Is the Greenkeys RTTY reflector dead?

[KB0TXC]

Hi All,

I was wondering if the Greenkeys mail reflector is dead. I have not received anything since 01-04-09. I usually get twenty to thirty posts in a 24 hour period.

I do not think that I got bounced.

Just wondering if anyone else who might be subscribed to greenkeys has noticed the same.

Best and 73

Joe KB0TXC

[TANAKASAN]

I'm not sure, but there may be something that you can help me with as you're a RTTY operator. About thirty years ago I picked up a teleprinter printout that had a song on it sung to the tune of 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' and it went something like this:

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the teletype machine
It is printing out the message typed upon the keys of green
In a far and distant hamshack where I have never been
The go marching on

The chorus was a repeated RY RY Hallelujah and it went on for three or four verses. Have you ever seen this piece?

Tanakasan

[KB0TXC]

Here are the words to the RY song. It is set to the Battle hymn of the Republic. There were lots of bell ringing as the thing typed.

THE RY SONG



OH, MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE TELETYPE MACHINE,
IT IS PRINTING OUT THE MESSAGE TYPED UPON THE KEYS OF GREEN
IN A FAR DISTANT HAM SHACK WHERE I HAVE NEVER BEEN.
THE TONES ARE WARBLING ON.
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  THE TONES ARE WARBLING ON
I HAVE PRINTED ON THE LOW BANDS WHERE THE QRM ENCAMPS
AND THE CROWDING OF THE SPECTRUM MY RECEPTION SORELY CRAMPS
WHERE I HAVE PRINTED SOLID COPY BY THE FLICKERING NEON LAMPS.
THE TONES ARE MARCHING ON.
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  THE TONES ARE WARBLING ON
ON MY WALL IS PASTED COPY FROM SEATTLE TO NEW YORK
AND MY FRIENDS THEY GATHER ROUND ME AND THEY THINK I'V POPPED MY CORK
WHEN I'M GAZING THRU THE SHUTTERS OF THE SPEED ADJUSTING FORK,
WHILE THE TONES ARE WARBLING ON..
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  THE TONES ARE WARBLING ON
ALL HAIL THEE OH  PRINTER, PAINTED GREEN, BLACK OR GRAY
WITH THY BLACK SHELLED PLUG INSERTED IN A JACK MARKED "FSK"
LET US SIT BEFORE THE GREEN KEYS AND WE'LL THROW OUR MIKES AWAY.
WHILE THE TONES ARE MARCHING ON

  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  RY RY HALLELUJAH
  THE TONES ARE WARBLING ON
 TONES ARE MARCHING ON

Several people at Greenkeys responded and had the words on old printouts, but only one thinks that they have the tape. They said if they find it they will e-mail it to me, I will punch it and post it...

Best,

Joe KB0TXC

[TANAKASAN]

Joe, if we ever meet I owe you a beer!! I last saw this thirty two years ago at my first hamfest when it was being printed out on the BARTG stand at Alexandra Palace. I took a copy but six months later we had a house fire and my shack was reduced to ashes.

Lacking a roll of Telex paper I have printed this out on A4. Thanks for reviving some happy memories.

Tanakasan

[KB0TXC]

My pleasure!

I have found that though the internet is a wonderful place to find many things (via google), to find really specialized information one needs to seek out groups and mail reflectors (such as Greenkeys for TTY issues). I have found that people act for the most part completely different on mail lists and reflectors (unfortunately, this does not apply to news groups), and that most people are polite and very helpful. I had at least eleven folks e-mail me privately this particular brag tape.

I am still in the process of setting up my QTH after remodeling the nest, and with the help of several wonderful old school TTY techs, I am getting back into "real RTTY", with those wonderful old oily, noisey, smelly teleprinters. I will use a HAL unit to get back on the air, but I am also working on revitalizing an old completely tube TT/L-2 "converter" (now called demodulator). I will set up a special loop for punching tape off line, and then run it through a reader for other RTTY ops to copy, complete with the CR and the LS commands that are sorely lacking in "computer RTTY". This will allow those of us with the teleprinters to copy as well as those with computers.

I am glad that I was able to help you with your quest!

Best, and 73,

Joe KB0TXC