[Elecraft] N3ZN Key Report

Wed Oct 20 21:49:27 EDT 2010

I found Tony out in the parking lot at Dayton several years ago selling his keys 
out of his trunk.  They were absolutely perfect for me.  Except, I could not 
part with that kind of money.  I encouraged him to come up with a single lever 
paddle and he said he had some thoughts about making a very good one.  We talked 
for quite some time.

His workmanship is second to none....on this continent or anywhere else in the 
world.  I wish him a profitable business.  I did get a single lever paddle from 
K8RA and find the use better than iambic (at least for me)

Thanks for your review of Tony's work

Lee - K0WA

==================================================================================

 In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply.  If you don't 
have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it.  If you can't find any 
Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense.  Is Common 
Sense divine?

Common Sense is the image of the Creator expressing revealed truth in my mind. 
-  J. Wolf

________________________________
From: stan levandowski <sjl219 at optonline.net>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wed, October 20, 2010 1:50:03 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] N3ZN Key Report

A number of Elecraft listers asked me to report my impressions when my 
ZN-SLR paddle arrived.

I'd like to report that the Tony Baleno (N3ZN) model ZN-SLR single lever 
paddle has exceeded my expectations in every respect.  Foremost, it is 
giving me that "special feel" that I've been searching for since I tried 
out a real Mercury key at W1AW a few years ago.

My impressions are, of course, mine, and perhaps not everyone will agree 
but that's OK.  My report is within the following context: I've been a 
Morse-only operator for over 50 years and I am "fluent" with straight 
keys, bugs, a sideswiper, and  the paddle.  I "don't do" iambic and I 
copy my own code (code readers are about as welcome as microphones in my 
house). I prefer sending and receiving code somewhere in the 
neighborhood of 18-22 wpm.

The main problem that this ZN-SLR solved for me was the random "extra" 
dits and dahs that came from my Scheunemann-Morsetasten SP-1 which was 
also a single lever paddle and made in Germany.  The SP-1 was indeed a 
beautifully machined key with an integral dust cover.  I just could not 
get the spacing close enough for my personal style.  When I did, the 
random characters would start to appear.  The SP-1 was not a magnetic 
return key but used springs.

When my new ZN-SLR arrived, I plugged it into the K2, set the keyer 
speed to 18 wpm and sent an entire page of QST with not a single error. 
I continued to test it out at speeds from 12 wpm (I'm presently making 
digital files at this speed for a ham to whom I've teaching Morse) up to 
30 wpm (the fastest speed at which  I can reliably send and receive). 
Solid performance throughout this range!

The "feel" of the ZN-SLR is "silky-smooth" for want of a better term, 
and it makes me feel very confident that each character I'm going to 
send is going to come out just as intended.  Once again, this is 
difficult to describe in words, but a cw op will know what I'm talking 
about.

There is no annoying "clacking" - the ZN-SLR actually makes very little 
noise.  This was a great relief for me because my previous SP-1 was 
quite loud at the spacing I needed to use to send without the random 
dits and dahs.

Another VERY important discovery I made was that the ZN-SLR CANNOT BE 
PUSHED AROUND ON MY DESK!  This was a grand discovery for me.  I'm an 
ex-Navy radioman and, although I prefer closer spacing, I sometimes like 
to slap my bugs and paddles (and even the cootie!).  All my other keys 
required some of that rug anti-skid material under them to stay put. 
With the ZN-SLR just sitting on my wooden desk, it didn't budge, not 
once, and no matter how hard I whacked it.  The four rubber feet that 
Tony installed seem to be made of a nice soft rubber material.  I 
suspect that the round base design and the center of gravity also may 
play a role in the key's superior ability to stay put.  Although I've 
stated that I like to "slap" my keys sometimes, when using my wrist and 
elbow, I also like to rest my hand on the desk and stroke the 
fingerpiece with my thumb and forefinger in a sliding motion.  The 
ZN-SLR responds equally well, with comfort and accuracy, to this 
technique.

For a non-iambic operator, the single lever paddle, in my opinion, is a 
better choice and substantially reduces sending errors.  I asked Tony 
Baleno to double the fingerpiece thickness for me (as suggested by one 
of the Elecraft listers here) and it turned out to be a great idea. 
Tony advised me that he now intends to make this a standard feature on 
the ZN-SLR.

The construction of this key is very impressive.  It easily, in my 
opinion, competes with the German SP-1.  I never could find a single 
fault with the SP-1 and I can't find one on the ZN-SLR either.  I tend 
to be a stickler for precision, having built a couple of experimental 
airplanes.  There are no tooling marks to be found on my key; no 
unfinished edges, no skimping on the workmanship and finish on the 
bottom!  For example, there are three setscrews on the front, above the 
fingerpiece.  I measured them and they are perfectly spaced and the 
middle one is dead center on the fingerpiece seam.  It also lines up 
with the exact center of my callsign plate which is just above.  These 
are the sort of details which, in my opinion, distinguish the true 
craftsperson from the rest of the pack.

Did I mention that the WB2LQF callsign plate was a no-charge item, as 
was the nice soft brush to dust the key?

The key arrived in an oversized box densely packed with peanuts.  Inside 
was a smaller box in which the key was packed with handcut foam to 
protect it.  More evidence of a total quality approach.

In my opinion, I really got my money's worth.  I cannot imagine ever 
needing or wanting another paddle.   The ZN-SLR's performance and 
workmanship is a fitting companion to my all-Elecraft station.  I now 
feel like I'm totally surrounded in "Made in America" quality.

I had Rose Kopp make me a ZN-SLR paddle dust cover.  She called Tony for 
the dimensions.  It fits perfectly.  Bonus:  If I so choose, I can 
actually use the paddle with the cover on it.

73,

Stan Levandowski WB2LQF
HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years!
QCWA #35038   OOTC #4558   NAQCC #4740   SKCC #6488   FISTS #14992
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