[SBE] toxic chemical reminiscences

[Bob Reite]

Mike Langner wrote:

> Got a handful in my garage.

>  

> Used to use them with RTTY.

>  

> And then there's the vial-of-mercury-switch about the size of half a 

> test-tube with two electrodes, about an eighth of a cup of mercury, and 

> an armature that turns it upside-down or right-side up depending on 

> whether the relay/switch is supposed to be on or off.

>  

> I think this one came out of a motorized tower light flasher --

>  

> Mike

> Albuquerque


We still have that type of tower flasher in service at a station.  The 
solid state flasher we tried got killed by lightning, I repaired (which 
amounted to cleaning and lubricating) and put the electro mechanical 
flasher back in service and it's still going strong.