Return to KLUBNL.PL main page

rsgb_lf_group
[Top] [All Lists]

LF: Feldhell on the 136kHz band coming weekend

To: "LF-Group" <[email protected]>
Subject: LF: Feldhell on the 136kHz band coming weekend
From: "Dick Rollema" <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 19 Jun 2002 19:42:48 +0200
Cc: "Bastiaan Edelman PA3FFZ" <[email protected]>, "Cas Caspers" <[email protected]>, "Cor Moerman, PA0VYL" <[email protected]>, "Gerrit Jan Huijsman" <[email protected]>, "Helmut Liebich, DL1OY" <[email protected]>, "Jaap Kroon, PA0IF" <[email protected]>, "Jan Harte" <[email protected]>, "Koos Fockens, PA0KDF" <[email protected]>, "Arthur Bauer, PA0AOB" <[email protected]>
Reply-to: [email protected]
Sender: <[email protected]>
Dear OM,

It is my intention to make a transmission in Feldhell on Saturday 22 June at 1300 UTC and Sunday 23 June at 0900 UTC. I will be using an original German World War II Hellschreiber ("Feldfernschreiber") made in 1944.

The transmission will start with some minutes of the "pause signal" that the machine can send. It will be followed by some lines of text. After the transmission I will listen for replies in Feldhell or in CW. Reports via the Reflector are also welcome of course.

My question is what will be an appropriate frequency for the test? 137kHz?

Sending by Feldfernschreiber is not easy and requires some training. The machine dictates the transmission speed of 2.5 char/s and the operator has to achieve that by typing at a constant and precise rhythm.
When you want to send a character a finger is lightly put on the key for that character. But the key cannot be depressed because the machine prevents that. When the proper moment for sending arrives the key is released and it moves down under pressure of the finger. It is then important to immediately put a finger on the key for the next character. When you wait too long the proper moment has been lost and you have to wait for the next turn. Because the paper tape moves on continuously a space appears instead of the character you wanted.
One would think there is no need for a space key because a space is produced automatically as long as no keys are depressed. Nevertheless a space key is present on the keyboard!
I assume that is done so that the operator can type at a constant rate without any interruption. In Germany this type of typing is called Taktgeben.
Another difficulty in operating the Feldfernschreiber is that the keys for the Y and Z have changed places (QWERTZ instead of QWERTY). 
I have been using the machine in numerous Hell QSO's on 40 and 80 since 1977, but I still produce typos and unwanted spaces.
The keyboard has keys for letters A ...Z, numerals 0...9 and for /, ?, + and -. In addition keys for the pause signal and for sending morse code.

For more about the Feldfernschreiber you can visit the website of Murray Greenman, ZL1BPU: http://www.qsl.net/zl1bpu/; next select "Feldhell".
You also find software there that can convert a PC with soundcard into a Feldfernschreiber.

I now use a transmitter that was made by Harry Grimbergen, PA0LQ. Harry used the TX himself on LF until the manager of the apartment building in which Harry lives on the top (12th) floor forbade him stringing an aerial.
Harry sends greetings to all who have worked him in the past on the 136kHz band.

The transmitter is VFO controlled and has in the final amplifier four tetrodes PL519 in parallel. At a DC input of 0.95A x 520V = 494W they produce about 320W output.

I am looking forward to some Hell QSO's on LF.

73, Dick, PA0SE
JO22GD
<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>