[CW] What is the best telegraph key??

Sat Aug 21 22:00:04 EDT 2004

Yeah, keys now come with a warning label saying not to use them in the
bathtub.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donald Chester" <k4kyv at hotmail.com>
To: <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2004 2:31 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is the best telegraph key??

>Most foreign navies used an enclosed telegraph key, with the lever at
>ground
>potential there was NO danger of any electric shock.  The contacts of the
>key were well hidden inside the key cover.
>
>However, the U.S. Navy usually did NOT protect the key contacts (and USA
>keys usually only had one set of contacts at the front, while the foreign
>keys often had a forward AND rear contact for switching.
>
>Because the key was not protected and the anvil (the part which the key
>lever strikes which includes the lower silver contact) is exposed, a safety
>disk was placed under the key knob to prevent the operator from slipping on
>the key and contacting the exposed lower contact.

Wouldn't OSHA have a heyday if those were in civilian use today!  Imagine
all the warning labels on the equipment and the lawsuits that would result
every time someone got even mildly zapped.  The safety police would have a
ball.

Don K4KYV

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