From 'The Wireless Age", April 1916:
1. Don't reduce the power of the new 2 k.w. 500 cycle
quenched spark transmitting set without readjusting
the generator voltage for a clear spark note. It is
disagreeable to copy a message sent by an irregular
or broken-up spark note.
2. Don't operate this set at full power when within
fifty miles of a shore station - it causes unnecessary
interference.
3. Don't use the 600 meter wave in communicating with
a ship almost visible on the horizon - make a brief call
on the standard wave of 600 meters and then cut down
to 300 meters.
4. Don't call a shore station until you have first
ascertained whether it is in the act of receiving -
carefully adjust your receiving tuner to determine the
general conditions of the ether about you.
5. Don't try to develop an original style of sending.
Avoid a jerky, irregular method of formation - listen to
the Marconi station at Cape Cod, which employs an
automatic transmitter with perfect formation of the
code characters. Imitate it.
6. Don't congest the ether with useless dots and dashes,
queries, remarks, etc. - it is a violation of the
International Regulations and appropriate abbreviations
have been adopted for use.
7. Don't put the transmitting apparatus out of commission
because the aerial ammeter fails to indicate - the meter
may be burned out and the set still be in good condition.
Shunt the meter with a piece of stout copper wire.
8. Don't notify the port inspector or the superintendent
of the maintenance department that your head telephones
are out of order and leave them on the ship - bring them
to the shop and have them repaired.
9. Don't leave the ports of the wireless cabin open in
damp climates while you are absent from the ship - it
destroys the insulation of the set.
10. Don't allow the room steward to shine the brass of
your apparatus without afterward making a personal
inspection of the position of the helix clips - refer
to the tuning card and replace the plugs in their
proper positions.
11. Don't wait until the bearings of the motor generator
"squeak" for lack of oil - make a daily inspection of the
oil gauge. The room steward may have unintentionally
opened the drain cock with his broom and drained the oil well.
12. Don't become alarmed if a hurricane destroys the greater
portion of your aerial - stretch a single wire between the
masts or between one mast and the smoke funnels. The set
will transmit almost as far as with a standard aerial.
13. Don't forget, under such circumstances, to retune the
set to resonance by means of the aerial ammeter to one of
the standard wavelengths, 300, 450 or 600 meters.
14. Don't widen out the gap of the synchronous rotary disc
discharger abnormally - it will puncture the condensers.
The standard gap for the 2 k.w. 500 cycle set is .005
of an inch.
15. Don't tell the government inspector that your 2 k.w.
set consumes 500 watts - it is designed to consume 2,000
watts at normal rating, but may be operated at lower powers
if necessary.
16. Don't attempt to regulate the spark note by means of the
motor field rheostat - use the generator field rheostat,
which was intended for the purpose. If the source of the
current supply remains at a constant potential, the motor
field rheostat need not be touched.
17. Don't allow carbon granules, copper dust, etc. to
accumulate on the brushholders of the motor - you cannot
expect the brushes to move freely under these conditions,
and in consequence you will not have sparkless commutation.
18. Don't drop the receiving telephones on the table - the
shock will destroy the magnetism of the permanent magnets.
------"Early Days of Wireless- #10 --- de Gil, VE4AG