[Elecraft] OT - Vertical Bug

[Fred Jensen]

Sat afternoons [NA times] on the published frequencies.  You can find 
them at www.radiomarine.org for KSM, and occasionally KPH ... same sites 
and transmitters.  K6KPH guards 14050 Kc and 7050 Kc most of those 
times, depending on operator availability.  It's fun to copy them on 426 Kc.

They accept visitors, check the website.

73,

Fred K6DGW JN
Auburn CA

On 3/15/2011 5:59 PM, Robert Harmon wrote:
> 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
>>
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