[CW] Excellent sideswiper sending from F8GNV

Sun Jul 16 07:19:34 EDT 2023

I found their "Low Boy Paddle" to be of poor but satisfactory quality. I
was initially put off because the key which requires assembly didn't have
the correct parts but to the company's credit, they promptly supplied the
missing parts from a list I emailed them.

I found the use of using the tops of machine screws as key contacts to be
troublesome but they worked adequately but not pleasantly, but I time I got
used to the clunky feel.

I had a friend,  Fowler "Barney" Norris, W3MTE (FN), a former CIA Morse
Operator, who was an excellent radiotelegrapher who worked for Tropical
Radio Telegraph (TRT) at Slidell, Louisiana Radio, WNU and he was both fast
and accurate. He used a homemade kit from two J38 keys mounted next to each
other. All his motions were up and down, using minimum finger motions. TRT
had the highest standards for Morse operators, minimum perfect copy
requirements for five minutes without error was 35 WPM.

The key was usable but disappointing in quality.

73
DR
N1EA

On Sat, Jul 15, 2023, 5:38 PM Bruce Prior <n7rr at hotmail.com> wrote:

> A fine quality single-lever paddle is the American Morse Equipment Mini-B: American
> Morse Equipment - Mini-B Miniature Single Lever/Sideswiper Paddle
> <https://www.americanmorse.com/minib.htm> which is well-adapted to
> portable use. I attach it either to my transceiver or to a clipboard using
> 3M Dual Lock. If a connecting cable fuses the left and right terminals, it
> can be used as a cootie key. For use in freezing weather, I cover the
> paddle handle with heat-shrink tubing.
> American Morse Equipment - Mini-B Miniature Single Lever/Sideswiper Paddle
> <https://www.americanmorse.com/minib.htm>
> American Morse Equipment
> www.americanmorse.com
> 73,
> Bruce Prior N7RR
> ------------------------------
> *From:* cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net <cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf
> of Michael Kashuba via CW <cw at mailman.qth.net>
> *Sent:* Saturday, July 15, 2023 14:05
> *To:* CW Reflector <cw at mailman.qth.net>
> *Subject:* Re: [CW] Excellent sideswiper sending from F8GNV
>
> Chris…Re: Vibroplex Vibro Keyer. Although it lacks some precision, flash
> and exotic metals that other higher buck single lever paddles offer, I have
> always found it to be easy, pleasant and comfortable to send accurate CW
> with…. As long as contact spacing isn’t terribly minuscule…
>
> 73
> Mike
> K6LQ
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jul 14, 2023, at 9:09 PM, Chris R. NW6V <chrisrut7 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> 
> Ingenious, and a lovely creation Rick. Kudos!
>
> 73 Chris NW6V
>
>
> On Fri, Jul 14, 2023 at 9:33 AM Rick Dettinger <k7mw78 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I mounted my Kent single lever paddle on a 6mm brass plate with a wood
> spacer cut away for the wiring between.  I prefer terminal posts rather
> than a captive cable, so I purchased them from Kent  Keys.  Finger piece is
> Teak.  I prefer this key to a leaf spring (saw blade) type key, although I
> learned with a home-brew saw blade key.
> Dot and dash contacts are shorted underneath the key in the spacer.
> If I wanted a little spring action, I would put the leaf spring between
> the lever and the finger piece.
> I find it works well as is.
>
>
>
>
> > On Jul 14, 2023, at 8:31 AM, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. <n1ea at arrl.net> wrote:
> >
> > On Fri, Jul 14, 2023 at 10:42 AM Radio KH6O <radio.kh6o at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Is there any reason, other than asthetic, for not using a single-paddle
> keyer as a sideswiper?
> >
> >
> http://vibroplex.com/contents/en-us/d10_VIBROKEYER_single_lever_paddles.html
> >
> > 73,
> > Jeff KH6O
> >  Hello Jeff, Aloha!
> >
> > I use a modified Vibroplex single lever keyer. I found the width of the
> combination of the button knob and the paddle knob to be too great for
> comfortable sending in cootie mode, so I had someone make me a single knob
> with a inset fastener with a special U shaped two prong spanner to tighten
> it.  Much better, someone on the Internet was selling such a modification
> but I could not find it right now.  Maybe it's gone.  Maybe Vibroplex will
> make one.
> > http://www.sideswipernet.org/pix/n1ea_vibrokeyer_ssk_1.jpg
> >
> >
> > It's mentioned in my "How to send with a Sideswiper" article on the web.
> > https://www.qsl.net/n1ea/sideswiper
> >
> > There's also a link in that article to a recording from circa 1910 of
> fast hand key sending which is very interesting.
> >
> > 73
> >
> > DR
> > N1EA
> >
> >
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