[Elecraft] Key contact problems

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

For years I fought intermittents with the contacts on my Speed-X bug (a
real, 50 year-old mechanical semi-automatic key). Modern rigs don't run
enough current through the contacts for self-cleaning action.=20

I had to burnish my contacts with a piece of paper every few days when =
the
dits became intermittent during a QSO. I tried all sorts of contact =
cleaner
without success.

Then I tried a drop of DeoxIT on the contacts. I let it sit in the gap =
for a
few minutes, then daubed the excess out with a bit of paper. It's been =
more
than a month since I did that and the contacts still work FB. I never go
more than several days - certainly less than a week - before.=20

It seems to me that DeoxIT leaves some sort of film on the surface of =
the
contacts that keeps them from oxidizing. It certainly works better than
anything I've seen - short of 100 mA at 200 vdc across the key <G>.=20

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----

I have a set of G4ZPY miniature paddles that are the paddles I keep in=20
my portable case with my K2 when
I travel with it, but have noticed that the brass contacts can be=20
intermittent, causing real frustration .

I have tried contact cleaner on the relevant parts, but the relief is=20
only temporary. Anyone know of
a better way of making brass contacts more reliable???

--=20
----------------------------------------------------------------
cheers, Paul - VA7NT - email: paule@sfu.ca

"Those who hear not the music, think the dancers mad."



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