CWOps intermediate training

 Just finishing a session of Intermediate training with CWOps to improve my skills.

I have been using the paddle for a while to do formulaic contacts on POTA and such, but have fallen out of the habit of doing conversational contacts.

I highly recommend these courses as they are valuable and fun and let's face it, making it fun makes learning easier. I got comfortable enough with the paddle that I am now using the key more.

John(AJ1DM), Eric(WS4K) and John(N8AA) are 3 great instructors and I am sure they purposely make mistakes to make us feel better! Thanks guys!

 So, what are the differences between a Grimmer Wilson straight key and a Wilson?

Well, first, there is a misconception that the Wilson and Grimmer Wilson were all used in WWII by the military and therefore militaria. 

From what I have seen this is not true.

The keys that were used by the military have all got the code 10F/556 stamped into the lever between the adjustment screws. 7 of my 10 keys (so far) have the stamp. That was the code used by the war department to signify this type of straight key much like the J-38 was the designation for one of the US forces keys.

The Grimmer Wilson has a slightly longer square lever shaft and the adjuster hardware has a rounded kurled surface with a single knurled pattern whereas the Wilson lever is slightly shorter with a squared knurled surface on the adjusters with a checkered knurling.

Another odd difference is that even though the oval bases appear to be identical, the fastening screw holes are spaced differently!

The Wilson has 2 holes spaced 1-1/8" apart equally spaced from the centre and in line side to side.

The Grimmer Wilson on the other hand is slightly more than 1-1/8" apart with the right side hole in the same position as the Wilson and the left hole slightly offset to the left and slightly toward the finger piece! 

At first this seemed like it could be an anomoly, but after seeing it in 5 examples, it appears to be intentional.

There appears to have been 4 basic colours for the key. Dark gray and medium gray are fairly common with blue gray being next. I have also found 2 examples of gray brown in the Wilson only so far. 

Another thing that I have noticed on SOME of the Wilsons is that they have a painted marking saying "Made In Canada" which is not on my Grimmers but also not on all of the Wilsons.

Well, that is it for the Wilson type keys aside from one last thing.

Both variants also made a trainer for learning the code. I have one of the Wilson variants and it bears the war department broad arrow stamp on the underside signifying military procurenment.

73 and get on the air!

Tom

 Well, where does the time go!

Retired from Correctional Service Canada as the electronic security systems project officer last August and loving the new life!

Made a lot of changes to the shack (again) and changed out a lot of equipment.

The radios now include:

Yaesu FT-726R with 2,6,10,12,15m coverage w/600w 6m amplifier and 500w 2m amplifier

Kenwood TS-50 for QRO use---It was cheap so I bought a Kenwood!

Icom IC-705 for use in the trailer when we travel.

3 Ten-Tec 509 including a very early version.

1 Ten-Tec 505

1 Ten-Tec Century 21 Analogue

1 Ten-Tec 526 6N2

and

2 40M Pixies for laughs!

Lots of Ten-Tec accessories for the above as well as early MFJ units that match the 505/509 rigs.

Keys include:

Straight:

5 Grimmer Wilson keys

5 Wilson keys

 I'll describe the differences between then later although they appear ALMOST identical.

1 TAC Stream 100 

1 Bunnel 1881 Victorian key with gold stripes

1 Foster, Toronto 1850s key

1 Kent straight key on a green marble base. Probably an old kit on a locally sourced base.

1 Chinese cast resin miniature key

Paddles:

1 Nye SSK-1C chrome dual lever paddle which seems to be uncommon!

1 Kent Single lever paddle

1 Vibroplex Presentation Single lever paddle

1 Chinese Dual lever paddle

1 CW Morse Dual lever paddle

Bugs:

1 Telegraph Apparatus Corporation  (TAC) CP-810 chromed Hole-In-The-Wall bug

3 Telegraph Apparatus Corporation  (TAC) CP-810 chromed Hole-In-The-Wall bug

2 early Les Logan 515 bugs with serial numbers

1 later Les Logan 515 bug

1 Hi-Mound BK-100 bathtub bug

I might be a bit obsessed with CW paraphernalia!

More later, but hopefully not much later!