The engineers must have spent many sleepless nights trying to figure how to make all the parts and then getting them to work together. In 1969 I went to school for 9 months at Shepard AFB Texas for the M28, Klienschmidt TTYs, and KL7 crypto. For the next 3 years and 11 months of active duty, I worked on just ONE M28, and just ONE KL7 crypto, and ZERO Klienschmidt teletype. What a waste of time (for me) and money (for the Air Force). Sill, however, the M28 and the KL7 were fantastic feats of engineering.
I had the pleasure of working on these old teletype machine when I was teletype repairman in the Air Force from 1968 to 1972. When I first looked at one running in class, I thought I'd never be able to fix one. It seemed like the parts were trying their best to detach from one another. The model 28's were easy to PMS and repair. The Kleinschmidts were tough for me to keep running. I'll never forget the sounds they made.
I worked in TTY maintenance in the USAF '75-'79. 1989th Comm, Torrejon, Spain and the 3rd Herd. I love that sound! I'd like to get an old printer just to hear it run!
I remember when they converted from 60WPM to 100WPM sometime in the early 60's, they didn't last very long !! We had more machines that were flying apart. Good thing we had a TTY repairman on board our ship at the time.... Kept him very busy rebuilding and adjusting them.
MSTLOM - The head of the TTY school at Sheppard while you were there was probably MSgt Hill. I served under him at Hahn AB. I originally trained on DSTE, but helped replace it with SRT after I arrived at Hahn. I then cross-trained into Teletype, working on M-28s and Teleautowriters. The story I heard several times was that the M-28 had more moving parts than an F-4 Phantom II.
I use to install and work on these things back in the late 70's early 80's along with the Model 33, 35 and 40, I can still take one of these things apart right from the face plate down to the main shaft and all of the cluthes and lets not forget the stunt box where all of the function bars resided,
Toured the USS Turner Joy in Bremerton, WA. The radio room is normally locked off, but they let me in. The TTY's are all still there, along with the rest of the radio gear. Go take the tour if you ever get the chance!
When I retired from my last radio shack on an LSD in 1995. Part of my shadowbox, and memories was the Main shaft, with all of the clutches from a UGC-6. I learned to love repairing printers after TTY school in 1981, and to this day. I feel I could still make them hum to copy the Broadcast, or TERM...let's see who remembers those things now? Before Floppy discs, and satty downlinks?
Ten years of repairing TTY's as a repairman before the navy got rid of them, and the NEC. Even after almost 20 years. I feel I could still repair what you are seeing in the video. I still have a Mainshaft, with all of the clutches. It was a present before I retired. In case anyone wonders. All of those moving parts..are not Impossible to fix.
Brings back memories of my old model 19 and my model 28 ksr with Hal ST-5 interfaced to my Central Electronics 100V transmitter and my old R-390 receiver. my first machine was an old 1B that was a tape reader and I had to remove the tape from the machine, then stick it to a piece of paper if I wanted to keep a copy. Funny now but at the time I wanted a Drake "C line". but now I'd trade my "C line" for that old 100v and R-390. LOL
I was a 291 in the USAF assigned to Security Service Comm Centers from 1964 until I retired in 1987. From M-19 TTY units to Model 28's and other equpment along the way. I can still read the old paper tape and for those in the know even have a Chicken Plucker to modify tapes if I needed to. In Viet Nam (66 -68) we worked out of Vans that were self contained with three M-28's, our CRYPTO gear and an Off Line encryption unit also. Cramped quarters and lots of traffic passed thru three shifts running 24/7/365. I even worked as a Tech Control for my sqdn during that time to insure our circuits were never down more than a few minutes. I was able to maintain 98% rating during my time as Tech Control. I must admit it was extremely fun to work in the Comms as we got to read all the mail and intelligence reports that came thru out system including intelligence reports from various intelligence units both in and out of country. Gave us a better than average picture of what was happening. (6924th USAFSS Danang RVN)
I worked at The Chicago Daily News, now defunct. I worked as a copyboy and had to empty the printed matter from some machines. Now, when there is a very important bulletin, the machine has a bell. When the important messges comes thru, the bell rings at every keystroke. I was there when Alan Sheperd went up, all the machines started ringing.
There was a ST-5 converter that was featured in "Ham Radio" magazine, I believe. It used CMOS Op Amps and could be built on a small (4" x 5") circuit board. I built and used some of these and have a couple PC boards in the junk box. They worked fine (for that vintage and simplicity).
When a teletype was sent overhauled/repaired it had to have a minimum of 72 points of range at 35 percent distortion. Those parameters also had to be met at an insurv inspection. I repaired them for 15 years in the USN and one year at a shipyard that overhauled them.. To learn how to fix them is easier then you would think. You learn all the sub assemblys's Then how they all work together. Trivia the clutch's on the tty are exactly the same as drum brakes on a car
Funny memory about that Keyboard, and the green keys. Shortly after I finished TTY repair school in Norfolk. I disassembled a UGC-6 keyboard. Put all of the keys in Cleaning fluid, and forgot them overnight. Next day. I had A SET OF PREGNANT keys...unusable. But funny looking.
In the 60s I was running the ground station for Tacamo flights. The Tacamo Planes (Hercules) would fly out over the Gulf and deploy a 7 mile long trailing antenna (Honest) They had a very powerful VLF transmitter. I had a Model 28ASR and I sent Quick Brown Fox to them on HF. they relayed it back to me via VLF and we counted the errors. Old Man Mose
I do have the military version of the 28ASR with two tape perforators and a tape reader. Once I have it cleaned up I'll make some videos of it. I have a 35ASR running right now that I'll probably make some videos of. I also want to create another one of this teletype running at a slower speed -- I think that will make it easier to see the incredible mechanics involved.
I had an 28ASR, but after rebuilding it back in the early 80's I donated it to a firehouse in NW Oklahoma for tornado warning system at that time... wish I'd kept one...
I'm running a program called Heavy Metal on the PC that this teletype is connected to. Heavy Metal lets you print news reports, TTY art and even read and send e-mail from the teletype.
I'm not familiar with this technology. But, I can sure appreciate the sound of it like others do. Sounds like something really important's happening even if isn't an important transmission. Amazing piece of machinery = a [million parts] it looks to have.
I know this is a very old machine, I can see that it is mechanically sound. I am curious is their a reason that the characters are not printing squarely on the paper/platen? It appears the bottoms of the characters are light. Is this an adjustment?
@CrystalHunter1989 A Teletype Corporation Model 15 is now on e-bay under the title: "Vintage Bell System Teletype for ham radio / telephone" It is at a current bid of $202.50. Looks very nice. (2:53 GMT Dec 5, 2010)
This is a 28KSR that doesn't have the tape perf. or reader. I have a model 28ASR that needs some work that has two tape perfs and a reader. I'll post a video as soon as I have it running. I also have another video of a 35ASR that shows it cutting a tape and reading it back in.
For all former RM's out there. Remember the TWO LETTERS, ONE LINE FEED, AND A CARRIAGE RETURN??? Just imagine...somebody takes out all the Satty links, and the PC's with their printers become useless. Anyone hiring TTY repairmen anymore? Just a thought. HIGH FREQ still beats Up, and Downlinks.
Attempts were made with the models 32 and 33 to produce a reasonably reliable but simpler mechanism which could operate at the same speed- this uses a type cylinder rather than a type bar. However, this proved not to be as reliable, and the Model 35 was made using similar mechanics to the Model 28.
I have an old AN/UGC-129(V)1, the one with the green LED screen across the front, and I am trying to get it to start running the news feed. Right now I just get garbage. You can see the videos of it on my channel.
Every time I hear one of those I go back to my Navy days in DC. Had a Collins receiver and that old Kleinschmidt took off and I said Man there is some sh??? goin down. Fall of Saigon
I bought it on the e-place for $50 plus a 200+ mile drive. The guy was about to throw it in a dumpster because he had it posted locally for a year with no takers. I hate to see such an incredible piece of engineering go to the dump.
The Model 28, along with the 32, 33 and 35 are the fastest machines Teletype made. The Model 28 (shown here) and the Model 35 use a type box which is carried on a shuttle moved around by levers and cables. Special care was given to the shuttle which carries the type box to ensure that it was as light as possible without sacrificing rigidity.
I worked on these during my stint in the Navy. Brings back memories. I still marvel at the engineering it took to create the device.
The engineers must have spent many sleepless nights trying to figure how to make all the parts and then getting them to work together.
In 1969 I went to school for 9 months at Shepard AFB Texas for the M28, Klienschmidt TTYs, and KL7 crypto.
For the next 3 years and 11 months of active duty, I worked on just ONE M28, and just ONE KL7 crypto, and ZERO Klienschmidt teletype. What a waste of time (for me) and money (for the Air Force).
Sill, however, the M28 and the KL7 were fantastic feats of engineering.
I had the pleasure of working on these old teletype machine when I was teletype repairman in the Air Force from 1968 to 1972. When I first looked at one running in class, I thought I'd never be able to fix one. It seemed like the parts were trying their best to detach from one another. The model 28's were easy to PMS and repair. The Kleinschmidts were tough for me to keep running. I'll never forget the sounds they made.
Beautiful! I was a teletype technician in the Air Force - brought back great memories - thanks
Truly amazing. People in the past were so much more advanced than we often give them credit for being.
I worked in TTY maintenance in the USAF '75-'79. 1989th Comm, Torrejon, Spain and the 3rd Herd. I love that sound! I'd like to get an old printer just to hear it run!
I remember when they converted from 60WPM to 100WPM sometime in the early 60's, they didn't last very long !! We had more machines that were flying apart. Good thing we had a TTY repairman on board our ship at the time.... Kept him very busy rebuilding and adjusting them.
MSTLOM - The head of the TTY school at Sheppard while you were there was probably MSgt Hill. I served under him at Hahn AB.
I originally trained on DSTE, but helped replace it with SRT after I arrived at Hahn. I then cross-trained into Teletype, working on M-28s and Teleautowriters.
The story I heard several times was that the M-28 had more moving parts than an F-4 Phantom II.
I use to install and work on these things back in the late 70's early 80's along with the Model 33, 35 and 40, I can still take one of these things apart right from the face plate down to the main shaft and all of the cluthes and lets not forget the stunt box where all of the function bars resided,
Toured the USS Turner Joy in Bremerton, WA. The radio room is normally locked off, but they let me in. The TTY's are all still there, along with the rest of the radio gear. Go take the tour if you ever get the chance!
When I retired from my last radio shack on an LSD in 1995. Part of my shadowbox, and memories was the Main shaft, with all of the clutches from a UGC-6. I learned to love repairing printers after TTY school in 1981, and to this day. I feel I could still make them hum to copy the Broadcast, or TERM...let's see who remembers those things now? Before Floppy discs, and satty downlinks?
Ten years of repairing TTY's as a repairman before the navy got rid of them, and the NEC. Even after almost 20 years. I feel I could still repair what you are seeing in the video. I still have a Mainshaft, with all of the clutches. It was a present before I retired. In case anyone wonders. All of those moving parts..are not Impossible to fix.
I just acquired a Bell Systems model 28 that runs at 60wpm. I could stare at it going all day long. Something mesmerizing about it.
Brings back memories of my old model 19 and my model 28 ksr with Hal ST-5 interfaced to my Central Electronics 100V transmitter and my old R-390 receiver. my first machine was an old 1B that was a tape reader and I had to remove the tape from the machine, then stick it to a piece of paper if I wanted to keep a copy. Funny now but at the time I wanted a Drake "C line". but now I'd trade my "C line" for that old 100v and R-390. LOL
I was a 291 in the USAF assigned to Security Service Comm Centers from 1964
until I retired in 1987. From M-19 TTY units to Model 28's and other equpment
along the way. I can still read the old paper tape and for those in the know even
have a Chicken Plucker to modify tapes if I needed to. In Viet Nam (66 -68) we
worked out of Vans that were self contained with three M-28's, our CRYPTO gear
and an Off Line encryption unit also. Cramped quarters and lots of traffic
passed thru three shifts running 24/7/365. I even worked as a Tech Control for my
sqdn during that time to insure our circuits were never down more than a few
minutes. I was able to maintain 98% rating during my time as Tech Control.
I must admit it was extremely fun to work in the Comms as we got to read all
the mail and intelligence reports that came thru out system including intelligence
reports from various intelligence units both in and out of country. Gave us a
better than average picture of what was happening. (6924th USAFSS Danang RVN)
That sound is unforgettable and brings back many memories also, I have one sitting out in my shead and turn it on for fun ever now and again.
Excellent James.
I worked at The Chicago Daily News, now defunct. I worked as a copyboy and had to empty the printed matter from some machines. Now, when there is a very important bulletin, the machine has a bell. When the important messges comes thru, the bell rings at every keystroke. I was there when Alan Sheperd went up, all the machines started ringing.
There was a ST-5 converter that was featured in "Ham Radio" magazine, I believe. It used CMOS Op Amps and could be built on a small (4" x 5") circuit board. I built and used some of these and have a couple PC boards in the junk box. They worked fine (for that vintage and simplicity).
Can I help you do the next PMI? :-) TTY Maint was my 1st career field in the USAF. Love those M-28s! Great video!!!!
When a teletype was sent overhauled/repaired it had to have a minimum of 72 points of range at 35 percent distortion. Those parameters also had to be met at an insurv inspection. I repaired them for 15 years in the USN and one year at a shipyard that overhauled them..
To learn how to fix them is easier then you would think. You learn all the sub assemblys's Then how they all work together. Trivia the clutch's on the tty are exactly the same as drum brakes on a car
Marvels of mechanical engineering. I miss being able to see how things work.
Now the working innards of things are sealed up in IC chips.
WKRP in Cincinnati!!!! Loved that show!! :-)
Funny memory about that Keyboard, and the green keys. Shortly after I finished TTY repair school in Norfolk. I disassembled a UGC-6 keyboard. Put all of the keys in Cleaning fluid, and forgot them overnight.
Next day. I had A SET OF PREGNANT keys...unusable. But funny looking.
I WORKED FOR THEM IN ESCHBORN GERMANY FROM 1973-1980
In the 60s I was running the ground station for Tacamo flights. The Tacamo Planes (Hercules) would fly out over the Gulf and deploy a 7 mile long trailing
antenna (Honest) They had a very powerful VLF transmitter. I had a Model
28ASR and I sent Quick Brown Fox to them on HF. they relayed it back to me
via VLF and we counted the errors. Old Man Mose
I do have the military version of the 28ASR with two tape perforators and a tape reader. Once I have it cleaned up I'll make some videos of it. I have a 35ASR running right now that I'll probably make some videos of. I also want to create another one of this teletype running at a slower speed -- I think that will make it easier to see the incredible mechanics involved.
I had an 28ASR, but after rebuilding it back in the early 80's I donated it to a firehouse in NW Oklahoma for tornado warning system at that time... wish I'd kept one...
Great reference from one of my favorite TV shows!
I'm running a program called Heavy Metal on the PC that this teletype is connected to. Heavy Metal lets you print news reports, TTY art and even read and send e-mail from the teletype.
I'm not familiar with this technology. But, I can sure appreciate the sound of it like others do. Sounds like something really important's happening even if isn't an important transmission. Amazing piece of machinery = a [million parts] it looks to have.
This is the sound that opened CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite.
It's using a software program called Heavy Metal to print from the Associated Press.
I miss my old 28 :(
Thats amazing. What do you have it listening to? Is that some sort of Newswire service?
I know this is a very old machine, I can see that it is mechanically sound. I am curious is their a reason that the characters are not printing squarely on the paper/platen? It appears the bottoms of the characters are light. Is this an adjustment?
some alignment possibly... my experience it was usually the worn ink ribbon...
The noise, the NOISE!!!! (substitute: " THE BELLS! The BELLS!")
I wonder if anyone made a teleprinter which used a pin matrix typebox like the old IBM punches used.
@CrystalHunter1989 A Teletype Corporation Model 15 is now on e-bay under the title:
"Vintage Bell System Teletype for ham radio / telephone"
It is at a current bid of $202.50. Looks very nice. (2:53 GMT Dec 5, 2010)
This is a 28KSR that doesn't have the tape perf. or reader. I have a model 28ASR that needs some work that has two tape perfs and a reader. I'll post a video as soon as I have it running. I also have another video of a 35ASR that shows it cutting a tape and reading it back in.
75 thou clutch release gap
The 35ASR video is now online.
For all former RM's out there. Remember the TWO LETTERS, ONE LINE FEED, AND A CARRIAGE RETURN??? Just imagine...somebody takes out all the Satty links, and the PC's with their printers become useless. Anyone hiring TTY repairmen anymore? Just a thought. HIGH FREQ still beats Up, and Downlinks.
HA HA "Carrier Return". Kids in my classes don't know what to do when I say it when they are keyboarding.
Attempts were made with the models 32 and 33 to produce a reasonably reliable but simpler mechanism which could operate at the same speed- this uses a type cylinder rather than a type bar. However, this proved not to be as reliable, and the Model 35 was made using similar mechanics to the Model 28.
I have an old AN/UGC-129(V)1, the one with the green LED screen across the front, and I am trying to get it to start running the news feed. Right now I just get garbage. You can see the videos of it on my channel.
These "hunt and peck" machines were most complicated of all teletypes.
Every time I hear one of those I go back to my Navy days in DC. Had a Collins receiver and that old Kleinschmidt took off and I said Man there is some sh??? goin down. Fall of Saigon
I can almost smell that machine from here :)
Suddenly, those PC game messages that materialize word by word makes sense.
I bought it on the e-place for $50 plus a 200+ mile drive. The guy was about to throw it in a dumpster because he had it posted locally for a year with no takers. I hate to see such an incredible piece of engineering go to the dump.
Anyone still remember RM-A School, and FRED. 950 functions before you passed???
Only tty qualified operators know what FRED was.
The Model 28, along with the 32, 33 and 35 are the fastest machines Teletype made. The Model 28 (shown here) and the Model 35 use a type box which is carried on a shuttle moved around by levers and cables. Special care was given to the shuttle which carries the type box to ensure that it was as light as possible without sacrificing rigidity.
@westernelectric Very cool. I wish i had one of these :-/
I can smell the oil. Randy
Vintage CBS NEWS!!!