[Elecraft] Re: Hexkey

[David Wilburn]

My HexKey is the best investment I have made.  Once I got the adjustment 
so there was about a 1/8" distance between the plates and magnets, it 
was awesome.  Lots of weight, it doesn't move around on the bench on me 
(and I have very large hands).  I set it up and I have not had to do 
anything with it since.  Did I mention it is awesome?  CW is the my 
primary mode, but I do more listening for now than sending.  I max out 
my sending around 20 wpm, so I can only speak of its performance to that 
rate.

I have had a bencher and a vibroplex.  Both good setups in their own 
way.  The bencher I never did get adjusted so that I liked it.  When it 
was close, then it still "walked" on me.  The vibroplex had lots of 
adjustments, but it seemed like something was always changing on me.  I 
would get it dialed in and then it would change.  It walked too.  You 
see lots of folks with these, and other various paddles or keys actually 
attached to their bench.  With the HexKey, I can set it out and use it, 
and then set it back out the way and have room to work on my projects. 
No muss no fuss.

It ranks right up there with my K2 as one of the best ham radio 
investments that I have made in my short (6 years) time in the hobby.

David Wilburn
dave.wilburn at verizon.net
K4DGW
K2 #5982


Gil Gibbs wrote:
> Gents;
> 
>  I'm in the process of relearning how to use a paddle, having only 
> gotten the feel of a Vibroplex keyer three decades back from an old pal. 
> I'm now stumbling around with a Bencher paddle, the first of the line 
> that's of the "fall apart" design, and thus I have to be careful about 
> how I handle it, which distracts me from training myself to use "thumb 
> for dashes, finger for dits", and my brain isn't as young as it used to 
> be to do multitasking. Thus the question - does the Elecraft/Bencher 
> Hexkey actually perform better than "the original", and thus make the 
> price worth adding to my gear? I'd really like to have more versatility 
> in sending, not worrying about knocking the contact points off their 
> mounts, which are conical points for hinges, and the darn things are an 
> annoyance to have to remount.
>   Any input will be appreciated, many hours to go before I can become 
> fluent with my old favorite CW again, having been too lazy to get away 
> from voice until now!
> 
> Tnx, 73's
> Gil WA5YKK
> 
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