[CW] Vibrokeyer question for David N1EA...

[David Curry]

Hi Steve--

Although the question was directed to David N1EA, I thought I'd add  
my 2 cents worth. I don't have a Vibrokeyer, but I do have the Iambic  
paddles, a new 2000 Blue Racer bug, and an old Champion bug. Of the  
three, the Champion is the easiest to live with--very easy to find  
the sweet spot and keep in adjustment. My impression is that most  
Vibroplex keys (bugs or paddles) are somewhat finicky, and you have  
to play with them for quite a while before you find the settings that  
are right for you--but I still love them.

The Blue Racer was driving me crazy for a while, but after a couple  
of weeks playing around with it and lots of great feedback from this  
group, I've finally got it locked in just the way I like it, and will  
never ever let anyone else even think about touching it. (I've found  
that the clean dollar bill works very well at keeping the contacts  
clean. I do this a couple of times a week, and have not had to play  
with any adjustments for a couple of months now.)

The Iambic paddles also have a reputation of being difficult to live  
with. And, Vibroplex even sent me a CQ article reprint when I bought  
the paddles ten years ago. According to the article, many users have  
the experience that the paddles are somewhat stiff, and they have  
difficulty finding the sweet spot. After nearly 10 years of using  
them, I finally found the real sweet spot for me just recently. For  
me, the paddles must have just a tiny bit of vertical slop--which  
nobody else recommends. I then adjust the contact spacing just shy of  
hair-trigger operation (I find that I can squeeze the the ends of the  
contact adjustment screws with my fingers to close both the dit and  
dah contacts at this spacing). There is just a hint of a mechanical  
click for tactile feedback. With this setting, they almost become an  
extension of my hand, and I find I  can send without any conscious  
attention to making the characters. (I'm not a high-speed operator-- 
normally don't go much above 18 wpm for rag chews and usually max out  
at 25 wpm for contest operation.)

I'm sure that everyone else on the list will have an entirely  
different perfect sweet spot for them, and it would be interesting to  
get some additional feedback from other Vibroplex users (both bugs  
and paddles) on how they adjust their keys.

Dave
KB8TT

On Feb 23, 2008, at 2:41 PM, Steve Kallal wrote:

> Hi David,
>
> I found your little CW reflector the other. I have a question/ 
> observation
> about the Vibrokeyer.
>
> You saw the Vibrokeyer I have. I posted a photo for you on one the  
> Yahoo
> reflectors. It is a 1965 vintage model with a beige base and jeweled
> bearings. After considerable practice, I do see its merits as a  
> sideswiper.
> I think using some other keys gave me the correct idea on how to send
> properly, that is rolling the wrist.
>
> But the Vibrokeyer feels clunkly to me. A search of the eham.net  
> reviews,
> reveals other many hams feel the same way. It simply doesn't have a  
> smooth
> feel no matter how I adjust it. That said, it has the widest range  
> of adjust
> of any single lever paddle out there. I send some of my best  
> sideswiper code
> with, and with the most comfort. But I can't help but sense the key  
> feels
> like it is about to fall apart. I have the trunion adjusted to the  
> sweet
> spot, that is the most tension without binding. There is no  
> vertical slop. I
> do have to readjust the trunion often, even with the set pin  
> tightened.
>
> Also it makes a lot of noise while sending. A good pair of headphones
> removes most of the noise. But it distracts me from hearing the  
> sidetone.
>
> Do I have a lemon? Or is that the nature of the Vibrokeyer?
>
> 73,
>
> Steve N6VL
>
> _______________________________________________
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>

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Brothers-In-Arms

Dedicated to Thomas D. Curry and the men he fought with in 331st  
Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division

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