[Elecraft] Vibroplex

[John Saxon]

You veterans probably already know this, but...

I have a "Vari-speed" made by Vibroplex.  It slows down the bug quite nicely.

See:http://vibroplex.com/accessories.html

look for "vari-speed"

--
John
K5ENQ

--- On Fri, 12/14/12, Ron D'Eau Claire <ron at cobi.biz> wrote:

> From: Ron D'Eau Claire <ron at cobi.biz>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Vibroplex
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Friday, December 14, 2012, 2:52 PM
> As Fred knows, I have Les' old bug
> that is shown in the photo whose link he
> posted, and the cable clamp weight. 
> 
> It makes for a very smooth feel, but H-E-A-V-Y. Les must
> have had a wrist
> like Popeye's arm. But the guys in commercial service like
> Les worked at KPH
> often had to send for long periods of time under 20 wpm -
> sometimes as low
> as 10 wpm. For them, matching the other station's speed
> wasn't just a
> courtesy; it was required. The cable clamp kept the dit
> speed slow enough
> for those stations. 
> 
> My favorite weight was simply a large alligator clip that I
> attached to the
> end of the pendulum (the alligator clip jaws don't interfere
> with the damper
> if you place them on the top and bottom of the end of the
> pendulum). I also
> wrapped some solder around the end of the alligator clip for
> extra weight.
> Lengthening the pendulum has a huge effect on the speed for
> minimal weight
> added. 
> 
> I bought a set of the heaviest weights the Vibroplex makes
> and was
> disappointed. They are the same diameter as the original
> weights and simply
> longer - the most inefficient way to add weight since it's
> distributed over
> a long part of the pendulum. Even two of them has only a
> small effect on the
> speed of a "fast" Vibroplex. 
> 
> I also have a Speed-X bug with a large diameter weight
> (about the size of a
> 2 euro coin or an American quarter dollar) with a very nifty
> squeeze lock
> instead of a set screw. It slowed down the Vibroplex quite
> nicely, since it
> concentrated the weight over a small section of the pendulum
> for maximum
> effect, especially when it was out near the end. 
> 
> The squeeze lock on the weight lets me change dit speed as
> quickly as
> turning the knob on a keyer from about 18 wpm to >35 wpm.
> 
> 
> 73, Ron AC7AC
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
> On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
> Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 11:25 AM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Vibroplex
> 
> My crew mates at the coastal marine station all had shiny
> Vibroplex bugs
> they carried around in velvet lined wood boxes.  They
> were all lightning
> fast on the dot side, and various "methods" were used to
> slow them down. 
>   See
> 
> http://www.radiomarine.org/gallery/show?keyword=kphhistory&panel=pab1_1#pab1
> _1
> 
> scroll down to Les Burger on the right for an example. 
> My beat up J-36 by
> Lionel [$5 at Surplus Sams] that I carried in my backpack
> would easily slow
> to 10 WPM, the leaf spring was about half as thick as a
> Vibroplex.  Putting
> more weight on the armature will slow a Vibroplex, but it's
> also additional
> weight you have to slap around, and can lead to an
> "interesting" fist.
> 
> [If the URL above line wraps, you'll have to copy it into
> your browser]
> 
> 73,
> 
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013
> - www.cqp.org
> 
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