I have always been interested in CW especially when as a boy the best I could afford was a Heathkit DX-20, a CW-only transmitter and a military six metal-tube Command Set 40 meter receiver. With this rig I was forced to use CW exclusively and I learned to love telegraphy and became fairly good at it. In those days all I had was a J-38 straight key and I pined after a Vibroplex bug (bug is another name for semiautomatic keys). The best CW men always had a gleaming bug whenever you saw them pictured in QST or CQ. In later years, I found I could hardly pass up a bug for sale at a hamfest.

Presently, I have developed an interest in early bugs and machining. If you’re interested in key collecting, there are quite a few Web pages devoted to such collections. Finding old bugs seems like a lifetime pursuit of searching hamfests and buying or trading with other collectors. Rather than collecting them, I decided to re-create the keys I wanted, myself. This route to acquiring old key designs can be just as expensive as buying the actual keys but has the advantage of timeliness and pride of craftsmanship. How good were the original bugs? I became interested in comparing the first all-mechanical bugs.

Telegraph keys are ideal subjects for manufacture by machining. Looking at pictures of old bugs, I could visualize how I might go about making duplicates using my machines. There are parts that the original manufacturer might have created by casting, but in most cases as I gained experience I could see how I might go about using my machines to do the same job. In the early 1900s casting some of the parts would have been faster and cheaper as far as mass production is concerned but I was interested in single versions of selected old bugs.

In fact, I decided that I was not even interested in exact copies that would fool a collector. . My goal was to create workable copies true to the original so that I could see how they worked for myself.

I have seen this very idea expressed on historical TV shows. In these programs, builders might re-create ancient weapons of the Romans to see how they worked. They used whatever evidence they had to re-create versions that they believed worked as well as the originals but were not exact copies. More apropos are those who re-create machines designed by Leonardo da Vinci. Here again, they are not exact copies but only designed to work as the inventor envisioned. In this case, they had detailed drawings to guide them.

Bugs — A Patent History

Yes, the early bugs were patented and the patents contained detailed drawings. The patent law states clearly that in order for a patent to be valid, someone of ordinary skill in the art to which the patent pertains must be able to reproduce a working example from the description in the patent. This requirement is to prevent withholding key information so that when the patent expired no one would be able to reproduce the device. After a specific time period (17 years at the time the first bugs were developed; today the period is 20 years.) the patent expires and it belongs to the public. Therefore, the early bug patents had workable drawings that a good machinist could reproduce and see for himself the essence of the patent. Presently there are over 7 million US patents, literally the greatest concentration of practical knowledge ever amassed in human history.

My story is about early bugs but it could have been about patents using the history of the bug as proof of the wisdom of the patent laws and their authors, the founders of our great nation. When Franklin and Jefferson thought up the patent system, the guild system was prevalent. It was a system of secrets and such secrets were passed from father to son or apprentice. There was no way for advancement as nothing was published for others to see. Our patents are published for all to see. Every patent is available online and so I decided that I would look at all of the bug patents, first to last.

The Autoplex — Martin’s First Bug

Telegraphy was decades old when the first bug appeared. It was invented by Horace Greeley Martin and was called the Autoplex. It employed the same circuit as a bell or buzzer. An electromagnet pulled in a spring-loaded clapper. The clapper pulling in would interrupted the circuit, permitting a spring to return the clapper to its original position, re-establishing the circuit and the cycle would repeat. Instead of ringing a bell the clapper made a sequence of dots repeating as long as the circuit was connected. Two patents were issued to Martin (see Figures 1 and  2).

Many professional telegraphers who at that time had worked for years pounding brass had developed glass arms (carpal tunnel syndrome) and were desperate for a key that relieved the stress of making dots. The Autoplex did this job for them but they still had to make the dashes, which was less laborious. Telegraphers worked long hours sending and receiving tens of thousands of words without unemployment insurance, health benefits or social security. One needed his job even if his arm hurt.

I’m sure such workers would have wanted the Autoplex if they could have managed its overall cost of ownership. The average salary was $10 per week in 1903 and at $25, it cost about 2 weeks salary .The employers did not provide the keys or batteries to run them. Martin’s Autoplex was a commercial success, but although it worked quite well and was valued by telegraphers, it required batteries. This was no small problem in 1903 when batteries were expensive, heavy and cumbersome.

Coffe’s Patent — The First Mechanical Bug

The Autoplex patents were published and it became apparent to those interested in commercial keys that if one could be developed that was totally mechanical and reasonably priced, telegraphers would rush to buy it. Martin developed such a key but was beaten to the punch by W. O. Coffe who worked for a competitor, the Mecograph Company. Coffe’s patent was issued first (see Figures 3A and 3B).

As can be seen in the drawings, an actual pendulum was used to make the dots. Pushing the key arm to the side releases the pendulum, allowing it to strike the contact repeatedly. Releasing the arm allows the spring to hold the pendulum back in the neutral position (see Figure 4). A very clever idea that must have caused Martin’s hair to stand on end.

Vibroplex and Mecograph Duke It Out

Martin was not to be deterred and his next patent was the familiar and beloved Vibroplex. Coffe could have sparked Martin’s idea, but some say Martin had his idea before Coffe’s patent was issued. I like to think this is a classic example of what the founding fathers had in mind. One idea would lead to a better idea and our nation would prosper. Little did they dream of the magnitude and success of their patent system. Martin as we know placed the pendulum within the key lever, simplifying the apparatus and thus reducing its cost to about 1 week’s salary (see Figures 5).

Mecograph was owned by Bellows who upon seeing the success of the Vibroplex, built on Martin’s idea but employed the release mechanism of Coffe’s patent and received a patent on a new bug (see Figure 6).

Albright, who owned Vibroplex, and Bellows entered into a patent infringement lawsuit that didn’t prevent either from continuing to manufacture or market their bugs. So now, Vibroplex and Mecograph duked it out in the marketplace. Vibroplex proved the more successful marketer and won this contest. Bellows died suddenly and Albright, apparently a very smart businessman, bought Mecograph from Bellows’ widow. Vibroplex absorbed Mecograph and the Mecograph keys went extinct. Albright defended his patents against all comers but eventually he licensed others and collected fees. I believe he knew the Vibroplex was the best and as we used to say a “Cadillac” of bugs that would out-sell all others. When the patents expired, many other bug manufacturers came on the scene, but that’s another story.

Homebrewed Bugs

Were the Mecograph bugs any good? Did Albright buy the company because they were effective bugs or just to clear the marketplace of an annoying competitor, or for both reasons? Did he pay a good price for the firm and its patents or did he get it so cheap that it was a no brainer to acquire it? There is only one way to answer some of these questions. Since I did not own any Mecograph bugs and they are rare as hound’s teeth, I decided to make my own versions. I used the original patents as guides and tried my best  to be faithful to the mechanism even if my esthetics were not exact. I think I did a very reasonable job as you can judge from Figures 7 and 8.

Coffe was the first man to receive a patent for a mechanical bug and I’m certain his bug worked better than mine because  I probably made some minor construction mistakes. I’m also concerned that the weight on the pendulum is very critical and my adjustments may be off, but I believe that the Bellows’ patent using Coffe’s release mechanism with Martin’s internal pendulum (spring) worked as well as Martin’s Vibroplex.

My version is fun to use and in my opinion even today would be a competitor to the Vibroplex. Without Coffe’s patent Bellows could not have gotten around the Martin patent. In use, the Vibroplex type is easier to adjust and makes heavier dots — key advantages. I believe that Vibroplex bought out Mecograph when they had the chance because they were serious competitors. Now Vibroplex had all of the “key” patents and a clear field to dominate the market for semiautomatic keys for years to come. With a clear path before him, Martin went on to invent improved versions of the Vibroplex that delight aficionados even to this day.

See Figures 9 and 10 for my versions of Martin’s Vibroplex and Wirechief bugs.

All photos by Bob Login, AA8A, except as noted.

Bob Login, AA8A, an ARRL member, was first licensed in 1956 as KN2VQM and received his present call after upgrading to Extra in 1977. He enjoys homebrewing and restoring vintage ham gear. He has written articles concerning his projects for QST and Electric Radio magazines. Bob is a retired organic chemist and holds 156 US patents granted over his career. You can contact him at 1416 Tanager Trail, St Marys, GA 31558.

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology (TI) began its 2010 sessions in February with a Teachers Institute course designed specifically for teachers in the Tucson (Arizona) Unified School District (TUSD). Taught at Jefferson Park Elementary School, 21 educators -- including the school principal, school counselor and three resource personnel -- took part in five Saturday sessions, working through an expanded 45 hour Teachers Institute (TIs usually are done in about 32 hours). The teachers completed homework assignments that included building the clock kit, building a flashing LED Santa and reading the first two chapters of What's a Microcontroller? In addition, five parents attended the TI as observers. The course was taught by TI Instructor Miguel Enriquez, KD7RPP, who teaches in the TUSD.

According to Enriquez, breaking the TI into four out of five contiguous Saturdays had its advantages and disadvantages. "The biggest advantage was that we were able to cover more material than normal because I was able to enlist the assistance of two Elmers: Katherine Larson, KF7GFG, and Alex Thome, KF7GFF," he said. "Their assistance made it possible to have 21 teachers and five parents attending the TI. Both Alex and Katherine also presented some additional material, with Katherine using material provided by ARRL Education & Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME, on how to instruct the teachers to effectively make use of Elmers, and Alex presenting and demonstrating D-STAR."

Read more: The 2010 Teachers Institutes Begin with a Bang in Tucson

On Thursday, March 25, ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the American Red Cross (ARC) at ARC National Headquarters in Washington, DC. The MoU, which replaces an earlier Statement of Understanding that expired in 2007, provides a "broad framework for cooperation" between the ARRL and the ARC "in preparing for and responding to disaster relief situations at all levels in rendering assistance and service to victims of disaster, as well as other services for which cooperation may be mutually beneficial."

The ARRL Board of Directors approved the signing of the MoU at its January 2010 meeting following the completion of negotiations. The Red Cross requires the completion of a criminal background check to participate in Red Cross activities and provides a process by which a volunteer may have a criminal background check performed at no cost to the volunteer. In the case of ARRL volunteers, the Red Cross has agreed to accept an alternative process: ARRL volunteers may arrange, at their own initiative and expense, to have the criminal background check performed by a state or local law enforcement agency.

The Red Cross also has agreed that ARRL volunteers shall not be asked or required to consent to credit checks, mode of living investigations or investigative consumer reports in order to provide a communications function.

The ARRL and the Red Cross encourage interested volunteers in their respective organizations to become members and to participate in the activities of the other organization. ARRL volunteers should be aware that if they wish to become Red Cross volunteers, they may be required to consent to additional background checks in accordance with Red Cross policy that may include credit checks, mode of living investigations or investigative consumer reports.

Per the MoU, "both ARRL volunteers and ARC workers will work cooperatively at the scene of a disaster and in the disaster recovery, within the scope of their respective roles and duties as recommended." During a Red Cross Disaster Relief Operation (DRO) and depending on their training and qualifications, ARRL volunteers may perform in one or more of several roles, including Amateur Radio Liaison, Communication Equipment Operator, Communication Equipment Installation/Repair and Disaster Assessment. ARRL volunteers who are assigned roles by the Red Cross during a DRO will be provided with Red Cross credentials as required by the role, consistent with Red Cross policy.

"Because of the importance of emergency communications, we are happy to be able to continue the League's long-standing relationship with the American Red Cross," said ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. "The ARC and other served agencies give Amateur Radio operators the worthwhile missions in our communities that allow us to thank America for the privilege of being hams."

The Alum Cave Bluffs Trail begins as a wooden bridge crossing Walker Camp Prong. [Photo courtesy of Scott Basford]

On Sunday, March 28 -- a day with a lot of rain, wind, sleet and, fog -- John Oakberg, NK4N, of Sevierville, Tennessee, went out hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Mt LeConte. When he was about 1 mile up from Alum Cave Bluff, he came across Judy Potter, 57, of Atlanta who had broken her ankle while on the trail. Oakberg reached for his cell phone to call 911, but there was no coverage available. He then reached for his handheld transceiver and put out a call to any Amateur Radio operators who may be listening via some nearby VHF 2 meter repeaters.

Scott Wyrick, KD4CWB, of Seymour, Tennessee, told the ARRL that he was the first to respond to Oakberg's call. After he obtained the necessary information, Wyrick called the National Park Service dispatcher, requesting that they dispatch a rescue team. "John's signal was noisy into the machines, but two other stations -- Dean Webb, N4NLT, and Cleve Hayes, KB4UAL -- were able to copy him on the input frequencies," he told the ARRL. Wyrick lives in Sevier County, the same county where the National Park is located.

Webb, who was driving across Fort Loudoun Dam in Loudon County -- heard the emergency call calling for assistance on his mobile station on 146.940. "His signal was poor into the repeater and it was very scratchy," he told WATE, a television station in Knoxville, Tennessee. Webb and Hayes quickly set up a radio relay with Wyrick from John Oakberg on the mountain.

The Alum Cave Bluffs Trail is a 5.1 mile footpath that gradually ascends approximately 2600 feet to the summit of Mt LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. [Photo courtesy of Scott Basford]

Hayes -- who was at his home in Knox County for the relay -- told WATE that he "could relay what [John Oakberg] was saying to Scott, who was on the phone to the National Park Service to get the information that they wanted, such as height, weight, age and does she have any medical issues."

Wyrick told the ARRL that the rescue team was able to reach Potter after a few hours, around 2 PM. They carried her to safety several miles down the mountainside, reaching the staging area set up in the parking lot at the base of the mountain approximately three hours later. Paramedics treated her on the scene, but she refused transport via ambulance and left by private vehicle with her friends who took her to the Sevier County Medical Center for additional treatment. According to WATE, she is scheduled for surgery in Atlanta to pin and plate two broken bones in her left ankle.

"It hit a point where I was just in tears," Potter told WATE. "You can say you're going to be tough and get out of this, but you just get weary. And I think having somebody come an hour or two quicker and being able to get moving helped keep my spirits going. People all over the place that I don't even know helped me. Thank you!" -- Thanks to Scott Wyrick, KD4CWB, and WATE for the information

Even though you might be an inveterate tinkerer and builder, it's occasionally a good idea to put down those hot irons, sweep off the workbench and turn off the test equipment. This quiz is for you!

1) An Arduino is a type of ________________.
a. transistor array
b. microprocessor prototyping system
c. coax connector
d. Italian vacuum tube

2) Which is most likely to have a "bat handle?"
a. soldering iron
b. rack-mount enclosure
c. toggle switch
d. torque wrench

3) Which connector family is most closely associated with parallel data interfaces?
a. DB
b. USB
c. BNC
d. Centronics

4) What type of holes does a nibbling tool cut?
a. circles
b. squares
c. rectangles
d. irregular

5) What does DIP stand for?
a. Drill In Place
b. Dual Interconnection Pins
c. Dual In Line Package
d. Delta Insertion Point

6) What is the name for the solder composition with the lowest melting point?
a. Acid core
b. Eutectic
c. RoHS
d. Silver-bearing

7) A bipolar switching transistor's fully-saturated collector-to-emitter voltage is ___________.
a. 0.3 V or less
b. 0 V
c. 0.7 V
d. 5 V, +/- 10 percent

8) An op-amp's ability to change output voltage rapidly is called _____________.
a. beta
b. CMRR
c. slew rate
d. open-loop gain

9) What component is used to keep plate voltage out of an amplifier's output matching circuit?
a. Plate Choke
b. Neutralizing Capacitor
c. Bleeder Resistor
d. Blocking Capacitor

10) Which of these is a Germanium diode?
a. 1N28
b. 1N34A
c. 1N914
d. 1N4148

11) Which type of logic element's output is false when both inputs are true or both inputs are false?
a. NAND
b. NOR
c. XOR
d. D-type Flip-Flop

12) Winding parallel wires on a ferrite core is called _____________.
a. bifilar
b. trifilar
c. twisted-pair
d. scramble-wound

Bonus: An "orange drop" would be what type of component?

Answers

1. b -- www.arduino.cc
2. c -- Miniature toggle switches frequently have handles shaped like a baseball bat.
3. d -- Now mostly known as a "parallel port" connector, it was originally developed as a high-speed data interface by Centronics for its printers.
4. d -- A nibbling tool is used to cut irregularly-shaped holes in sheet metal in a series of small, rectangular bites.
5. c -- This is the most common package for through-hole components.
6. b -- Eutectic refers to the mix of metals that melts at the lowest temperature.
7. a -- The exact voltage depends on the circuit.
8. c -- Slew rate is measured in V/µsec.
9. d -- This component passes output RF, but not dc.
10. b -- Germanium is used for its special temperature coefficient and lower forward voltage drop.
11. c -- XOR stands for Exclusive-OR.
12. a -- Bifilar windings are used to balance multiple winding's electrical characteristics.

Bonus: Sprague's "orange drop" film capacitors have been around a long time.

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