[CW] Buy expensive and cry only once (Chinese saying)

[wealsowalk at aol.com]

 Chris,  You can make a simple key that will get you much more than 5 WPM.  It used to be fairly common to see good ops using what was called a dead man's key.  A dead man's key is just a probe with its wire hooked to the hot key input and you ground it to the outside of the tx case to key the tx.  Of course it was called a dead man's key because at that time there was some real voltage and current that went through the key.  Did it wrong and serious consequences.  That's why they called them "sparks."  Now, though, neither the voltages nor the currents are very high. Basically it is a straight key with your arm as the mechanism.  All you need are the contacts and breaks.  Some guys did not have any other key.  I saw a radio used at home by a KPH engineer that had the top cover totally covered with spark pits from this method of keying.
Bill Isakson
AC6QV

 


 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Wagner <kf6vci at gmail.com>
To: cw at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Mon, Sep 13, 2010 9:58 pm
Subject: [CW] Buy expensive and cry only once (Chinese saying)


Hello All:

this is Chris HS0ZFE outside Bangkok. operation is limited to an hour Wednesdays at a club station named HS0AC (at 13 hours UTC, catch me on 20 m in vy QRS). 

The paddle a kind OP lent me with a FT-757 GX is not usable for me. the finger pieces are wobbly and move on their own, making accuracy even at 5 wpm impossible.

We all have our opinions about "quality" and a "solid feel" when sending. I'm going to order some keys and hope to find good ones.

Ordered some used Vibroblex and Benchers. Then 2 from K8RA. Next, I'll place orders with Piero I2RTF and am waiting for confirmation of an order from a world class OP, Alberto I1QOD www.i1qod.it  www.K8RA.com and www.I2RTF.com 

One straight key should be at hand. Another tough decision. 

Last Friday, Finn OZ1HET who is a First Class Operator, showed me his station and had a QSO. Copying in his head while entering the contact in his log. Who says men cannot multitask?!? 

shame about missing last weekend's FISTS QRS Contest (named differently, like Get Your Feet Wet). hope many of you fellow beginners had a blast!

73 de Chris HS0ZFE, KF6VCI, MI1ESG


 
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