leave it for > the hams in the group to explain if there was anything special about > it. Nothing special about W2VZM. It is not listed in my 1990 Callbook, but I have an old 1963 Callbook, and it shows Joseph G. McGettigan of 1880 N. 42nd St, Pensauken, NJ as the holder of W2VZM. You probably inherited some RTTY gear from a ham who passed on. Tad Cook Seattle, WA Packet: KT7H @ N7HFZ.WA.USA.NA Phone: 206/527-4089 MCI Mail: 3288544 Telex: 6503288544 MCI UW USENET:...uw-beaver!sumax!amc-gw!ssc!tad or, tad@ssc.UUCP