[Elecraft] Good morse key?

[Darwin, Keith]

Hey Justin (& the group)

If you're interested in a straight key, I have a couple of
recommendations

http://skccgroup.com - The Straight Key Century Club.  A great bunch of
straight key (and bug) users.  Great place to be if you are doing slow
manual CW.

www.MorseX.com  - Morse Express.  Marshall sells a number of keys and is
a great guy to deal with.

You'll need to figure out which sending style you will use.  American
doesn't work with all keys, European (for me) works with every key I
try.  I send European style.

For practice, I put my K2 in test mode and send away.  Sidetone sounds
but the rig won't transmit.

Straight Keys:

- Navy Flameproof 26003A.  Get 'em used on e-bay for $30 to $70.  Get a
NOS model straight from Bunnel for about $95
http://jhbunnell.com/navykey.shtml.

- German Junker.  Get NOS models from Morse Express.  Cost about $100.
My absolute top pick for straight keys.  Ugly, functions wonderfully.  I
drilled & tapped the knob mounting hole and put a navy knob on mine.
Hog heaven.

- Kent.  Costs about $150 from AES or HRO (don't recall which).  You can
also order directly from Kent http://www.kent-engineers.com/ and get the
kit model.  Available with wooden or metal base.  Wood base is noisy,
like a wood block.

- J38.  Another WWII vintage key.  Lots of guys love 'em.  Cost on e-bay
seem to be in the $30 to $50 range.  I've never used one so I can't say
much.

- Begali.  I hear good things, but haven't used one.
http://www.i2rtf.com/ 

- Vibroplex.  I hear mostly mediocre things.  Probably a nice $100 key
selling for $175.

- Bencher.  Most Bencher straight key owners end up with something else.
Bencher seems to be the one that people don't stick with.  Either the
upgrade or they quit using the straight key.  Morse Express has a good
price on them.

- LTA.  Available from Morse Express.  I've owned an LTA Marconi key and
it was quite good.  Very pretty key, functions as well as the Flameproof
and nearly as well as the Kent or Junker.

- GHD.  Expensive but I hear good things.  Not to many using the,
probably due to price.

- Swedish pumper.  I hear great things.  On my short list of keys to
try.

- Hi Mound.  I hear great things about their Swedish model and little
about the others.

- Amplidan.  Wonderful,  I missed my chance to buy a NOS key for $350.
They're all gone now.  Good luck finding one.  Good luck finding one
that is affordable.  I'll stick with the Junker for $100.


Enough for now.  I probably have you and the whole list in information
overload.

73!

- Keith N1AS -
- K2 5411.ssb.100 -
- K3 Wave 3 -

-----Original Message-----
From: Justin Croonenberghs

I've been off this list for a good long while...quick question. Any
picks for a good starting morse key? I've played around with the paddles
and maybe want to start with a straight key...