[Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise...

[Alexandra Carter]

Interesting post on the DeOxit...... I just got a bug and was told,  
"They're not as good as modern keyers, they truncate their dits". But  
maybe some DeOxit and paper burnishing will change this. Thanks for  
the info, 73 de Alex NS6Y

On May 24, 2006, at 9:11 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> I'm one of those who has used DeOxit on some old keys - two "bugs"  
> from the
> 1950's that see regular service on my operating desk.
>
> I was having to constantly "buff" the contacts. I used bit of  
> paper, drawing
> it through the contacts while holding them closed several times. If  
> I didn't
> use a particular key for several days, it'd be needing a considerable
> cleaning. Even when in constant use, I'd have to do a cleaning  
> every week or
> so. Keep in mind that the contact closure is far more critical on a  
> bug than
> it is on paddles. If the logic sees a contact closure when using a  
> keyer,
> it'll make a dot or dash of exactly the correct length. With a bug,  
> that dot
> or dash length is totally dependent upon the rig seeing a good, stable
> contact closure for exactly the right length of time. If the  
> contact is
> dirty, the element will be truncated. The sending is often  
> described as
> "scratchy" with the carrier jumping on and off perhaps several  
> times in the
> length of one dash at 20 wpm as the keying circuit interprets the poor
> contact is alternately an open or closed circuit. It really makes  
> for nasty
> sending.
>
> One day I was launching into yet another cleaning and saw, right  
> next to my
> key, a little squeeze bottle of Caig DeOxit. So I put a small drop  
> on the
> contacts. The surface tension held it in place with the contacts  
> open. A few
> minutes later I tried the key. Perfect contact action. I did have  
> to remove
> the excess DeOxit from the dot contacts since the liquid interfered  
> with the
> smooth action of the pendulum that makes dots on a bug. So all that  
> was left
> was the very thin film of DeOxit that clung to the metal. It was  
> more than
> six months later that I noticed the contacts needing help. Before I  
> had to
> clean them ever few days. I now keep a little squeeze bottle of  
> DeOxit at
> the operating desk <G>.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David A.  
> Belsley
> Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 7:48 PM
> To: ROBERT CARROLL
> Cc: 'Elecraft Reflector'
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise...
>
>
> Yes.  It's fantastic for virtually all contacts and pots.
>
> dave belsley, w1euy
>
>
> On May 24, 2006, at 10:28 PM, ROBERT CARROLL wrote:
>
>> Dave-
>>
>> I bought a Graciella at Dayton so am very interested in this
>> thread.  Are
>> you talking about Caig Deoxit or something else?
>>
>> Bob W2WG
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David A.
>> Belsley
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 10:21 PM
>> To: Kenneth Moorman
>> Cc: Elecraft Reflector
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise...
>>
>> I put the stuff on my keys a couple of years ago and haven't had any
>> problems since.  I think it will last indefinitely.  I learned about
>> the stuff on this reflector, so I suspect there are those with even
>> longer experience who may want to chime in.
>>
>> best wishes,
>>
>> dave belsley, w1euy
>>
>>
>> On May 24, 2006, at 9:54 PM, Kenneth Moorman wrote:
>>
>>> Hi David,
>>>
>>> How long will the Deoxit treatment last?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Ken, NU4I
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David A. Belsley"
>>> <belsley at bc.edu>
>>> To: "n3drk" <n3drk at triad.rr.com>
>>> Cc: "elecraft" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 9:26 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise...
>>>
>>>
>>>> A tenth-drop of Deoxit on the contacts will produce the same effect
>>>> with no abrasion at all. best wishes,
>>>> dave belsley, w1euy
>>>> On
>>
>> -------------------------------------
>> david a. belsley
>> professor of economics
>>
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>>
>
> -------------------------------------
> david a. belsley
> professor of economics
>
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