[Elecraft] New Elecraft product: Clip-On K2 Keyer Paddle (KXPD1-K2)

[wayne burdick]

Eric and I often use our K2s in the field or on business trips. For CW 
operation, we've had to choose between small keyer paddles that move 
around on the table, or base-station paddles that weight as much as the 
rig. Then we realized we had half the solution already: our ultralight 
KXPD1 paddle. All we needed was an adapter for the K2. And here it is:

    http://www.elecraft.com/KX1/kxpd1k2.htm

The KXPD1-K2 bracket is a very lightweight, very sturdy adapter that 
allows our KXPD1 paddle to be used with the K2. The paddle attaches 
securely to the adapter using two thumbscrews, and two additional 
thumbscrews clamp the two-piece bracket to the center of the K2's tilt 
bail. Originally designed for the KX1 hand-held transceiver, the KXPD1 
is physically reversible, so you can orient it for left- or 
right-handed use. The dot/dash paddles can also be electrically 
reversed using the K2's "INP" menu entry.

The paddle and bracket together take up very little space, great for 
cramped operating positions (like my VW van on Field Day). The 
combination also weighs only about 2 ounces -- far lighter than 
high-quality home-station paddles, which often weigh 3 pounds or more. 
But since the bracket is attached directly to the tilt bail, the paddle 
will remain stable during use. The bracket is custom-machined for 
Elecraft and uses very high-quality materials.

If you have a KX1, you'll be able to easily share one KXPD1 paddle 
between the two rigs. The K2 adapter comes with a pre-assembled 
extension cable that the paddle simply plugs into, so it only takes a 
few seconds to install or remove the paddle.

We'd like to thank Fran Belliveau (KA4FRH) for designing and refining 
the bracket. In addition to Fran's and our own testing, Dave Reed 
(W5SV) and Jean-Francios Menard (VA2VYZ) did extensive field tests, and 
also helped us finalize the kit instruction manual.

The KXPD1-K2 bracket is priced at $65 and is available now.

73,
Wayne, N6KR
Eric, WA6HHQ


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http://www.elecraft.com