my Kent and Begali run circles around my Vibroplex - the Kent is not that expensive...compared to Begali.

Larry - KA2DDX

My Begali magnetic classic is the best I own - I also have the Kent tp-1, the mfj bencher knockoff, and the Fuller paddle - the Begali is better because it is magnetic return but also costs a lot more money. Of the spring returns, the Fuller paddle is the best, followed by the Kent. The mfj is ok, but tends to go out of adjustment often (pain in the neck).

No flack from this corner - I can mistype things with the best of them. I can understand your frustration. However, please move forward in this hobby and get your general. I've been on hf over 50 years now and have made friends all over the world. There is no activity I know of which brings more satisfaction to me than amateur radio. I've been in several clubs, mostly in the military and can understand a little of the dynamics of a club. Here in the upstate NY area there are a number of clubs. Approaching retirement I decided to check out a few as well as upgrade my general ticket to extra. One meeting I attended did not yield enough time on the agenda to introduce myself. So, I attended a different club meeting and was immediately invited to join them for field day the following weekend. You never know! Stay with it, get on hf and broaden your horizons with all the possibilities. And, if you hear me, please break in and say hello. Whatever you do, good luck to you.

Larry - KA2DDX

I have the Begali Magnetic Classic and the MFJ. The MFJ is a Bencher knock off. The Begali runs circles around any spring return paddle, imho. There is a huge difference between the two. If you are thinking about a magnetic paddle, bite the bullet or ask Santa to drop one off in December. You'll be happy, I bet. In between these two on the price scale, I also have the Kent tp-1, which is a very nice and affordable paddle, much better than the MFJ and about 150 bux.

73s - Larry

My first was the Heathkit hd-1416 keyer. It was great until it died and I couldn't get parts for it. But, you have to use one hand to hold it still. Then, I moved on to the Kent tp-1, and I have had it now for 7 years and it is excellent for it's class of paddle. I also have the MFJ paddle, which is a Bencher knock off. I like using it except for the fact that it doesn't hold it's settings. Now and then you have to readjust it. The Kent and higher end paddles are adjust and forget.

73's - Larry

While I don't own those two models...........I do own the Yaesu ft8800r and the vx6r and I bought the software for them when I bought the radios. In my view, buying the software should be automatic. This new generation of radios give us so much capability. You can use them without the software, but having the software makes them so much easier to use and operate and appreciate. I also use HRD with my ft950 hf rig. Software makes ham radio a world of difference, especially for the level of sophistication all these rigs offer us. The cost of RT systems software isn't that high, and you only buy the software once.

Good luck with your ft950 - I have one and use it extensively on cw - I also have an ft920, and found the 950 to have a better receiver. The 950 has a much steeper learning curve. I have found Yaesu support to be very willing and able to answer questions. Once you get the hang of the 950 you'll love it. Others have mentioned the ft990, however the 990 is no longer in production. The 950 is the second generation after the 990 and first generation after the 920. Keep that in mind in case you ever need service / parts, etc.........

I live in the Buffalo area and know of no amateur radio stores around here. The last time I went to a store it was AES in Cleveland. Since then it's mail order for me. Seems like upstate New York is a desert for things like this. Actually, for lots of things besides ham radio.

Anyone know of a ham radio store in upstate New York? i.e. Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, etc........

and to think.......somewhere there is a hard drive on a server, hosting this question and answer session.


wow

and to think.......somewhere there is a hard drive on a server, hosting this question and answer session.


wow

Use your regular call until you have the qso established. At that moment, add the "kp4".

Makes it easy.

Well, back in the day....

was 1962 and I had this little battery operated code oscillator and a Hallicrafters S108 receiver. So, I wrote the code down on paper and memorized it 5 characters at a time. Then drilled myself until I had letters, numbers and punctuation down pat. Then I practiced sending till I got around 5wpm. Next, was to tune in the ham bands and listen. But, in those days were also a lot of commercial cw stations. I copied those guys endlessly, even tho' I didn't have a clue what they were sending. Didn't matter, the objective was to get good at code, not interpret a message. That would come later.

I spent a lot of hours listening to stuff faster than I could copy and before I knew it, I was copying the fast stuff.

So, it's a natural progression. Just gotta stay with it. I didn't use tapes, thought they were boring and predictable.

73's - Larry - KA2DDX

What I find strange is the lack of respect the ops in this weekends cw contest have for ongoing / non contest operating. Case in point, 14.070 is being bludgeoned with "cq test" even though there are any number of stations attempting to qso via psk31 with one another. It's not supposed to be this way. It is this way on all the non-warc bands.

Ok, to answer your question, I've noticed 40 meters not being it's old self either. Not sure why. At times it seems to be open long, with little or no activity.

Find yourself a keyer that will send random code at various speeds. MFJ makes some. Copy it until you find your speed going up. Code speed increases by listening, not by sending. Listening to a keyer is a beautiful way to do it. But, copy random code, not English. If you cannot buy a keyer, then do the English copy of W1AW broadcasts at different speeds. Again, the idea is to copy, not send. Over time, the rhythm of good code will be imbedded in your head and you'll be surprised how well you do. Try your skills on the air from time to time and don't worry about mistakes or extra dits. We all did those, you are certainly not alone in this department. Good Luck..........

I don't consider Radio Shack a ham radio store. I don't consider them an electronics store. Not when one end of the store is loaded up with remote control toys, and I'm not talking about Christmas time. Whatever they are, I wish them luck. If we don't like the hard sell they give us all the time, we are free to go elsewhere. That's the American way. In fact, quietly moving on to another dealer is often the best way to deal with this sort of thing. It really is too bad, but we don't have to be the losers. R.S. loses.