[Elecraft] High End Paddles

[David A. Belsley]

> Quotes from the Bencher website at http://www.bencher.com/ 
> whichpaddle.html:
>
> "Frankly, the BY series paddle, like a fine sports car or a  
> surgical scalpel,
> does not respond well to the heavy physical input such operators are
> comfortable with. But that is how old time CW operators, trained on  
> the bugs
> and single lever paddles, learned their craft.

The BY paddles are plain and simply not at all like a fine sports  
car.  They are more like an old-style Beetle (or possible a Yugo).

> If you are one of these operators, for you Bencher offers the  
> innovative new
> Hex Paddle. This paddle too is fully iambic, and very nearly as  
> responsive as
> the BY series paddles, yet is also designed to stand up to the most  
> physical
> of operators, thanks to the floating instrument grade ball bearing  
> races and
> magnetic paddle return, not to mention the massive base."

I have no doubt that "pounders" will appreciate the HEX for its mass,  
and it can be adjusted to accommodate heavy fists.  It can also be  
adjusted to be very, very light -- much lighter than can the BY  
paddles, which begin to stick and hang up and become extremely  
frustrating.

>
> "The BY series, thanks to its unique pivot-pin bearings, is simply  
> the most
> responsive iambic paddle available today."

This is pure bunk.

> So, according to Bencher, the BY series is more responsive than the  
> Hex.
>
> Darrell
>
> On June 16, 2006 06:22 am, David A. Belsley wrote:
>> I'm not sure what the Bencher
>> folks mean by it's being better for people who are used to bugs.  I
>> suppose they mean that, because it is heavy and hard to knock around,
>> those with robust habits will be better accommodated.  But the HEX is
>> perfectly capable of being used by a very, very light touch.  So I
>> guess I find their statement misleading.
>
>
> -- 
> Darrell Bellerive
> Amateur Radio Stations VA7TO and VE7CLA
> Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada
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-------------------------------------
david a. belsley
professor of economics