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write your own review of the Vibroplex Blue Racer.
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KD4VQT
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 30, 2012 14:35
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A great key
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I got a 1957 racer and fell in love with the key. I purchased a new standard in Jan and it is used along with my Centenial Bug. It is a great key and occupies a special place on my desk when in use. I recommend it as a piece of history that you can use and enjoy. I really like the small size as my desk is not real large.
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KD4VQT
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 26, 2011 16:36
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Good Key
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I recently purchased a 1957 original Blue Racer on ebay. I am very impressed with the key and love to use it. I do not know how it compares with the 2000 model but the quiality in this old key is there and it easily adjusted to my style as a slower CW sender. I gave it the rating of 5 because it is a wonderful key. It is a bit tricky since it wants to go so rapidly but that can be lessened by a vari-speed.
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N3DF
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 8, 2011 21:33
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Nice to Look at!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have half a dozen Blue Racers made from the 1920s to the Millenium model. They are all distinctively different and they are all nice. The modern version differs significantly from the construction of the earlier ones. They are not really the same model. I value the easy adjustability of my iambic paddles and keyer so the Blue Racers stay in the display cabinet.
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KC4ETW
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 8, 2011 20:27
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I had fun
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Last Febuary I had the pleasure of visiting our local ham fest here in Charleston S.C Wheras a out of state vendor had the venerable Blue Racer 2000 brand new still in the box.I didnt have the couple of hundred dollars the thing cost at the time and the vendor took my debit card information and said that they could bill me when I called and told them the funds were available.I couldnt believe I actually had a Blue Racer all of my own and with a child like glee I stopped at the closest restaraunt and ordered lunch while I opened the box and examined the beauty at hand.After making my way home I just could not wait to try the bug.After reading this artical and that on how to properly adjust the bug,and wanting a magnetic mercury key from Bencher,I slowly realized that with the bug I would have a distinctive CW note on the air and after having the key for almost a year now I dont think I have fully mastered the bug yet.And had to buy a vari speed for it to try to get it to slow down enough so my sending speed would match my recieve speed.I have struggled with the bug and with a magnetic key my struggles would have been over long ago,but.With all of the effort and all of the trial and error I will tell you this.I wouldnt trade the bug for any thing else on the market.I know full well that in time the bug will settle down and fall in line with the way I want to send code and I also know that the bug will send a distinctive and rich CW note pleasing to the senses of all who hear it.This will take time and effort to aquire the skill and to put enough miles on the bug in order to reach the goal I have set for myself.As the old saying goes,I have heard a number of times from long tried and true CW artists.Give the bug time and time will give you what you really want.I give the bug a five because of the things it taught me about CW and the reasons why people still use the mode.I also give the bug a five simply because it is beautiful to look at.And once again I give the bug a five because of the rich and fluid history that surrounds this key that no other key can match.If whoever reads this review decides to purchas a Vibroplex Blue Racer based on what I have said.Stay the coarse and make the bug deliver for you as I and so many others have done.But most of all take pride in your CW and enjoy.I hope to hear you on the air someday.
KC4ETW
Kenneth
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KD0V
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 23, 2009 05:18
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Good
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My Blue Racer is the left handed version. This is the first bug that I have ever used. I own a Begali Simplex Mono and Signature and a Kent KT-1 Professional Straight Key. The Blue Racer when properly adjusted has as smooth an action as the other three keys I own. It requires slightly more effort to use, but that is not tiring or significant. The adjustments on the Blue Racer hold ok, if you do not move it around very much, it therefore is not a good key for traveling. It is fine if you are going to leave it on the desk. It still rate it a 5, because it works very well. There are some operator problems, but they are not the fault of the Blue Racer.
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VE3HG
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 23, 2007 10:39
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Bug fixed
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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My previous review reported on a sticky feel to the paddles. Discovered at Dayton that a Blue Racer should not feel sticky so sent it back to Vibroplex. It was returned quickly with no sticky feel to it. Whatever was causing the stickiness was fixed and the bug works great. Very good service from the Vibroplex folks. The mail department must have dropped the package from a high place as the plastic paddles shattered in transit but Vibroplex replaced them without charge and the bug feels great.
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K5RIX
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 8, 2006 05:34
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Super Bug for the Experienced
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I must take issue with some here who claim that the "old" Vibroplexes, by definition, are better than these contemporary examples. This current crop from Alabama are of the highest quality, and of much more consistent performance unit-to-unit than any generation of Vibroplexes I have ever encountered.
The current Y2K Blue Racer may not be the way to get your feet wet with regard to semi-auto keys. But if you know yer way around, these little beasts just scream. All the adjustments are there, the exact same as a current Original. The parts are the best in the history of this fabled name. I do wish they still used nickle plating, though. I also wish the 20th Century Limited still ran.
I have a Vibroplex Original s/n 86416 manufactured in 1922 that sends the very best code, but even with two weights doesn't go below about 27 WPM. My Y2K Blue Racer sends about 25 WPM at the low end. Yet I own a c.1940 Lightning bug that can slug along at about 18 WPM. In my oppinion, the Lightning Bug/Champion/Zypher mechanism is inferior. I own a c.1960 Original that will go down to approximately 22 WPM. The whole thing is the spring rate of the particular piece and particular construction of each instrument. Each machine is different. Like the weather, if ya don't like it, just wait.
The current Vibroplex Y2K Blue Racer is a superb key. Even with modern manufacturing, the spring is the thing. Choose yours well. If you don't know, try a bunch. If you can't try a bunch, by all means improve your code and use the one you can get. If the guy/gal on the other end can only go 20 WPM, you can always use the dash paddle like a straight key. In fact, I do believe that was one of the original design objectives of Mr. Martin. Still there, and you don't need to break the law to buy one.
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W6TH
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 26, 2006 10:41
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A pleasure bug.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I first started using the Vibroplex bugs back in the year of 1937/1938, both ham radio, commercial and military service. I have tried many different models in time. I find each and every model has a different feel and a different speed, dot to dash ratio.
Of all the Vibroplex bugs I find that my Blue Racer model (Y2K) year 2000 is a very fast bug for the more advanced operator. My Y2K came with just one weight and that is what I found is all needed for my operating skill, you may require two weights.
In my opinion, I believe that the Y2K surpasses all other Vibroplex bugs for higher speed and more for the more experienced cw operator.
Remember: Practice makes perfect, but don't try to sound like a keyboard and we will know who you are just by your sending techniques.
W6TH
.:
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DJ8GO
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 9, 2004 16:29
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Blue Nostalgia
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I couldn't quite resist the temptation to have a Blue Racer with a blue base in the display cabinet, so I ordered a Blue Racer 2000 from Vibroplex ... This truly is a nice looking bug, and to my eye the Blue Racers have the most attractive form factor of all Vibroplexes. Compared to some older Vibroplex bugs that I own, I was surprised to find that you can adjust it down to fairly moderate speeds (I always thought of the Blue Racer as a high-speed only bug), and the workmanship seems as good as with any other Vibroplex key that I have seen. Although I'm much more at home with my Begali iambic paddles, and for bug nite I would probably prefer my Frattini Semi-Magnetico, I think this one will not only collect dust in the cabinet - it just looks too nice to not be taken out every now and then!
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VE7BGP
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 14, 2003 13:29
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As Cute as a Little Bug
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I recently picked up an old Blue Racer Standard and a Mint '68 Original Standard from a local ham that put an add in the local Static our club's news letter. Boy was I thrilled to see a little post WW II Black Based Blue Racer sitting there. The serial # label is missing but it has the black crackle painted base and the lock screw for the trunnion pin making making it circa '48 to '51. It needed a real good cleaning, TLC and I got a couple of correct looking weights made up by machinist friends. Oh Boy! do I ever like this little Bug it has a real nice feel and action to it. It's a "real" Blue Racer with the smaller Castings not like the new sawed off Original they So Call a Blue Racer and charge Big $$ for. I am looking forward to the next Bug Nite and hope to see other Blue Racer and Lightning users out there on the air. See you on 40 or 15 low end.
73
Gerry
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