# Chinese Telegraphic Code Lookup



## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

Chinese stations used to take telegrams in Chinese - which was sent by a lookup book. Here's an automated lookup book.






Chinese Commercial/Telegraphic Code Lookup | NJStar Software


Chinese Commercial Code, also called Chinese Telegraphic Code was used in the old days for transmitting Chinese text over Electronic Telegraph/Cable. With the advance in computer communications, there is little need to use CCC/CTC for communicating in Chinese. But for non-Chinese speaking...




www.njstar.com





Here's a fellow who worked at XSG doing a little code practice.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=309932006792175



And another:



__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=311200843331958



Taken from the FaceBook Radio-Officers group and the GoogleGroups Radio-Officers mail list.

73

DR


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

He must've been on watch permanently as this was the exact same morse I heard from XSG each and every FE voyage.
The fact it's coming from an up-and-downer with such speed and accuracy is mind-boggling or does something tell me the videos are a spoof?


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

Someone on the Radio-Officers Facebook group thought it was a spoof and that the sender was controlling an electronic keyer with a straight key because of the sending perfection and because the video and sound weren't exactly in sync, but that the sync delay is typical of some videos made by cellphone. I posted the second video in which the sending isn't as "machine perfect" to show that the Chinese are noted for this ability. They use a PRC K4 hand key which has a severely forceful tension spring and they adjust the key so that it closes with the mere touch of a finger. They seem to send well with that method. It boggles my mind.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

I've only known one RO to send such high speed perfect morse and That was Des Kernaghan (sk) who I trained with at GKA. 
Des was a brilliant "nerve" sender of the finger tip touch with no wrist or arm movement you refer sending speeds in excess of 30/35 wpm.
The first video was convincing but the second from above method tells me from the operator's arm movement his morse was sent very slowly and the video then speeded up.


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

Most people say that speeds above 29 WPM are impossible. German Radio Officers have told me that their Posts and Telegraph Administration used the optional provision to ITU treaty to increase the 1st Class Radiotelegraph Certificate from 25 WPM to 28 WPM both sending and receiving which explains the awesome speeds of Chief Radio Officers of German registered passenger liners. According to what they've told me, they were tested in German and English language as well as cipher groups. If the higher German 1st class examination speed was set to 22 GPM that would result in 27.5 WPM English speed. The numbers vary because Morse was composed to allow fastest transmission of English language with the most common letters having the shortest Morse characters. 

That's quite the Morse examination! I'm thankful that USA allowed us to take the 1st class Morse examination using a semiautomatic key to send with and a typewriter to copy with provided the person being examined provided these. I brought both and past the examination easily which I could not do without these helps.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

The GKA pass out speeds for the training course I refer were plain language 28 wpm and code 25 wpm both of which I had great difficulty attaining but to friend Des it was a cakewalk and we definitely timed him to the speeds I mention above.


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

I think I understand. GKA had testing after their training at 28 WPM / 25 GPM - speeds which were identical to the German testing and also above the UK Postmaster's examinations which I understand were the standard English 25 WPM and 20 GPM cipher groups - which incidentally were the same speed in setting up the code sending machine, as 25 WPM English and 20 GPM cipher groups have the same dot length. The second class 20 WPM and 16 GPM also have the same dot length - so the same settings on the machines were used. Unfortunately, at 28 WPM, the GPM doesn't exactly do the same, as 28*0.8=22.4 GPM, but the other speeds work out well: 25*0.8=20 GPM and 20*0.8=16 GPM. So either the machines were set at two different settings for the speeds you report, or one of the speeds is reported by rounding off, as I suspect. 28 WPM is the same speed as 22.4 GPM, while 25 GPM would be equivalent to 30 WPM. (25*1.2=30). Either way, another indicator of the skill of the UK radio officers and particularly of the UK GKA men and women. I have always been in awe of the R/O's of the UK Maritime Coast Stations. One good thing that can be said though, the ability to test with a Vibroplex, and the allowance of management at USA stations to use a Vibroplex (or other) key produced some remarkable USA R/Os like those at the many RCA and ITT/Mackay stations. I understand Tropical Radio Telegraph (TRT) required 30 WPM of their ship R/O's on United Brand / United Fruit ships, and 35 WPM at their coast stations - WBF, WAX, and the longest lived one, WNU Slidell, Louisiana. WNU had FE Frank Estrada, former point-to-point operator who came from Cuba who could send extremely fast on a hand key but I never heard him do it as well as the UK greats.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Thanks for all the interesting info..
Yes UK Coast Station morse speed pass was intentionally .above that of PMG 1 shipboard RO's and that was as far as I know the only reason why.
My simplistic understanding was a plain language word and code group were counted as five random letters and a space.
Doubt I would never have attained a slot with Tropical Radio or United Fruit but as they said in my sea time...
"If you're going to go Fruit go United Fruit."


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

Morse Code was designed for the English language, thus words of English get sent quicker than the non English letters of code groups. In fact it's been codified with the ITU adopting "PARIS" as a standard 50 baud word including the trailing spaces at the end, while code groups being random have been assigned the standard of "CODEX" or "CODEZ," both the same length in Morse, 60 units instead of 50. 



https://www.w8ji.com/cw_bandwidth_described_files/image002.jpg




https://www.qsl.net/dk5ke/bilder/CODEX.gif



But that suggests why the code groups were tested at a slower "groups per minute" even though the dot length was unchanged.

I find references to German Morse tests being 15 minutes in duration, zero errors in receiving allowed, sending 15 minutes duration, three corrected errors allowed. USA was Morse was sent for 5 minutes, you needed 1 minute error free to pass. Maybe there were rules on errors in sending, but you could correct your errors. 

Tropical Radio (Slidell Radio/WNU) did tell me that the 35 WPM requirement was negotiatable, I could certainly do that, but I occasionally would jam the typewriter keys and miss some copy.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Not much point in sending at 35 wpm if there's nobody around who can read it ... especially in adverse conditions.

John T


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

I'm sure that most of us could copy what the chap sent just fine. 
His sending is very clear and well formed.

Could you copy it all easily? I can.

73
DR



trotterdotpom said:


> Not much point in sending at 35 wpm if there's nobody around who can read it ... especially in adverse conditions.
> 
> John T


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

I had no difficulty copying both but what disturbs me is my suspicion that both videos are fake. 
The jerky body movement of the operator sitting is a give away...


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

The fellow who posted the video knows the man in the video, there's many such recordings like this, surprisingly all Chinese operators. I found out that the Chinese K4 key which appears to be of the USA design and not the Swedish/UK design has an spring unlike any key I've ever used. Chinese operators learned to set the tension high and adjust the key lever spacing so that putting a piece or two of letter size paper on top would close the circuit. I have no doubt in the ability of these operators in doing this, although the accuracy of formation of the first example is too perfect, but years ago I doubted that anyone could even send that fast, that now I allow this as being a singular example of a true master of hand sent Morse. I can't do this, but he can.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Sorry - I dont believe for one moment that they are using hand keys. I have met some very fine operators over the years but never any that could send that fast on a hand key - nor error free! 

Neville - Hawkey01


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

You can see the Chinese K4 key clearly in the first video, and it appears in the second video to be the same key. Interesting the second operator's posture, he is sending with his arm of the table which most believe is needed for sending this fast. As you say, the sending is exceptional. I'm jealous.


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## J. Davies (Dec 29, 2010)

Hello David, 
It sounds like machine CW and it is far too precise. I have known some straight key operators send that fast, but it is not humanly possible to send such perfect code manually. It would be nice to be proved wrong.
John


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

John, you should join the FaceBook Radio-Officers group - remember to answer the questions because I use them to see if the person belongs in the group as some people just join groups - thousands of them. You could speak to the fellow who posted these videos. I think this is another video - perhaps of the same man, his keying is excellent also.





I am just amazed at the sending.

73
DR


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

Here is another. I cannot doubt so many of these. I just uploaded them to youtube to preserve it.







Fabulous.

73

DR


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

I received a reply from Chris Rutkowski, NW6V who was the International Amateur RadioSport's Morse sending champion in Europe. He practiced for a year to do this and he cannot do it any more. He can still do right around 25 wpm but only on peaks - he says you have to constantly practice. I'll give a link to his demo recording of what he did send to win, but not at the speed he actually won at. This is much slower, because he's not in shape for it. His sending file: http://qsl.net/n1ea/vail3june1844.mp3

Chris says about these Chinese operators.

Quote
"They" are wrong. But it's far from easy! the killer is the 4s and 5s - The "dit rate" is very high - hard without rapid build-up of lactic acid - lots of pain. 

The pictures of the second fellow demonstrate what I called "the cast" nicely - the pulses of the dits come down the arm from the shoulder as a buzz, undamped by a forearm on the table. There is not a lot of action to see. I am NOT capable of those speeds without training - which isn't going to happen - but I might be able to do some detailed slow-motion videos showing the basics. We'll see: I have to get going fast enough to get "up on the step" like a motorboat riding its wake. These operators have good posture because it's impossible to send that fast without using the whole body. That is why Candler - in the Candler System which was endorsed by Ted Mac - stressed the necessity of clean living and proper mental attitude to become a top-notch telegrapher.

Thanks for sharing these.

73 Chris NW6V
Unquote

73

DR


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

They seem to be sending four character groups - that would increase the word count for a start.

Not sure why anyone would want to film that anyway. Are there any films of naked women sending morse?

John T


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

All things being in correct ratio, Morse speed is related to dot duration, not number of characters in a group. I think they wanted to film it because it's interesting.


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

When I did my morse tests, code groups were counted as 5 characters per word and we had to do 20 wpm for 1st Class.

John T


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

Same as USA, 20 GPM code groups, then they leave the machine with the same settings and send plain language English which timed out at 25 WPM which was the ITU treaty requirement. We had to copy and send 1 minute error free, if we made an error in sending, we could correct it with the error signal (8 dots), send the last correctly sent word again, and carry on from there. 

So long ago now!

73
DR


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

trotterdotpom said:


> They seem to be sending four character groups - that would increase the word count for a start.
> 
> Not sure why anyone would want to film that anyway. Are there any films of naked women sending morse?
> 
> John T


Not by clean living telegraphists!


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## Troppo (Feb 18, 2010)

djringjr said:


> I'm sure that most of us could copy what the chap sent just fine.
> His sending is very clear and well formed.
> 
> Could you copy it all easily? I can.
> ...


Over a computer speaker...suure.

QRN4, ship in a force 10...not so much.

As others have said, what's the point of this in the real world of maritime radio, where accuracy is everything....?

And, yes, I agree with the FB bloke - it sounds like an electronic keyer has been dubbed over the top.


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