[Elecraft] CW Keys

[tom.w3qs]

Hey John,

I never meant to imply that someone would have to be stupid to buy one, I
just didn't know if they were for real or not.

In the end, they may only send dits and dahs, but then a good Cuban cigar is
just a smoke, and I certainly can appreciate the difference between a
working horse and an Arabian.

The photos look elegant, but digital photography and the internet has taught
me to be very skeptical, and in nearly 50 years of hamming, I've never
crossed paths with these guys.

Congratulations on your purchase.

Tom 

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of n3drk
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 8:39 PM
To: Ron D'Eau Claire; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CW Keys

A philosopher once said "Stupid Is As Stupid Does."

I must be stupid because I just purchased one this morning!!

73s
john-n3drk


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <rondec at easystreet.com>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 8:30 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] CW Keys


Tom W3QS wrote:

This is probably a stupid question, and I guess I already know the answer,
but is this for real?

See GD907WS at http://www.mtech.whsites.net/ghd/

What could possibly make a key worth 1250 bucks?

--------------------------

The GHD keys have an excellent reputation for workmanship. The expensive one
you are looking at is not really a "bug". A bug is a semi-automatic key that
makes dits while the operator makes the dahs side-swiper style. That big GHD
key is an all mechanical fully-automatic keyer! (Sort of a Babbage machine
for CW!)

It makes both dits and dahs. The only thing it doesn't do is the automatic
space between dahs and dits.

In addition most of those keys, including the expensive one, have no
mechanical contacts. They use optics to trigger a circuit closure, thereby
avoiding the issue of keeping contacts clean.

Is that all worth the money? Not to me, but it appears to be to a number of
operators...

It's also worth realizing that there's a growing amount of pure "humbug" out
there in "Electronics Land". One company is featuring cryogenically-treated
parts for tube-type amplifiers. Yes, they claim to super-cool tubes,
capacitors and other parts and say that once the parts have experienced
those very cold temperatures and returned to normal room temperature, any
amplifier they are used in will have a 'sweeter, smoother sound'. Apparently
they have takers.

Old P.T. Barnum would be laughing his head off...

Ron AC7AC

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