Hexkey OT

[rfenabled]

Hi,

Does anyone have one of the Elecraft paddles?

Would you be able to email me with your thoughts on these.

I am getting back into CW and the selection available is a little daunting to the uninitiated.

Please reply direct to reduce the bandwidth on the reflector as I don't wish to cause unnecessary clutter..(:-))

73's
Gary
VK4FD
Sent via BlackBerry® from Telstra
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[Richard Squire - HB9ANM]

Hi Gary

Welcome back to CW!
I know you'd prefer a direct answer but I couldn't find your email address - not even on QRZ.COM - and I think this may be of interest to others, too.
I have been using the Elecraft Hexkey for nearly two years (with my K3) and it's my favourite, although I've had several others including Bencher's (note that the Hexkey is a Bencher, too). Once properly adjusted, it lets my CW flow easily. YMMV, as they say...
73

rfenabled wrote

Does anyone have one of the Elecraft paddles?

[k6dgw]

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No fooling that's what showed up when I hit Reply.  To the reflector,
there may be others looking for comments.

I have a Hexkey with the Elecraft label [got it from them].  I think it
is actually made by Bencher.  I have two standard Bencher paddles as
well, the ones with the looped spring.

Short answer:  The Hexkey is the best dual-lever paddle I've ever had in
56+ years as a ham, bar none.

It is magnetically tensioned, and it took me awhile to get it right for
me.  I was way too old to learn the "squeeze" when Iambic came out and I
just slap the paddles back and forth like I always have.  The
adjustments require very tiny changes to have significant effects.

It is very nicely engineered and fabricated, and the feel is very
smooth, solid, and reliable.  I can actually send several sentences of
text before making any misteaks, better than I can do on a computer
keyboard. :-)

Although the base mass is fairly high, I found that it tended to slip
around just a little on the desk.  YMMV, this could be a function of the
desk surface, mine is a Formica finish with just a perceptible texture.
Not to worry, however --

Dave, W8FGU, [ w8fgu.home.comcast.net ] makes a slick transparent
plastic cover for it.  The Hexkey sits on a plastic base, the cover fits
over it, the key doesn't move on the base, and the base doesn't move on
my desk.  It also keeps the chrome shiny, the base dust-free, and the
contacts clean.

I use it direct into the K3.  I have another proletarian Bencher that I
use into the USB Winkeyer.  That way, I can set the K3 for whatever
speed I want with the Hexkey, and run QRQ in contests with N1MM and the WK.

73,

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA

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