NorCal Paddles (Deoxit)
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In a message dated 6/9/2004 10:22:51 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes: I have the "Norcal Paddles" and I really enjoy them but seem to have a problem with lack of continuity occasionally when the contacts are closed. Use some Deoxit D100 on the contacts. Deoxit is a red liquid (there may be other varieties) that will enhance any contact that you can apply it to. I got mine at a high end audio store, audiophiles use it on interconnects for better sound. I have a set of iambic paddles that used to drive me crazy needing contact cleaning every few QSOs. The keyer in my Kenwood puts such a small current through the key contacts as to offer no self cleaning at all. After using Deoxit, the paddles have gone a year without the need for cleaning. The small $5 tube is probably a lifetime supply. http://shopping.netledger.com/s.nl/c.ACCT113328/sc.2/category.188/.f I'd try the Deoxit before fooling with the silver contacts. Bill K3UJ _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com |
RE: NorCal Paddles (Deoxit)
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I had a similar experience with a 50-year old Speed-X semi-automatic key
(bug), Bill. It has brass contacts. I was always "burnishing" the contacts every couple of days, especially the dot contacts, or they'd get intermittent. I put some DeOxit on them several months ago and they've worked perfectly ever since! Clearly the stuff leaves a coating that resists a film buildup. Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- I have the "Norcal Paddles" and I really enjoy them but seem to have a problem with lack of continuity occasionally when the contacts are closed. Use some Deoxit D100 on the contacts. ...After using Deoxit, the paddles have gone a year without the need for cleaning. The small $5 tube is probably a lifetime supply. I'd try the Deoxit before fooling with the silver contacts. Bill K3UJ _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Able2fly
DeOxit in the red can is excellent stuff for cleaning most metal contacts and keeping them working. Too aggressive for plastic volume controls though, so don't use it there. They make another DeOxit in a blue can for that, it is also very good. They also make a liquid for treating contacts after they have been cleaned with the red stuff and another optimized for gold contacts. MCM Electronics sells most forms of it in the spray cans. Check their catalog or web site. It's also available undiluted in bulk and in larger cans as well as those little vials they sell to audiophiles. The product is made by a company called Caig laboratories, and they have a website if you want to read all about it.
Bob Bruner W9TAJ _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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What this discussion has failed to note is that in some (perhaps most)
cases, the problem is not the contacts at all, but rather the bearings. When I built two of these paddles back when they were initially offered, both exhibited the "intermittant contacts" syndrome. As soon as I heard about them, I ordered and installed the silvered relay contacts in both paddles, but they continued to show the same symptoms. The Arizona ScQRPions apparently experienced the same problem with the NorCal paddle and incorporated a fix in the offering of their own paddle kit. I built one of their paddles and found that the contacts were 100% reliable. Shortly thereafter, I "borrowed" their idea and used it on the NorCal paddle. I drilled two small holes through the base, directly behind the bearings. I soldered single strands from stranded hookup wire to the under- side of each arm in line with the newly drilled holes. The wires are fed through the holes, the arms are re-mounted on their bearings, and the other ends of the wires are soldered to the ground lug on the underside of the base. This completely solved my "intermittant contacts" problem! More recently, my friend W4OV managed to find an unbuilt NorCal kit and put it together. He found he was having the same problem with the contacts. He also ordered a set of the silvered relay contacts, but has yet to install them. But he did do the mod I described above, and it also cured his problem. -- 73, Bob Patten, N4BP Plantation, FL E-Mail: [hidden email] Website: http://www.qsl.net/n4bp QRP ARCI #3412 SOC #1 ARS #799 Whiners #6 FISTS #7871 _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
One of the important points Caig Laboratories (the manufacturer) makes in
their directions is to USE LESS THEN you think you need. This stuff goes a LONG way, and a SINGLE DROP is generally MORE THAN YOU NEED. The $5.95 2 mL tube might last a lifetime at that rate. They also sell Q-tip-type applicators, which help to limit the amount of DeoxIT you take from the bottle and how much apply to the job. I've found that using a regular Q-tip with about 90% of the cotton pulled off (to leave just a small covering) seems to work pretty well. I've also used a toothpick tip as an applicator with excellent results as well. The watchword is use SPARINGLY. Though I've not tried using it specifically, they offer an applicator PEN (7 mL) which appears to have a hard-felt-tipped applicator, which I'd think would help the overexuberant user to mete out smaller amounts to such applications as we might want to use it for. NOTE: Caig offers much of the DeoxIT line in both 100% (100D) and 5% (5D) dilutions. The 5% solution is supposedly for lightly oxidized contacts, while the 100% is mentioned for more heavily 'grunged' contacts. The 5% costs less, but might not be as widely available nor as widely usable for the various applications we hams might want to make of it. I think I'd still invest in the 100% solution (more is better, right?).. <G> I bought the 25 mL squeeze bottle with needle applicator because I wanted the pinpoint application ability. Having now used DeoxIT a couple times (with good results by the way) I can see that I'd probably have been able to save myself some $$ if I would have bought the 2 mL tube, or the 7 mL pen. One final note - I'd NOT recommend investing in the spray can version of DeoxIT... WAY too much opportunity for wasting this precious (price-wise) stuff, when so little of it is really needed. 73, Tom Hammond N0SS At 10:32 PM 6/9/04, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: >I had a similar experience with a 50-year old Speed-X semi-automatic key >(bug), Bill. It has brass contacts. I was always "burnishing" the contacts >every couple of days, especially the dot contacts, or they'd get >intermittent. I put some DeOxit on them several months ago and they've >worked perfectly ever since! Clearly the stuff leaves a coating that >resists a film buildup. > >Ron AC7AC > >-----Original Message----- >I have the "Norcal Paddles" and I really enjoy them but seem to have a >problem with lack of continuity occasionally when the contacts are closed. >Use some Deoxit D100 on the contacts. ...After using >Deoxit, the paddles have gone a year without the need for cleaning. The >small $5 >tube is probably a lifetime supply. >I'd try the Deoxit before fooling with the silver contacts. > >Bill K3UJ > > >_______________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Post to: [hidden email] >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >You must subscribe to post. >Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): >http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Hi gang.
Does anyone know of a place (a chain store like Radio Shack, Circuit City, etc.) that sells DeoxIT? The web site that was posted lists the price at $5.95 and the s/h at $7.50. It's not that I'm a cheapskate (well maybe it is), its just the principal of the thing (I'm sure thee $7.50 is a fair representation of the cost to ship, don't get me wrong on that). Anyway, if anyone knows of a place that carries the stuff that I can go it pick it up, I;d appreciate the lead. Tom WB2QDG Long Island ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------- One thing I don't like about this country is that everyone gets to have his own opinion on things! -----Original Message----- From: Tom Hammond <[hidden email]> To: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> Date: Thursday, June 10, 2004 8:57 AM Subject: [Elecraft] DeoxIT contact cleaner One of the important points Caig Laboratories (the manufacturer) makes in their directions is to USE LESS THEN you think you need. This stuff goes a LONG way, and a SINGLE DROP is generally MORE THAN YOU NEED. The $5.95 2 mL tube might last a lifetime at that rate. They also sell Q-tip-type applicators, which help to limit the amount of DeoxIT you take from the bottle and how much apply to the job. I've found that using a regular Q-tip with about 90% of the cotton pulled off (to leave just a small covering) seems to work pretty well. I've also used a toothpick tip as an applicator with excellent results as well. The watchword is use SPARINGLY. Though I've not tried using it specifically, they offer an applicator PEN (7 mL) which appears to have a hard-felt-tipped applicator, which I'd think would help the overexuberant user to mete out smaller amounts to such applications as we might want to use it for. NOTE: Caig offers much of the DeoxIT line in both 100% (100D) and 5% (5D) dilutions. The 5% solution is supposedly for lightly oxidized contacts, while the 100% is mentioned for more heavily 'grunged' contacts. The 5% costs less, but might not be as widely available nor as widely usable for the various applications we hams might want to make of it. I think I'd still invest in the 100% solution (more is better, right?).. <G> I bought the 25 mL squeeze bottle with needle applicator because I wanted the pinpoint application ability. Having now used DeoxIT a couple times (with good results by the way) I can see that I'd probably have been able to save myself some $$ if I would have bought the 2 mL tube, or the 7 mL pen. One final note - I'd NOT recommend investing in the spray can version of DeoxIT... WAY too much opportunity for wasting this precious (price-wise) stuff, when so little of it is really needed. 73, Tom Hammond N0SS At 10:32 PM 6/9/04, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: >I had a similar experience with a 50-year old Speed-X semi-automatic key >(bug), Bill. It has brass contacts. I was always "burnishing" the contacts >every couple of days, especially the dot contacts, or they'd get >intermittent. I put some DeOxit on them several months ago and they've >worked perfectly ever since! Clearly the stuff leaves a coating that >resists a film buildup. > >Ron AC7AC > >-----Original Message----- >I have the "Norcal Paddles" and I really enjoy them but seem to have a >problem with lack of continuity occasionally when the contacts are closed. >Use some Deoxit D100 on the contacts. ...After using >Deoxit, the paddles have gone a year without the need for cleaning. The >small $5 >tube is probably a lifetime supply. >I'd try the Deoxit before fooling with the silver contacts. > >Bill K3UJ > > >_______________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Post to: [hidden email] >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >You must subscribe to post. >Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): >http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm >Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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