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KB2VXA > TECH 21.08.16 09:48l 35 Lines 1660 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 22560_VK6ZRT
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re: KF5JRV > Telautograph
Path: IW8PGT<CX2SA<7M3TJZ<JE7YGF<XE1FH<VK6ZRT
Sent: 160821/0728Z @:VK6ZRT.#BUN.#WA.AUS.OC #:22560 [Boyanup] $:22560_VK6ZRT
From: KB2VXA@VK6ZRT.#BUN.#WA.AUS.OC
To : TECH@WW
Hi Techies,
The mention of the early European FAX machine that used a rotating drum
jogged an interesting memory of my CB daze before it went to hell in a
handbasket. Some friends and I aquired some ancient thermofax machines that
used a rotating drum. In send mode they scanned the rotating image with a
phototube and in receive mode reproduced it on a rotating piece of sensitized
paper with an electric stylus that burned the image onto the paper.
We connected them to our CB tranceivers, highly illegal since voice only is
allowed and sent "secret messanges" also illegal, like ham no codes or
ciphers. Oh, we also sent "nasty pictures and cartoons". The funny part was
when we were asked what that "twee twee twee twee" sound was the stock answer
was "We are aliens disguised as humans among you sending information to the
mother ship, the invasion begins soon... puny human."
Unlike today's FAX that uses a scanner and printer combo much like the one
sitting before me thermofax images faded rather quickly to a light brown hard
to read. Eh, we had our fun and we like many found CB an experimenting and
learning stepping stone to Amateur Radio. So you see, for some it's Chicken
Band and for some like us Children's Band, we grew up and here I am.
"New Jersey, the most American of all states. It has everything from
wilderness to the Mafia. All the great things and all the worst,
like Route 22."
Jean Shepherd K2ORS (SK) & WOR radio personality
73 de Warren
Station powered by JCP&L atomic energy, operator powered by natural gas.
Message timed by NIST: 21-Aug-2016 at 07:27 GMT
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