CORRECTIONS DUE. Actually, this should be filed under “Education” because this is new information that I've stumbled across that corrects my earlier statements in this blog (and elsewhere).
I've learned that the Telegraph Apparatus Company (which was associated with Ted McElroy of Mac Key fame) was NOT a company that involved Hallicrafters president Bill Halligan. I read this information elsewhere and thought it was accurate.
According to author and key collector Tom French, Telegraph Apparatus Company (TAC) was a partnership between McElroy and his friends and business associates Joe Goode and Frank Bascomb. As a partnership it was not incorportate (hence the notation “Not Inc.” on the TAC name plate).
According to French, TAC was formed in Chicago to build civilian code keys and code instruments while McElroy's Massachusett's plant was devoted to war contract production for the Signal Corps.
I have picked up a couple of additional TAC bugs worth the money (not lately). As bug goes, they're rather large, and they take up a lot of desk space. I really hadn't spent much time with the last couple of TAC bugs until this weekend. They're nice, but they seem to take a heavier hand. Right now I'm comparing all comers to my 1921 Vibroplex Lightning Bug. With my small “bug tamer” it's adjusted the way I like it.
It's a bit faster than I typically set up my bugs, which is a good thing. I'm trying to push myself out of my CW comfort zone and get accustomed to copying faster CW. In the past months I've been working more CW and I believe I've seen my copying improve. I finally listened to my elmer and stopped trying to write everything down verbatim. I'll jot notes, but I only copy everything if they're really, really slow … to keep me from losing my place while copying, hi!
CORRECTION 2. I may have mentioned this before, but for years I believed I had an A TO Z Novelty Co. “Improved Vibroplex” bug. This was an unlicensed copy of the Vibroplex Original, and one of the companies that Vibroplex forced out of the key-making business.
The key I have is similar to a 1920s Vibroplex, but it has some notable differences. BASE: The base is about the same size, but the corners are rounded. The edges are sharp and not beveled like Vibroplex bases. DAMPER: The damper is similar but the movable part has a slightly different shape. The attachment point — the hinge, if you will — is different than a Vibroplex. KEYING LEVER: The keying lever uses the pre-1923 “pinned lever” system for attaching the dash lever to the keying lever; the “box” that forms the hinge is similar but very different from the Vibroplex.
The key is NOT an A TO Z key, but a “Speedoplex” bug manufactured by the Leach Relay Co. Leach made two models, the Speedoplex No. 1 and the Speedoplex No. 2. The Leach bug in my collection is the Speedoplex No. 2. I've not been able to find a photo of a No. 1 Speedoplex key.
Leach made Speedoplex keys from about 1920-1930. My key is an earlier version. The later No. 2's had a damper arm hinge identical to the Vibroplex. The company made relays that were designed to be used with bugs — like the Speedoplex — in conjunction with high powered transmitters, including spark. Marine applications were big users of Leach equipment. A 1930 Leach brochure for its relays cross promotes the Speedoplex key in every relay description. In 1930, a Speedoplex No. 2 sold for $17.
According to Neal McEwen, K5RW, only a handful of Speedoplex keys are known to exist. Other collectors note them being variations of the Vibroplex, but no others have commented on their scarcity. I've only seen a few show up on eBay, so they aren't common at all.
Mine works well, and came in a Vibroplex carrying case. It was one of the first bugs I bought on eBay.
73 es cul … de KY4Z … dit dit …..