[Elecraft] OT - Vertical Bug

[Robert Harmon]

Ron,

I enjoyed seeing the pictures of KPH and realized that Point Reyes is 
less than an hours drive away from us.  Do you know if there is a museum there still ?
If so I'll go check it out. 

Bob
K6UJ



 
On Mar 15, 2011, at 2:01 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Thank you Stan. I've seen photographs of a vertical bug but I've never used
> one. 
> 
> I also have a Vibroplex bug - a standard model that came to me in the 1990's
> through an old friend's widow when he became a silent key. My regular bug is
> an E.F. Johnson Speed-X. The Speed-X slows easily to 10 to 15 wpm using it's
> nifty standard weight that has a finger grip clamp - just squeeze and slide,
> let go and it's securely locked in its new position.  
> 
> I was surprised to find that the Vibroplex would not slow to less than about
> 25 wpm, even with two weights. My friend had been a commercial CW op both at
> sea and at KPH in California so I knew he had to slow it down to under 15
> wpm to match the speed wanted by the other operator. Les accomplished that
> with a common cable clamp secured to the pendulum. (See it at 
> http://www.radiomarine.org/gallery/show?keyword=kphhistory&panel=pab1_1#pab1
> _1 Scroll down to Les Burger and click on the image to enlarge it). You can
> see the threaded shafts of the cable clamp sticking up through the crossbar.
> It works great, but it's a very heavy feel. 
> 
> Talking with a number of OT Vibroplex owners whose bugs slowed down in into
> the 15 WPM easily without special weights and comparing keys closely, we
> discovered that Vibroplex made two different leaf springs for their key
> pendulums back in the 1960's. One was much thicker with a higher vibration
> frequency than the other. I've never been able to find out why they did
> that. 
> 
> The sound and feel of a nice bug is, for me, just as basic to Ham radio as
> stringing up antennas and melting solder on a new project ;-) 
> 
> 73, 
> 
> Ron AC7AC
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> 
> I just want to share a recent discovery with other Elecraft listers who 
> appreciate 'bug' keys.
> 
> The following short video is a demo I made of my new vertical 'bug' 
> compared to the more traditional ones.  This vertical key is a fabulous 
> slow speed performer and doesn't need a pipe wrench hanging off the 
> forward end to slow down - it's naturally slower but dropping the weight 
> brings it up to 35 WPM.  Until recently I knew very little about 
> vertical keys and pretty much concluded that with so little marketing 
> going on, they must not be very good.
> 
> GOSH,  WAS I WRONG !!
> 
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5EU6wubkaE&feature=related
> 
> 
> 73, Stan WB2LQF
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html