[CW] G3HGE, Tom Withers, Key and Equipment Maker, SK

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

The way Tom had it set up, the lever moved about 1/64 of an inch and he
expected good dots with that.

I couldn't get good dots.

I have light spring on my dual lever G3HGE Olympic bug, but the lever for
dots swings a normal amount, not a microscopic amount like Tom tried for,

If you could send with the microscopic spacing, my hat's off to you, and I
know you're an exceptional bug sender.

I just could not do it.

I need reform school.

73

DR
N1EA

On Thu, Nov 7, 2019, 16:15 Joe Pontek Sr <v31jp1957 at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi, David.
>
> Yes, I was sorry to hear of Tom's passing as well.  I have one of his
> dual lever
> bugs as well, but in Belize, damn it.  It is one of three double lever
> bugs I have
> and like all, after I adjusted MY sending with all, they are sweet
> senders.  It
> seems like I got mine second hand, but my memory may be fading on details.
> I set mine according to Tom's recommendations and it did very well.
> Like you
> said, he aimed at having it be like an EL paddle and it did that for
> me.  When
> I got back into using a bug again, I only had a problem with bugs not being
> self dots and dashes completing.  Normal bugs required a little muscle
> applied,
> but the Olympic did not.  Very sorry to see Tom pass. Great CW op as well
> as
> a great machinist and friend.
>
> Back off of my feet again.  Doctor's orders, 50/50, up & down.
>
> 73, Joe, K8JP/K5
>
> On 11/7/2019 2:49 PM, David J. J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
> >  From Rich, G4FAD via the Side Swiper Net mail list:
> >
> > Hello All,
> >      Tom Withers G3HGE has passed on, he passed away on Tuesday 5th
> >     November after a short illness. He was a great CW operator and maker
> of
> >     Morse keys.
> >     Tom was the inventor of the Twanger Side Swiper key. I was chatting
> one
> >     night on 80 Metres and we got talking about keys. I said to Tom what
> we
> >     really need is a good Sideswiper key. About a week later he sent me
> an
> >     email to say he had made one would I test it for him. I replied no
> but
> >     if you send it to Sandy G0VQW he will do a video on it and I will buy
> >     your first key. So Sandy has #000 and I have#001.
> >     Another good CW operator gone, may he rest in peace,
> >     Kind Regards Rich G4FAD..
> >
> > I'm sorry to hear the sad news of not only a great Morse man, but a
> > maker of nice Morse keys as well.
> >
> > Tom sent me his dual lever bug, Olympia.  He was aiming for a bug that
> > felt like sending on a electronic keyer, the movement was very slight on
> > the pendulum.  I have no idea if that was successful for him because
> > such small movement on a bug was troublesome for me, so I widened the
> > spacing and let the pendulum swing a bit.  Maybe I have sensitive ears
> > for dot sparkiness, but the dots sounded "flaky" when made with tiny
> > amount of swing to the lever.   To my mind, you have to compress the dot
> > spring to get the dot formed well and get push back to get the pendulum
> > to push back to keep the vibrator moving back and forth.
> >
> > I told him that I liked the idea of dual levers because you could send
> > better code with practice especially on letters where a dash followed a
> > dot because you could start the dash a bit earlier to compensate for any
> > transition delay - moving from vibrator to the dash closure - it's a
> > tiny amount but at high speeds you can hear it and it sounds like
> > awkwardly sent code.  Tom's design eliminates this with the dual levers.
> >
> > Tom, I hope Saint Peter has a solid gold Olympia waiting for you, go
> > give those Vibroplex senders a good QSO and join the heavenly choir of
> > beautiful sending!
> >
> > RIP old friend.  We at the CW list will make some beautiful music for
> you.
> >
> > 73
> >
> > DR
> > David N1EA
> > ______________________________________________________________
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> > =30=
>
> --
> Regards, Joe, K8JP/V31JP, Ronnie, Martin & Sidney Pontek
> 175 Diamond Loch Rd., Apt. 5
> Gilmer, TX 75644-9374
> U.S.A.
> or
> P.O. Box 280, Dangriga, Stann Creek District
> (Hopkins Village) Belize
>
> 903-204-2318 (My TX cellular)
> 903-884-5990 (Skype telephone number, Belize & TX)
> Also, K8JP, member FOC-1743, QCWA-LM21894, OOTC-4607, A1OP, SKCC-3171T,
> NAQCC-5798, Flying Pig-2819, FISTS-7625CC951, A1C-2299, SOC 1075, 10-10
> 22977, PG1915841, CW Rag chewers #21,
> Facebook: Joe Pontek
> Skype: v31joepalooka
> I am looking for Vibroplex Model X and prefer basket case to restore.
> LotW
>
>
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