[High-Speed-CW] Paddles

[John/K4WJ]

Mike,

I used a Bencher for about 15 years and then I bought a WBL V22 in 1998. I 
started using the V22 when my buddy Don, W4WJ, lent me his Mercury while he 
takes a hiatus from ham radio. I have both paddles sitting side by side and 
I find myself using the V22 about 99 percent of the time.

When I'm having a bad day on the WBL I switch over to the Mercury and I can 
usually send pretty well with it. If I still can't send well I use my old 
Heathkit UltraPro keyboard. After a couple of transmission with the 
UltraPro I can usually go back to the WBL and send pretty well. It is like 
hearing the rhythm of the keyboard that calibrates the rhythm in my mind.

I would like to try the Bengali and also a Kent. One of my buddies brought 
a Kent to a South Florida DX Association meeting and I liked the way it felt.

I have not used the Bencher since the day I connected the WBL to my old 
Omni C. It sits there collecting dust. It is a great key for someone 
starting out in CW as it is not as expensive as the boutique models.

BTW, I was a RM2 in the Navy and I had two speed key licenses, but I can't 
use a bug any longer. I'm too used to the dual paddle keys and my Logikey 
K1 and K3 keyers.

73..de John/K4WJ

At 09:20 PM 2/2/04, Mike D. wrote:
>A friend bought the Vibroplex iambic and I tried it for a few seconds. While
>I liked the nostalgic look, but it seemed clunky.
>
>Are the Ten Tec paddles, the ones built by Vibroplex?
>
>I used Bencher paddles, until I got the WBLs. For some reason, I don't like
>the paddle height. I was always grabbing them at the top of the plastic
>finger pieces. When you do that, they don't pivot properly. I used to put a
>paperback book underneath them to raise them up.
>
>Another buddy has a Brown Bros, paddle and loves them. I thought they were
>kind of smooth, but didn't play with them long.

73..de John/K4WJ
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   John/K4WJ in Pembroke Pines, FL
    QTH  26 00 51 N
         80 16 16 W

K8PXG from 18 Jun 59 to 11 Feb 97
K8WJ  from 12 Feb 97 to 07 Apr 97
ZF2HZ from 17 May 84 to 31 Dec 84
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