A note from Doc VK6BUG
Thanks for that info Allan & I have had 3 Simplex units through my hands
over the years. The first bug I had back in the early 60s was one. Later I
toted Vibroplex units around the world with me, each at different times, and
still have 3 of them. Funny, I'm supposed to be a dab hand with the key, but
I can still only use one at a time....???? Perhaps I should work on that
deficiency in my armour. Hi Other than polar ships, I served 14 yrs with the RAN as a Petty Officer
telegraphist, and most of the young coves used hacksaw or ss knife blades
and the fulcrum unit out of AWA Manipulating Keys to produce what were
affectionately known as 'sidewankers', probably the most popular key in the
Navy during 1950-80. I used one on the Murmansk/Greenland/Iceland runs
often, because it got too rough to operate at any desk or use any other type
of key, so I used to lie down on the wireless office floor, one leg raised
up & foot pressed against a bulkhead and the other leg positioned so the
foot could press against the front edge of the desk. I held the sidewanker
in left hand round about the abdomen area so that it was free to move with
the pitch and roll of the vessel, & operated the knife blade side to side
with my right hand. Otherwise no CW would have got out!!!!Ohhhh the memories!!!!
OK on not being able to defy gravity with the bikes. Nothing like a
well-tuned HRD, Matchy or Norton with tuned megaphone barking! Although the
more modern 1000cc racing Laverda with a similar system also appealed to
me.......
Keep up the good work Allan & I might catch u on 160-80 or 40m
Best regards
Doc/vk5bug
