Storia e Raccolta Informazioni Varie

Argomenti per Collezionisti

• "The Telegraph Office Monthly": current issue of a monthly column on the many facets of Telegraphy for Collectors and Historians.
• "The Telegraph Office Monthly Archive": past columns from "The Telegraph Office Monthly":
  • Vol. 1: Issue 1, Collecting Telegraph Instruments
  • Issue 2, Landline Telegraph Instruments
  • Issue 3, Wireless / Radiotelegraph Instruments
  • Issue 4, Wireless Advertising
  • Vol. 2: Issue 1, Submarine Cable Telegraphy
  • Issue 2, "SOS," "CQD" and the History of Maritime Distress Signals
• List of Semi-Automatic key (bug) manufacturers: did you know there were 60 plus makers of bugs in the U.S. alone?
• American Telegraph Instrument Makers 1837-1900: a tremendous reference by Roger Reinke.
• The N7CFO Keyletter Cumulative Index: look for a reference to your key here. Lots of research went into this.
• Where do I find old keys? tips on where to look plus a trick or two.
• Advice for Beginning Key Collectors: Lynn Burlingame, N7CFO offers sage advice.
• Where do I find parts for my old keys? missing a few parts?
• Why "Trade Only"? breaking the "trade barrier" with experienced collectors.
• Key Values: what is your old key worth?
• Adjusting a bug: Learn how to adjust a bug for perfect sending, the Army way
• Bunnell Catalog, c. 1915: advertisements of old keys, sounder, etc. courtesy of N6TT. More telegraph ads.
• Extract from Morsum Magnificat: the Eddystone bug story; only 500 made
• Navy keys: What do the numbers on your Navy key mean? Learn who made it and when.
• Telegraph Lore: lots of information for collectors about telegraphy and tales of days gone by.
• The Art of Side-Swipery: How to use a sideswiper, plus a bit of history, by Jerry L. Bartachek KDØCA
• Learn how to pack a Semi-Automatic key (bug) to survive shipping

Collezione di Tasti On-line

• The K5RW Wire and Wireless Telegraph Key Collection and Historical Library: description of a private collection and images of unusual keys. See latest additions to the collection with supporting documents and photos. Also see the Photo Gallery.
• Types of Telegraph Instruments: Greg Raven's photos and explanations of the various type of instruments.
• Vibroplex Collector's Home Page: Models, Dates, Serial Numbers, and more by Randy Cole; a must see!
• (must see!) On-Line Tour of the Antique Wireless Association's Telegraph Key displays. How many can you identify?
  • Hiram Percy Maxim's Key: ARRL founder and original holder of W1AW callsign
  • Case of Keys at entrance to museum
  • Part of the Lou Moreau Collection at the museum Annex
  • Another Part of the Lou Moreau Collection at the museum annex
• More of the Lou Moreau Collection: A visit to the AWA museum annex to see the the Moreau collection. Presented by Greg Raven.
• Derek Cohn's Key Museum: a private collection with images of keys and telegraph ephemera
• Pete Malvasi's Museum of Telegraph and Wireless Instruments: a private collection of very old wireless keys and related items
• KA2MGE's Telegraph Museum: a private collection of telegraph instruments and signs advertising telegraph companies and their services.
• The W1TP Cyber Museum: a private collection with lots and lots of images of Telegraph Keys plus other information of interest to collectors.
• "Sparks Telegraph Key Review", by Russ Kleinman: an on-line educational tour of a private collection
• Larry Monroe's Telecommunications Museum: A nice sample of old and unusual telegraph instruments and related items
• Fons Vanden Berghen's 19th Century European Telegraph Instruments: A sample of Fons' collection courtesy of Greg Raven.
• Larry Rice's museum of Australian 'jiggers' (slang for bug down under)

Argomenti per Storici

• Jame's Doty's list of Telegraph companies: a comprehensive list from the very beginning of the telegraph business
• The Era of Morse Telegraphy: An account of the glory days by one who lived it.
• Time, Standard Time and Western Union: by Ed Trump, railroader and telegrapher
• T. R. McElroy: Worlds Champion Radio Telegrapher; the man, the legend and the keys!
• End of Commercial Morse: A touching account by Dick Dillman
• The history of women in telegraph service: a well researched web page by Thomas Jepsen.
• The Aurora Borealis and the Telegraph: How did the Northern Lights effect telegraph lines?
• Australian Overland Telegraph Line: History of Telegraphy and Telegraphists from down under by Larry Rice, Australian telegraph historian
• Telegraph Patent of the Month, by Greg Raven: See patents of historical significance.
• Story of the Telegraph: an entire chapter from "The Story of Electricity," by Martin and Coles. Very Good!
• A concise history of Telegraphy up to 1895: with engravings of the first Morse register.
• Was the Cumming Key ever made?
• The Wizard Key and Dinger Bug: two very unusual keys !!!
• Morse Register image: predecessor of the telegraph sounder, circa 1844 
• Morse / Vail key used in 1844
• The Harmonic Telegraph, 1881
• An unusual artifact from the Tidewater Wireless Telegraph Co.
• The Yetman Transmitter: telegraph or typewriter?
• Short History of Early Telegraph
• The Railroads and The Telegraph: an historical account of their maturation together
• Telegraph Systems from A-to-Z
• Telegraphy patent numbers
• A Library near you with patent records
• Early Telegraph photos from the Smithsonian
• Western Union Tel. Co. Collection : history and bibliography housed at the Smithsonian
• Restoring Telegraph Service after the great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
• Image of Morse / Vail Key, 1844: used on Washington to Baltimore line
• Image of register tape "What hath God wrought?":  Library of Congress has this artifact on-line

Storia dei Codici

• Morse Code or Vail Code? Did Samuel F. B. Morse invent the code as we know it today? What Franklin Pope knew.
• Morse Code or Vail Code? What the record bears, by William Pierpont; see chapter 19
• Origin of the term '73': by Louise Moreau, W3WRE (deceased)
• Numerical wire signals and their meaning: 73, 88 and lots more by Ken Miller
• The Phillips Code: shorthand for newspaper telegraphers
• The Origin of Q and Z codes 

Vecchie foto di Uffici dei Telegrafi e Operatori Telegrafisti

• Very Early photo of telegraph operator and his equipment: c. 1860s
• Daguerreotype photos of early telegraph operators and equipment: courtesy of Mark Koenigsberg and W1TP
• ORT Headquarters: photo of the Organization of Railroad Telegraphers building, c. 1880s in St. Louis.  Originally the Cupples mansion.  Became ORT building sometime after 1908.
• Telegraph Relay Office, Pocatello, Idaho, 1908: nice photo
• Western Union Telegraph office, San Francisco, 1906: note the uniformed messengers!
• Photo of T. R. McElroy and staff of WSO / WCC c. 1920
• Cable office at Canso, Nova Scotia: a priceless photo of the inside of the office c. 1910?

Storia dei Costruttori di Telegrafi

• The J. H. Bunnell Company : 100+ Years of making Telegraph Instruments. Maker of the sideswiper, Gold Bug, steel lever key and many others.
• Charles Williams, Jr.: The most prolific and influential key maker of the mid 19th century
• T. R. McElroy: maker of the "MAC-KEY" and famous '"teardrop" keys and bugs and World's Champion Radio Telegrapher; the man, the legend and the keys! Photo of McElroy and staff of WSO / WCC c. 1920
• George M. Phelps: Besides making beautiful keys, Phelps was a developer of printing telegraphs and technical director of Western Union in the mid 19th century.
• Thomas Edison: The teenage telegrapher became a telegraph engineer an telegraph instrument maker before becoming the premier inventor of the 19th century.

Argomenti per Collezionisti Professionisti

• "Big Deals" and "Little Deals": A look at the factors influencing key prices; how to find a key for a reasonable price.
• Disposing of your key collection: Do you and your heirs know what to do when you pass on?
• Being a good caretaker of your keys: Are you documenting the history and stories of your keys?

Il Telegrafo Magnetico di Samuel Morse

"The perfect success of professor Morse's Electro Magnetic Telegraph has excited the astonishment and admiration of the community. The most incredulous have been convinced, and occurring at the time they have done, the experiments have satisfied the public that the Magnetic Telegraph is not merely a beautiful illustration of a philosophical principle, but an agent that may be made of practical and every day utility in the business transaction of the country."

A commentary on Samuel F. B. Morse's Washington to Baltimore telegraph line and its ability to report news instantaneously. from Exeter New Hampshire News Letter, July 1, 1844. The photos, copyright Smithsonian Institution, are of the key and register used on the line.

Telegrammi

• "How to Write Telegrams Properly": A 1928 booklet on the effective use of telegrams. Many gems on how telegrams were authored, sent and delivered.
• Western Union credit card: see John Bell's card
• Western Union frank, 1879: Notice the colors and penmanship!
• James Doty's sampling of telegrams: some old and beautiful examples
• A Civil War telegram
• Gov. Oliver P. Morton Telegraph Books : an archive of Civil War Telegrams.
• Telegram Collecting : a nice history of the telegram from an Australian perspective.
• Dollygram: Doll delivered with a Western Union telegram, c. 1960. Detail of W.U.Tel.Co line on doll.

Il Telegrafo Americano (American Morse)

• The Phillips Code: shorthand for newspaper telegraphers
• Dial Up Morse Telegraphy: how to use a modem to connect your key with others using American Morse.
• Procedure for sending and receiving telegrams: Ken Miller shows us how to do it.
• Morse Dial-Up Hub: one of two dial-up hubs in North American. See Ed Trump passing traffic with a 'mill.'
• Morse Telegraph Club: Organization of former Landline Telegraphers
• Morse Telegraph Club, Spokane Chapter: Web Page
• Numerical wire signals and their meaning: 73, 88 and lots more by Ken Miller

Inventori del Telegrafo e della Radio

• Marconi Wireless Centennial 1896-1996 by the BBC; don't miss this one !!!!
• Marconi: father of Wireless / Radiotelegraphy
• Samuel F. B. Morse: image of the decorated father of the telegraph.
• Morse biography
• Morse's Telegraph Register Patent Model , patented May 1, 1849, patent number 6,420
• Morse's obituaries: New York Times and Washington Evening Star, April 1872
• Joseph Henry: the real father of the Telegraph ?
• Needles and Wires: the early telegraph systems before the Morse system
• Lee DeForest : wireless pioneer and Inventor of the triode tube
• Alexander Graham Bell: telegraph patent 174,465
• Thomas Edison: boy telegrapher and telegraph Inventor, a short biography
• Alexanderson: he made very high power transmitters with AC machinery
• Branly : inventor of the Coherer, an electromechanical detector for wireless receivers
• Edwin H. Armstrong: Armstrong (father of regenerative receivers) home page; many fine photos of early gear and documents from the Harry Houck collection.

Radiotelegrafia

Generale:

• Wireless room of the HMS Collingwood : circa 1930, beautiful photos and links to wireless gear
• Early U.S.Navy Communications photo: circa 1918, notice DeForest detector and Western Electric amplifier
• Telefunken / Saville Wireless site on Long Island: rich spark, arc and alternator history!!!
• Marconi's break through
• Marconi Stations at Cape Breton: a short history
• End of Commercial Morse: A touching account by Dick Dillman
• "The Outline of Radio" by John Hogan, 1923: very early wireless history with photos of Fessenden's apparatus
• Sparks of Genius: dozens of images and sounds of early wireless and radio inventions / inventors
• The Bliley Crystal Story:
• Surfing the Ether: wireless timelines with photos; excellent -- pre-1900 -- 1900 to 1910 -- 1910 to 1920
• Early Radio Inventors
• First Use of Wireless in War
• Wireless/Radio Broadcasting Chronology: who did what, when 
• History of early radio technology
• Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company stock certificate : W.W.I vintage, notice transmitting towers
• The History of KFS: a long time maritime wireless station on the West Coast

Onda Umida (Scintilla)

• Spark Transmitter Technology and Sounds : a modern day engineer investigates old technology; smell the ozone!
• Concise History of Spark Gap Transmitters: superb diagrams and early photos 

Onda Asciutta (CW Continuos Wave)

• Grimeton Alexanderson Alternator : in service through the 80s and still intact!
• Photo of Ted McElroy and staff of WSO / WCC: c. 1920, Alexanderson site
• History of the Poulsen Arc wireless transmitter : RF from an arc of electricity?
• The Arc Transmitter - a Comparative Study of the Invention, Development and Innovation of the Poulsen System in Denmark, England and the United States. Comprehensive work by Hans Buhl
• Federal Telegraph engineering staff: c. 1917, shown with large and small arc transmitters
• First complete arc transmitting and receiving station: c. 1910.
• Interview with Dr. Leonard Fuller: Federal Telegraph chief engineer c. 1913 and developer of high powered arcs. IEEE document.

Radio sul RMS Titanic

• "Wireless and the Titanic" by Allan Brett ,VK2EBA: An historical look from a wireless perspective.
• RMS Titanic Radio Page: A study of the wireless equipment, plus transcriptions of the wireless log books from the Titanic, Carpathea and other ships in the area.
• Listen to the spark signals from RMS Titanic: A recreation by John Belrose.
• A Key like used on the Titanic: A reproduction of the Marconi key made from photos and measurements of the key from the Titanic's sister ship Olympic.
• Schematic Diagram of Titanic Wireless Room:  Details of the 5 KW rotary spark transmitter, Marconi triple tuner, magnetic detector, keys and battery back up rig with ten inch spark coil.  Thanks to Francisco Jose Dávila Dorta, EA8EX, wireless historian.
• "SOS," "CQD" and the History of Maritime Distress Calls: With a glimpse of how they were used on the Titanic.
• A look at the Titanic disaster and how it shaped radio legislation:  by Bill Continelli, W2XOY
• Anecdote about Harold Bride, surviving Marconi wireless operator: Plus more of the disaster story.

Cavi Telegrafici Sottomarini

• Story of the Atlantic cable: superb history with images of period engravings
• Porthcurno Telegraph Museum: the largest submarine cable facility in the world preserved for posterity
• Life as a cable operator in the 1870: wonderful account of the men who operated the western end of the Atlantic cable
• Heart'sContent Cable Station Museum: take an on-line tour of the 130 year old cable station!
• Atlantic Cable piece: c. 1879, given as a commemorative gift to cable company dignitary
• Sampling of Submarine Cable Telegraphy instruments: from the cable station at Newfoundland
• Submarine Cable History: from Telecom Digest
• History of the Cable station at Canso: an early cable station documented by a extremely well done Canadian effort
• Cable office at Canso, Nova Scotia: a priceless photo of the inside of the office c. 1910?
• Cable & Wireless site: still operating cables
• Submarine Cable Timeline: from Telecom Digest
• The Bottom of the Ocean Is "Main Street" to Him: a cable ship captain recalls thirty years of repairing cables in the North Atlantic -- a fascinating story, c. 1925!
• Laying of the Atlantic Cable: a detailed account
• "Ocean Telegraph March" - 1858 Instrumental by Francis H Brown: take a look at this very ornate sheet music cover honoring the laying of the first trans-Atlantic cable.
• Memorabilia inherited from a sailor on the Great Eastern:  the ship that laid the Atlantic Cable.
• Advertisements by Cable Companies: from 1921 issue of Telegraph and Telephone Age
  • All American Cables: connecting the Americas
  • Postal Telegraph-Cable Co.: "The Pulse of the World"
  • Western Union: telegrams and cablegrams
  • Commercial Cable Co: with map of cable routes

Nostalgia e Arte Poetica della Telegrafia

• The Banana Boat Swing and other Distinctive Fists
• Old Times Tales of Telegraphy: Folksy and Humorous stories of men who manned the wire.
• Three Telegraphic Poems of the 19th century: besides being a great electro-physicist, James C. Maxwell was quite a poet.
• Two Wireless Poems of the early 20th century: Are all wireless operators romantics?
• Two Telegraphic Poems: by telegrapher Jerry Newton (1846-1917)
• "Reminiscing": An old time shipboard radio operator looks back to the early days or wireless.
• Reflections of a RailRoad Telegrapher: memories of learning the code and telegraphing for the railroad
• Walter Phillips - Plowboy made famous telegrapher: plus the story of "Old Bogy" and others.
• Code Ode: a beautiful poem about Morse code and those who love it.
• Oldest Surviving Associated Press Telegrapher: Aubrey Keel, W0AKL, a walking encyclopedia of Telegraph history
• Worlds Fastest Telegrapher on a straight key: the story of Harry Turner, an extract from Morsum Magnificat
• SOS Wheel form "Gibson Girl": taken from life raft of downed B-17.

Interessi Generali

• Code Practice Oscillator and Homemade Key from Arthur Nilson's 1942 book on code.
• Build a simple telegraph set: a science fair or school science project; thanks to W1TP
• Globe Wireless' CW Super Station: Code is alive and well on the Maritime bands.
• Swedish PTT Instrument Collection:: Includes early Morse register, Hughes printing telegraph, Marconi transmitter, telephones and more
• Vibroplex Co.'s Home Page : Still in business!!! 100 years and still going strong.
• Postage Stamp: Celebrating the Telegraph Centennial
• Online Morsum Magnificat: a journal devoted to Morse Code, old and new; a great work by Tony Smith.
• Morse in the Movies: plus an on-line animated key sending code!
• Sparks' Page: radiotelegraph on board ship, plus code sample from coastal station WNU.
• SOWP home page: Society of Wireless Pioneers
• Telegraph Projects for Students

La Collezione Storica delle Radio e dei Tasti Telegrafici di K5RW

• Read about the K5RW Collection: a private collection of telegraph keys and reference material with photos of unusual keys
• Visit the K5RW Home Page: Who is K5RW?
• Keys Wanted: trying to fill some holes in the collection! Can you help? Got anything for sale?
• Duplicate List: a few duplicates for trade. Would you like to swap keys? Here are some good ones!
• Books Wanted: trying to find new research material
• Help me ID this Galvanometer: A very attractive and unique British instrument
• Recenti acquisizioni di foto e documentazioni dettagliate:
  • Ducretet & Roger spark key: c. 1914-1919, unusual French "oil break" design
  • Atlantic Cable piece: c. 1879
  • Wilson Royal Canadian Air Force Right Hand / Left Hand bug, c. W.W.II.
  • Charles Williams camelback key, c. 1860s
  • T. A. Edison key, c. 1870
  • Vibroplex Junior, c. 1921
  • Electrical Construction Co. S.F. key, c. 1870s
  • An unusual spark key by General Radio, c. 1918
  • A quenched spark gap, c. 1920
  • Relay Key from a U.S. Navy Federal Telegraph arc transmitter, c. 1919

Libri e Riviste On-Line

• Book Reviews, by Jim Haynes: reviews of currently available books about Telegraph History. "The American Telegrapher: a social history 1860-1900", "The Brasspounder", "Collectors' Reprint of Bunnell Student's Manual of 1884" and "Railroad Telegrapher's Handbook"
• "Modern Practice of the Electric Telegraph": The complete landmark 1870s book by Franklin Pope on-line. Many beautiful engravings of telegraph instruments of the period.
• Book Reviews, by Greg Raven: reviews of currently available books about Telegraph History. "The Telegraph: A History", "Wiring a Continent" and more
• Book Reviews by Bob Voss
  • Old Wires and New Waves by Harlow
  • Brass-Pounders: Young Telegraphers of the Civil War: by Harlow TBD
• On-Line Book Review, "Canadian Railway Telegraph History"

Racconti a soggetto sul mondo della telegrafia

• Teletypewriter History: a detailed account.
• Printing Telegraph Home Page: by John White, G4BCY
• Teletype Collectors and Historians Web Page
• Insulator Collecting: glass survivors of the Telegraph and Telephone Age.
• Early and Unusual Telegraph Insulators: Extremely well researched with Excellent Photos
• Telephone Collectors Home Page : about the Old Phones and Collectors Activities.

 

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