[CW] What is a good straight key?
Jim Garrison
jamesgarrisonart at yahoo.com
Fri May 20 17:21:19 EDT 2011
I have tried dozens of straight keys, trying to find the best. I have kept
only eight of them.....for me, the best are as follows...
1. (tie) Marconi PS. No. 213 and Marconi PS. No. 213A. Nothing else even
comes close to the precision and ease of operation of these keys.
2. MP Pederson/Amplidan 50713
3. Morse Equipment Ltd. GNT type key
4. Japanese brass WWII PS213 copy
5. Marconi 365EZ
6. Marconi 365B
7. Marconi 365A
Just my three cents worth.
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: What is a good straight key? (cod947)
2. Re: What is a good straight key? (DANNY DOUGLAS)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 12:09:17 -0400
From: "cod947" <k1vv at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
To: "CW Reflector" <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Message-ID: <A46067CB4BD4400DA7A575636B078CF7 at Bob>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Danny ... I was "funnin' " you ...
We were referring to some of the CW on the bands that you hear ... sounds like
touching two wires together ..
Whitey K1VV
----- Original Message -----
From: DANNY DOUGLAS
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Yep, had no key, and couldnt find anyting to use as one, as it was an
emergency situation to get our embassies through out Africa and the Middle east,
back into communication with papa back home. Same as having a keyline hooked to
a key and rig, but without the key. Hold one wire down against a table, and use
the other hand to touch the two wire ends (hot and ground) to send the code.
Dont find you in the logs here, since moved back, in 1984. Could have from
overseas before that, but not in the computer.
Danny Douglas
N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB
All 2 years or more (except Novice). Short stints at: DA/PA/SU/HZ/7X/DU
CR9/7Y/KH7/5A/GW/GM/F
Pls QSL direct, buro, or LOTW preferred,
I Do not use, but as a courtesy do upload to eQSL for those who do.
Moderator
DXandTALK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXandTalk
Digital_modes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digital_modes/?yguid=341090159
----- Original Message -----
From: cod947
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Danny .... you said ..
finding a plug that fit the transmitter cw key jack, made up a wire, and;
used the two loose ends of wire - just touching them together to key. finding a
plug that fit the transmitter cw key jack, made up a wire, and; used the two
loose ends of wire - just touching them together to key.
Touching wires together to send CW ..??
I am positive that I have worked you on 40 CW several times ... Hi..
Whitey K1VV
----- Original Message -----
From: DANNY DOUGLAS
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Holy Smoke!!! Ill just continue along with the old J38, Ive had since
1965 or so.
It reminds me that just about anything works. I was temporarily at our
embassy in Athens, when our relay site, north of twon, was struck by lightning
(where I normally worked). All TTY signals went down and not knowing why, I was
unable to get thru to them either on cw/TTY or the phone. After some two hours,
of listening to the cw guard bands, I received a VHF radio call, advising me of
the situation. I volunteered to perform the CW guard responsbilities in order
to let other field stations, in other countries, know to abandon their normal
base station and connect to with their standby sites.
I threw the transmitter onto a guard freq, and then found there was no
key, in the whole embassy. Seems all the regularly assigned communications
people there were, and had been, non-morse trained. I wound up finding a plug
that fit the transmitter cw key jack, made up a wire, and; used the two loose
ends of wire - just touching them together to key. It worked just fine,
although a bit slower than most people calling in. HI. I got them all advised,
and then, as instructed, closed down and went home. The lightning destroyed
keylines, receivers, tty machines, and all sorts of stuff that was found fried,
for the next few weeks.
In other words: just get the message thru. We as hams are not spending
hours sending 40 wpm traffic. I just cant see spending that type of cash to
send CW. Instead, if you have it, spend it on antennas. Good keys are cheap
enough, and one doesn't need a Mercedes to get to work.
Danny Douglas
N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB
All 2 years or more (except Novice). Short stints at: DA/PA/SU/HZ/7X/DU
CR9/7Y/KH7/5A/GW/GM/F
Pls QSL direct, buro, or LOTW preferred,
I Do not use, but as a courtesy do upload to eQSL for those who do.
Moderator
DXandTALK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXandTalk
Digital_modes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digital_modes/?yguid=341090159
----- Original Message -----
From: D.J.J. Ring, Jr.
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 7:11 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Unfortunately the MP Pederson key which was sold to Amplidan is no
longer in production - a causality of "no code" changes in testing. Likewise
the Lennart Petterson key sold by Swedish Radio Supply - I think this is the key
you're remembering as it was about $250. The Amplidan was about $375.00.
They are indeed a very good keys.
I've not used the Begali Blade but I've heard wonderful things.
My favorite straight keys are these:
First Tier
Marconi 365 A B C or D series.
Amplidan or MP Pederson key - last sold for about $350.
GHD top of the line.
If you want to just send you name one time, wires can be used, but if
you want to send for 8 hours a day you need something good.
One excellent key that is easily found is the Navy Flame Proof key - and
will compare with these as a third tier key - but is only $35 or $50 at a flea
market often less.
David J. Ring, Jr., N1EA
SOWP, VWOA, OOTC, FISTS, CW-Ops, CFO, A1-OP, ex-FOC 1271 ARRL-LM
Chat Skype: djringjr MSN: djringjr at msn.com AIM: N1EA icq: 27380609
Radio-Officers Google Group -- Marine Morse Historic Recordings Page
On Fri, May 20, 2011 at 5:49 AM, Henry Frederick Meiseles 'Meils'
<meils at get2net.dk> wrote:
Also, the Danish M. P. Pedersen (maritime) straight key is reputed to
be an excellent key -- usually sells for about $100. I find it great for
moderate speeds but not for QRQ. Very sturdy, high quality construction.
HFM, Cph. oz3o n2nr
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 12:57:25 -0400
From: "DANNY DOUGLAS" <N7DC at COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
To: "CW Reflector" <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Message-ID: <99770E9722FF4149A7F01CA65754BD0F at ham2>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
hehe, I never know for sure. Had some real "odd" questions asked before.
Some code sure sounds that way too. Sittin here trying to figure out where to
get a couple of QSL cards. VK9LA came in today, with rtty and ssb contacts,
hiking my numbers for those modes. Just looking at VP8ORK and wondering if any
have been received. Its the last CW I need for Honor Roll there.
Danny Douglas
N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB
All 2 years or more (except Novice). Short stints at: DA/PA/SU/HZ/7X/DU
CR9/7Y/KH7/5A/GW/GM/F
Pls QSL direct, buro, or LOTW preferred,
I Do not use, but as a courtesy do upload to eQSL for those who do.
Moderator
DXandTALK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXandTalk
Digital_modes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digital_modes/?yguid=341090159
----- Original Message -----
From: cod947
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 12:09 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Danny ... I was "funnin' " you ...
We were referring to some of the CW on the bands that you hear ... sounds like
touching two wires together ..
Whitey K1VV
----- Original Message -----
From: DANNY DOUGLAS
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 12:00 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Yep, had no key, and couldnt find anyting to use as one, as it was an
emergency situation to get our embassies through out Africa and the Middle east,
back into communication with papa back home. Same as having a keyline hooked to
a key and rig, but without the key. Hold one wire down against a table, and use
the other hand to touch the two wire ends (hot and ground) to send the code.
Dont find you in the logs here, since moved back, in 1984. Could have from
overseas before that, but not in the computer.
Danny Douglas
N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB
All 2 years or more (except Novice). Short stints at: DA/PA/SU/HZ/7X/DU
CR9/7Y/KH7/5A/GW/GM/F
Pls QSL direct, buro, or LOTW preferred,
I Do not use, but as a courtesy do upload to eQSL for those who do.
Moderator
DXandTALK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXandTalk
Digital_modes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digital_modes/?yguid=341090159
----- Original Message -----
From: cod947
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Danny .... you said ..
finding a plug that fit the transmitter cw key jack, made up a wire, and;
used the two loose ends of wire - just touching them together to key. finding a
plug that fit the transmitter cw key jack, made up a wire, and; used the two
loose ends of wire - just touching them together to key.
Touching wires together to send CW ..??
I am positive that I have worked you on 40 CW several times ... Hi..
Whitey K1VV
----- Original Message -----
From: DANNY DOUGLAS
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 8:36 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Holy Smoke!!! Ill just continue along with the old J38, Ive had since
1965 or so.
It reminds me that just about anything works. I was temporarily at our
embassy in Athens, when our relay site, north of twon, was struck by lightning
(where I normally worked). All TTY signals went down and not knowing why, I was
unable to get thru to them either on cw/TTY or the phone. After some two hours,
of listening to the cw guard bands, I received a VHF radio call, advising me of
the situation. I volunteered to perform the CW guard responsbilities in order
to let other field stations, in other countries, know to abandon their normal
base station and connect to with their standby sites.
I threw the transmitter onto a guard freq, and then found there was no
key, in the whole embassy. Seems all the regularly assigned communications
people there were, and had been, non-morse trained. I wound up finding a plug
that fit the transmitter cw key jack, made up a wire, and; used the two loose
ends of wire - just touching them together to key. It worked just fine,
although a bit slower than most people calling in. HI. I got them all advised,
and then, as instructed, closed down and went home. The lightning destroyed
keylines, receivers, tty machines, and all sorts of stuff that was found fried,
for the next few weeks.
In other words: just get the message thru. We as hams are not spending
hours sending 40 wpm traffic. I just cant see spending that type of cash to
send CW. Instead, if you have it, spend it on antennas. Good keys are cheap
enough, and one doesn't need a Mercedes to get to work.
Danny Douglas
N7DC
ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB
All 2 years or more (except Novice). Short stints at: DA/PA/SU/HZ/7X/DU
CR9/7Y/KH7/5A/GW/GM/F
Pls QSL direct, buro, or LOTW preferred,
I Do not use, but as a courtesy do upload to eQSL for those who do.
Moderator
DXandTALK
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXandTalk
Digital_modes
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digital_modes/?yguid=341090159
----- Original Message -----
From: D.J.J. Ring, Jr.
To: CW Reflector
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 7:11 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] What is a good straight key?
Unfortunately the MP Pederson key which was sold to Amplidan is no
longer in production - a causality of "no code" changes in testing. Likewise
the Lennart Petterson key sold by Swedish Radio Supply - I think this is the key
you're remembering as it was about $250. The Amplidan was about $375.00.
They are indeed a very good keys.
I've not used the Begali Blade but I've heard wonderful things.
My favorite straight keys are these:
First Tier
Marconi 365 A B C or D series.
Amplidan or MP Pederson key - last sold for about $350.
GHD top of the line.
If you want to just send you name one time, wires can be used, but if
you want to send for 8 hours a day you need something good.
One excellent key that is easily found is the Navy Flame Proof key -
and will compare with these as a third tier key - but is only $35 or $50 at a
flea market often less.
David J. Ring, Jr., N1EA
SOWP, VWOA, OOTC, FISTS, CW-Ops, CFO, A1-OP, ex-FOC 1271 ARRL-LM
Chat Skype: djringjr MSN: djringjr at msn.com AIM: N1EA icq: 27380609
Radio-Officers Google Group -- Marine Morse Historic Recordings Page
On Fri, May 20, 2011 at 5:49 AM, Henry Frederick Meiseles 'Meils'
<meils at get2net.dk> wrote:
Also, the Danish M. P. Pedersen (maritime) straight key is reputed
to be an excellent key -- usually sells for about $100. I find it great for
moderate speeds but not for QRQ. Very sturdy, high quality construction.
HFM, Cph. oz3o n2nr
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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