Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
http://electronicsusa.com/mk.html These look like they are made pretty simple. I have a couple of them, never used them much because my hands are too big and there is no weight to them. But it would work fine for most folks. Especially if velcroed or screwed to a board. Dave Wilburn K4DGW K2/100 - S/N 5982 K3/100 - S/N 766 For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. Brian Lloyd wrote: Knowing the penchant for CW that many of you have, I thought I would ask the following question here. Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? The kids are starting to send CW and I am finding they are having a LOT of trouble with a straight key. Most immediately gravitate to the bencher so I am trying to find a way to make a $5 paddle. Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
Knowing the penchant for CW that many of you have, I thought I would ask the following question here. Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? The kids are starting to send CW and I am finding they are having a LOT of trouble with a straight key. Most immediately gravitate to the bencher so I am trying to find a way to make a $5 paddle. Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
Iambic or just paddles? I think single-lever would be easier to home brew. I envision a hack saw blade plus a couple of bolts for contacts, all on a wooden base. If you want iambic, that would be more difficult. How much is the black widow kit? I'm thinking it's like $30 or something but I don't recall and haven't done the internet search. When teaching my kids morse, I too found they had a much easier time with the paddles than the straight key. In fact, they were both able to learn iambic (squeeze) keying with less effort than learning the straight key. - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411.ssb.100 - - K3 711 - -Original Message- From: Brian Lloyd Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? The kids are starting to send CW and I am finding they are having a LOT of trouble with a straight key. Most immediately gravitate to the bencher so I am trying to find a way to make a $5 paddle. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
On Apr 24, 2008, at 9:48 AM, Darwin, Keith wrote: Iambic or just paddles? I think single-lever would be easier to home brew. I envision a hack saw blade plus a couple of bolts for contacts, all on a wooden base. If you want iambic, that would be more difficult. Yes, it would. Some have discovered how much easier it is to use the iambic feature to insert an element into a string of another element. How much is the black widow kit? I'm thinking it's like $30 or something but I don't recall and haven't done the internet search. I have never heard of it. I will go look for it. When teaching my kids morse, I too found they had a much easier time with the paddles than the straight key. In fact, they were both able to learn iambic (squeeze) keying with less effort than learning the straight key. That is what I am finding as well. As a sometimes-musician I find that I personally have no problem with timing and rhythm with a straight key but most of the kids just aren't there. Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
How much is the black widow kit? I'm thinking it's like $30 or something but I don't recall and haven't done the internet search. I have never heard of it. I will go look for it. Never mind. I checked. It's over $60. You can get the Kent paddles as a kit too, but they are more. That is what I am finding as well. As a sometimes-musician I find that I personally have no problem with timing and rhythm with a straight key but most of the kids just aren't there. I am a musician (play every week) and I have no problems with straight key timing. I play guitar, bass and a bit of drums. My son is a drummer (kit general percussion) and bassist (better than me). He has a very good internal sense of rhythm. He found the paddles more intuitive than the straight key (but not by much). My other son plays saxophone. His sense of timing isn't quite as good but he's still pretty good. He found the straight key to be much harder than paddles. So even amongst musicians with good rhythm abilities, paddles are easier than the straight key. - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411.ssb.100 - - K3 711 - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
Brian You could make an extremely simple paddle from a piece of a hacksaw blade for the arm, and two brass screws for the dit and dah contacts. Good luck and 73 Bob N6WG - Original Message - From: Brian Lloyd [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 9:39 AM Subject: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle Knowing the penchant for CW that many of you have, I thought I would ask the following question here. Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? The kids are starting to send CW and I am finding they are having a LOT of trouble with a straight key. Most immediately gravitate to the bencher so I am trying to find a way to make a $5 paddle. Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
I suppose two hack saw blades could be used to make a twin lever keyer with not a whole lot more work. Or there's the time-honored tradition of hooking 2 straight keys bottom-to-bottom, turning them on their sides and using them as an iambic paddle. - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411.ssb.100 - - K3 711 - -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Robert Tellefsen Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:16 PM To: Brian Lloyd; Elecraft reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle Brian You could make an extremely simple paddle from a piece of a hacksaw blade for the arm, and two brass screws for the dit and dah contacts. Good luck and 73 Bob N6WG ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
As others have said, my first paddle was a hacksaw blade but take care of the sharp points! Better is a strip of pcb material, or 2 strips with a separator for iambic. From memory I used about 5mm wide and about 40mm from the fulcrum, which can be just a wood block with 2 slots cut and a screw through to pinch together. If you start to get ambitious, you could make the whole keyer/oscillator on the pcb, perhaps a TIC keyer. I did this to fit inside the base of a Norcal 20 with the paddle sticking out of the side to which I screwed a pair of Kent paddle handles. You could just shape the pcbs into large finger pads. David G3UNA - Original Message - From: Brian Lloyd [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 5:39 PM Subject: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle Knowing the penchant for CW that many of you have, I thought I would ask the following question here. Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? The kids are starting to send CW and I am finding they are having a LOT of trouble with a straight key. Most immediately gravitate to the bencher so I am trying to find a way to make a $5 paddle. Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
On Thursday 24 April 2008 12:39:01 pm Brian Lloyd wrote: Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? I made one when I built The Ultimate Keyer Mk2 by G3RVM in the February 1980 issue of Radio Communication. I used two thin strips of copper clad board. Mine was double sided but singe sided is all that's needed. I sawed a small diecast box to get two nice right angle brackets and screwed them on the base of the main diecast box where I had the electronics. The PCB strips came out the front of the box separated about half an inch. I used stick-on rubber feet as the thumb abd finger contacts. For the switch contacts, I drilled quarter inch staggered holes in the PCBs and using the other two corners of the cut box, mounted them outside the PCBs with a long screw going through each PCB hole. So the mounts for the screws are both outside the strips. The PCB strips were nicely springy and I adjusted the screws to a very fine touch. I bought a Bencher paddle soon afterwards. I have no idea why I dismantled my own paddles; I remember their being just as good as the Bencher. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962 -- ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Fw: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
one link you can check out: http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc/paddles.html al ve3gam - Original Message - From: Ian Stirling [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:48 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle On Thursday 24 April 2008 12:39:01 pm Brian Lloyd wrote: Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? I made one when I built The Ultimate Keyer Mk2 by G3RVM in the February 1980 issue of Radio Communication. I used two thin strips of copper clad board. Mine was double sided but singe sided is all that's needed. I sawed a small diecast box to get two nice right angle brackets and screwed them on the base of the main diecast box where I had the electronics. The PCB strips came out the front of the box separated about half an inch. I used stick-on rubber feet as the thumb abd finger contacts. For the switch contacts, I drilled quarter inch staggered holes in the PCBs and using the other two corners of the cut box, mounted them outside the PCBs with a long screw going through each PCB hole. So the mounts for the screws are both outside the strips. The PCB strips were nicely springy and I adjusted the screws to a very fine touch. I bought a Bencher paddle soon afterwards. I have no idea why I dismantled my own paddles; I remember their being just as good as the Bencher. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962 -- ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.4/1395 - Release Date: 4/24/2008 7:24 AM ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
I should have added how I made the contacts: I filed slots in the side panel and fitted M4 washers with M3 screws to give me some adjustability in contact spacing. That made for a rather hard contact, so, you might find a way of springing the grounding contact and it will be more comfortable. I found the pcb needed tinning with solder to make a good contact pad. David G3UNA As others have said, my first paddle was a hacksaw blade but take care of the sharp points! Better is a strip of pcb material, or 2 strips with a separator for iambic. From memory I used about 5mm wide and about 40mm from the fulcrum, which can be just a wood block with 2 slots cut and a screw through to pinch together. If you start to get ambitious, you could make the whole keyer/oscillator on the pcb, perhaps a TIC keyer. I did this to fit inside the base of a Norcal 20 with the paddle sticking out of the side to which I screwed a pair of Kent paddle handles. You could just shape the pcbs into large finger pads. David G3UNA ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
Lloyd, I also made one very simply and cheaply from double sided copper clad board based on a QST article that was published several years ago (which I have in my files at home and can send you a copy). Mine has a small horizontal board with a vertical board soldered o it. The vertical board is about 2 long and 1 high and has the contacts for the paddle arms. The paddle arms are a little narrower and about an inch longer than the vertical board. The attached to each side of the vertical board at the back with several layers of double sided foam tape, giving a spacing between the paddle arms and the center vertical board of about 1/8 and between each other of about 3/8. The spacing can be changed by using more or fewer layers of foam tape. The foam tape acts as the spring, as well as an insulator between the center vertical board and the paddle arms. The whole thing is attached to an Altoids box that's filled with pennies to give it a heavy base. I used this for many QSOs as I was getting my code speed up. 73, Bob W1SRB -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ian Stirling Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:49 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle On Thursday 24 April 2008 12:39:01 pm Brian Lloyd wrote: Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? I made one when I built The Ultimate Keyer Mk2 by G3RVM in the February 1980 issue of Radio Communication. I used two thin strips of copper clad board. Mine was double sided but singe sided is all that's needed. I sawed a small diecast box to get two nice right angle brackets and screwed them on the base of the main diecast box where I had the electronics. The PCB strips came out the front of the box separated about half an inch. I used stick-on rubber feet as the thumb abd finger contacts. For the switch contacts, I drilled quarter inch staggered holes in the PCBs and using the other two corners of the cut box, mounted them outside the PCBs with a long screw going through each PCB hole. So the mounts for the screws are both outside the strips. The PCB strips were nicely springy and I adjusted the screws to a very fine touch. I bought a Bencher paddle soon afterwards. I have no idea why I dismantled my own paddles; I remember their being just as good as the Bencher. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962 -- ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] simple iambic paddle
Hi Brian, Take a look at my website ( www.k9ew.us )for some homebrew key / paddle ideas. Most were copied or adapted from the designs of others that I found on the Internet. Look under Projects / Paddles and Keys. They are very low-tech, and don't require much skill to build. And they all work! 73, ed - k9ew www.k9ew.us On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 11:39 AM, Brian Lloyd [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Knowing the penchant for CW that many of you have, I thought I would ask the following question here. Does anyone have a design for a very simple iambic key that can be made with simple materials and hand tools? The kids are starting to send CW and I am finding they are having a LOT of trouble with a straight key. Most immediately gravitate to the bencher so I am trying to find a way to make a $5 paddle. Brian Lloyd Granite Bay Montessori School 9330 Sierra College Bl brian AT gbmontessori DOT com Roseville, CA 95661 +1.916.367.2131 (voice)+1.791.912.8170 (fax) PGP key ID: 12095C52A32A1B6C PGP key fingerprint: 3B1D BA11 4913 3254 B6E0 CC09 1209 5C52 A32A 1B6C ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
