I picked up a PS2 iambic key. This thing is nice. What a difference. I tried someone's bug a while back and felt that the side to side motion is much better for me. The traditional telegraph key was starting to put some repetitive strain on my wrist. This one has a lot less impact for me.
The keyer has magnetic returns, and bearings for the keys. The gap that I set for the contacts is thinner than a sheet of paper. You barely have to touch it.
I probably will not be taking this one on a trip in the backpack. It weighs 1200 grams.
Luigi (.-.. ..- .. --. ..)
That's a nice looking set of paddles. Small world........ I also picked up a new set of paddles today ;D . I took a car load of junk - err, I mean treasures 8) - to the hamfest this morning and ended up selling most all of it which not only paid for my table/admission but also allowed me to purchase a brand new set of Bencher BY-1 paddles and still clear about $30 profit.
I have an old BY-1 and like it, but Luigi's brass beauty is fap-worthy!
Thanks. Nice photo post of the Bencher. Do you all find similar improvements using an iambic keyer? Do you use it with wide open contacts or really close contacts?
Quote from: Luigi on April 19, 2014, 07:23:05 PM
.....Do you all find similar improvements using an iambic keyer?
Definitely!! It is
so much easier to send code that is a real pleasure for someone else to copy when you're sending with a keyer and paddles. I wish a lot of hams using straight keys would either switch to an electronic keyer or learn how to send properly with key. Don't even get me started on some of the fists I've heard that were sending with bugs. :o
Quote from: Luigi on April 19, 2014, 07:23:05 PM
Do you use it with wide open contacts or really close contacts?
It's all personal preference but yes, for the paddles in my shack I like very tight spacing with very light tension. For field work they need more spacing and tension out of necessity - not that I have any choice in the matter since the paddles on my KX1 have no adjustments anyway.
I like 'em close and soft ::)