[TenTec] CW copy speed record holder

[ultrafixedwing at juno.com]

 On July 2, 1939, McElroy broke the world record code speed at 75.2 WPM, which remains unsurpassed today. Anyone considering the nature of the record should recognize that the 1939 contest was a PROGRESSIVE test, with around a dozen candidates, but only two surviving to the final round. Each round consisted of a 15 minute transmission of text from a newspaper. Speed calculation was about as scientific as you could get-- they cranked up the speed a couple notches, and at the end of the 15 minutes they counted how many words had been sent. The legend is that Mac astounded the audience by not doing anything when the sending started-- except to take a drink of water, and light a cigarette. He didn't start typing until a full 15 seconds of code had gone by. When the tape finished, he kept typing for that same 15 seconds. And it's no coincidence that he also won touch typing contests! Ever the showman, Ted "Mac" McElroy put his name and "World's Champion Radio Telegrapher" on his k
 eys and bugs, which are highly prized today by discriminating operators and collectors.

Above is from Marshall Emm, N1FN, (www.MorseX.com).

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