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| Reviews Summary for Begali Magnetic Professional |
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Reviews: 15
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $248.00 + 9.50 s/h
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Description: Magnetic iambic paddle with a metal oxide finish, using micro-threaded adjustments and precision bearings.
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More info: http://www.i2rtf.com
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You can
write your own review of the Begali Magnetic Professional.
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KE4KY
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 18, 2008 20:12
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The Best!!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Finish-perfect!
Adjustments-easy and smooth!
Weight-more than adequate to stay in place!
Feel/Action-crisp, exact, not spongy!
The nearest competitor is the Kent, followed by the K8RA line.
Bencher...well, does not come close.
I bought mine at Dayton (2008) and feel the money was well spent. I would highly recommend to anyone that is a CW enthusiast.
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K2KN
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 6, 2008 11:58
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Outstanding paddle
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This is my second Begali paddle. I am very pleased. The build quality and design is excellent. Very fine adjustments that stay put. Very fine and consistant feel like nothing else. This key is a bargan for what you get for the price. I have no reservations.
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M0XYZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 3, 2008 14:48
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simply fantastic.
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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After looking around and talking to freinds i wanted a new key to add to my collection ,i contacted bruna begali and enquired about a key to suit my needs and work along side my icom775 it soon became obvious that a magnetic classic was the one,ihave to say that the service i required was first class and i received my new key within 7days during the xmas season. For value and craftsmanship this key is absolute first class the cw just rolls off its a little early to say how it go s against the schurr and jones but i can tell you it s very encouraging so far i will post later with a new update on this product all the best and hope to work you soon m0xyz /G7kyj ady.
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W5LXG
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 19, 2007 08:29
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The best yet
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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It is all true! I can not add any more technically or commercially to the previous reviews on this wonder paddle. The Begali's treated me royally from my first e-mail to the day the paddle arrived 8 days after I paid for it. Over my 50 years on the air,I think I spent more than the cost of my Begali buying the "usual suspects" of other paddles,searching for the smoothest.One might skip the disappointments,buy a Begali and be done with it!
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N6NKN
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 11, 2007 15:16
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Perfect Match To The PRO III
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I had to wait a few weeks for my Magnetic Professional. But I didn't mind. I already have one of Piro's Simplex Monos and a gold plated Begali Signature. The Magnetic professional is a Signature dressed in basic black, and as such, it is a perfect match for my Icom Pro III. And does it play? Ah, yes. Sweet, sweet music like a fine violin. Uncompromising precision, the trademark of every Begali key.
When you use a key of this quality the small details stand out; the finely pitched adjustments, the flawless finish, and the rock solid feel when in use. It will spoil you for lesser instruments used in the art of Morse code.
Even something as simple as the finger pieces can influence the end result. I requested my key with the short black anodized aluminum finger pieces, and they have the feel of cool, fine silk.
If only everything in the world were made with the same quality and craftsmanship as the Begali keys.
"Begali Keys: Made By People Who Care."
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W7LRY
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Rating: 5/5
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May 20, 2007 16:36
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Incredible
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Received Begali Magnetic Professional SN #350. I am extremely impressed with the quality of workmanship. Service was great. After ordering I received an e-mail within a couple days saying it had been shipped and would receive it in about 12 to 15 days. I received it in 7 days. Bruna and Piero Begali are people you can trust and to me that means a lot.
For those that want to transport the paddle safely I found a Pelican case model #1060 that's perfect for width and height and long enough for the paddle and cable. Works great!
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W0JFR
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 27, 2006 10:01
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Superb, Precision Paddle
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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Serial Number #258
I ordered via the Internet, and received a confirmation email with an estimated delivery date. The key actually arrived a little sooner than predicted. It was packaged very well, and suffered no damage in the transatlantic shipment.
In addition to the key, the package included a feeler gauge to set contact spacing and spare screws for the wiring. Nice touch.
The paddle itself is an excellent design, built with precise machining. Finish is immaculate. I originally ordered several aluminum finger pieces and really liked the shorter version; however, my shack is in the basement and I found the aluminum was too cold. So, I ordered the plastic finger pieces -- they feel nice to the touch, but would prefer them to be a little shorter. (I'd really like to try some short, carbon fiber finger pieces!)
I continue to be extremely happy with this paddle -- I use it on a daily basis. I have two suggestions: 1. I would like a finer thread pitch on the contact screws for a little more precise spacing, and 2. I wish someone would make a dust cover and carrying case (like Vibroplex has for its keys).
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N9YB
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Rating: 5/5
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May 14, 2006 16:18
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Wonderful Workmanship
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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First off, doing business with Sr. Begali is laid back and easy. You send an e-mail, you get a prompt reply.
After getting the paddle, I spent some "tuning" the adjustments to suit my taste. Those setting have held true for over a year.
The workmanship is top notch. Expert machining coupled with a flawless finish. You can tell by looking it over that there was a substantial amount of design effort and precision manufacturing effort put into this instrument.
I highly recommend this Begali model to anyone who loves CW. After acquiring the Magnetic Professional, I retired my Bencher of 19 years by passing it down to a newly licensed novice, who will better appreciate it.
I am looking forward to procuring my next Begali.
Best 73
mike
N9YB
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K2VCO
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 6, 2006 20:53
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A top-notch key, but get the gold contacts
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is my third update of this review. Two years ago, I wrote a glowing review. I said that the workmanship and appearance (I compared it to a fine gun or tool), were top-notch, the adjustments smooth and stable, and the feel -- to my taste, of course -- the best of all the keys that I've used, including the great W9WBL paddle.
Then, more recently, I noted a problem. There was a random hesitation when starting to make dits or dahs, almost like the contacts weren't closing immediately. It seemed to happen more often the more the key was used! The cause turned out to be the contact alloy. Rather than having a fixed (low) contact resistance, it behaves almost like a semiconductor, maintaining a constant forward voltage drop over a range of current. Letting it sit for a week or two appeared to improve things, making me think that an oxide layer develops with different characteristics.
This contact resistance behavior caused the intermittent problems with my Logikey K3 and the internal keyers in my Elecraft K2 and TS850s. I later found out that it is even worse with keyers like Winkey, in which a voltage divider arrangement is used to feed a single PIC analog input pin to distinguish dits and dahs.
Begali has made available an upgrade kit with gold contacts. I ordered this kit, installed the contacts, and now the operation of the key is perfect, matching its appearance and feel. The upgrade is considerably more expensive than ordering the optional gold contacts with the key, so I highly recommend the latter option!
I am rating the Begali Magnetic Pro a 5 -- with the understanding that you must get it with the optional gold contacts.
Vic, K2VCO
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K7NG
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 5, 2006 06:16
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A treasure
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I can't say enough good stuff about this paddle or the quality of customer service offered by Sr. Begali. The paddle is very finely crafted and the finish of the Professional is very understated and workmanlike - which is partly why I bought one in the first place. For some time I thought I had made a mistake, since the adjustments seemed to change with use. I found that it was a result of very heavy-fisted sending due to fighting my rig's internal keyer, and when I corrected that situation, the Begali was absolutely perfect. You just can't bang it around - once you discover how to caress it and treat it like the fine piece of work it is, CW at any speed becomes virtually effortless. Pietro Begali and his daughter (who does the English correspondence) are perfectly polite and interested in delighting the customer. I even got a Christmas card from them! I can't be more happy with my investment.
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