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1-6 of 6 messages
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Sideswipper or Cootie homebrew
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by KE7WAV on October 7, 2009
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I have been clicking along quite happily with my straight key for a year now. I don't have as much time for radio as I would like but I get an hour or two a week when I can sit down and call CQ or enjoy a SKED with a friend.
I have had a heap of fun and have made some great contacts. I have enjoyed several long QSO's, an hour or so, over the last few weeks which has led me to be curious about other kinds of keys.
One of my friends, KF7ATL, has just homebrewed a paddle from an article he found here on Eham. I like the simple design but I also like the idea of manual code production, especially since I plan on being a bit more active in the SKCC sprints etc in the near future. So my search began. I have found some cool homebrewed keys including Sideswipers AKA Cooties.
I have been contemplating building one or more of these keys, but before I do I thought I would ask advice from those of you who have used or made these keys before. Of course, which key you use is a matter of personal preference. Nevertheless I would like to survey the audience here on Eham and get your opinions ideas etc.
1) Are they fairly easy to use after only using a straight key? (Of course with a few hours of practice prior to stepping out on the air.)
2)If you have ever homebrewed one how did you build it? (The ubiquitous hacksaw blade?)
3)I have read mixed reviews about clean and crisp code production with a sideswipper; what is your experience either using or hearing them?
Thanks for all your input and 73
KE7WAV SKCC#5500 ..
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RE: Sideswipper or Cootie homebrew
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by VA7CPC on October 7, 2009
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If you haven't read it yet, try:
"The Art of Sideswipery"
http://www.mtechnologies.com/cootie.htm
and
Cootie Sideswiper Key Operation - w6vx David H Atkins
http://www.qsl.net/n0uf/w6vx.htm
I can tell you one thing that failed (for me). I tried making a sideswiper from perforated circuit board, using
small "tactile switches" (which click) for the contacts.
It was awful -- the circuit board was too flexible, the switch action was too heavy, and the whole thing needed to be _heavy_ (which it wasn't).
[Those little switches worked fine in a flat arrangement (like the "Finger Tip Tapper" paddle).]
If I were doing it again, I'd use a rigid lever (probably brass), with a thin, flat steel spring at the pivoting end. And I'd make the base heavy.
I suspect that Bunnell (who made a lot of them) knew what they were doing. The Bunnell sideswipers pop up on eBay occasionally, if you decide not to home-brew.
Homebrew, most of those I've seen use hacksaw blades with the teeth ground off. Much more flexible than the brass lever, but hacksaw blades are easy to find, and easy to replace.
Charles
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RE: Sideswipper or Cootie homebrew
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by K7MH on October 10, 2009
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I home brewed a cootie key about a year ago. Look me up on qrz.com for a picture of it in my bio. I am not very good at it as I really haven't used it a lot. How it works makes more sense to me than a bug does though! I am quite sure I could conquer it faster than I could a bug!
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RE: Sideswipper or Cootie homebrew
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by K7MH on October 10, 2009
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BTW, I used a hacksaw blade and some parts from a beat up coffin key I found at a hamfest.
The Bunnell does show up on Ebay from time to time as do a few others. The Bunnell commands a pretty big price and a nice one can go for around $400-$500. Too rich for my blood although nothing would be cooler to have! Nothing more fun than plugging one in and asking a friend to try it out without telling him anything about it. Most hams don't know anything about them!!
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RE: Sideswipper or Cootie homebrew
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by VA7CPC on October 15, 2009
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For a decent picture of a Bunnell sideswiper, try
www.ebay.com -- Item number: 280409293732
The current bid is over $80, so it's not cheap. But home-brewing a similar design should be easy -- there's nothing "precision" about the key.
Charles
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