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| Reviews Summary for N3ZN KEYS Model ZN-4A |
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Reviews: 13
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $165.00
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Description: Iambic paddle, ball bearings, magnetic lever return, short lightweight arms, ideal for QRQ operation
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More info: http://www.n3znkeys.com
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You can
write your own review of the N3ZN KEYS Model ZN-4A.
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N4TKC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 11, 2008 09:43
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A Work of Art
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The craftsmanship is excellent. I even paid extra for the personalized brass callsign plate. I have no intention of selling this key! It is also very good value for money. Compare with other keys. Definitely a work of art!
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WA1HSU
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 3, 2008 14:12
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N3ZN ZN4A is Excellent
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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After deciding to get back into CW I shopped the reviews and consulted with a number of our local club members and finally decided on a ZN4A. I could not be more pleased. Tony's craftsmanship is superb and the key performs beautifully. You will not be disappointed and there is no reason to spend any more for other high quality keys.
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K1YAN
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 17, 2008 06:22
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Well Made & Responsive
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Over the 45 years I have run CW I have used several paddles ( and a bunch of bugs ) .. Vibroplex Iambic and Square Brass Racer models ,a Bencher BY-1 and a Kent iambic model. After a lot of internet searching, I decided to try the ZN-4A.
In a couple of weeks I was unpacking the key, which was wrapped to survive any shippers best efforts to damage it. Delivery was a few days ahead of what was quoted.
My initial impression was that the key was a lot smaller than I had envisioned it. Fit and finish were top shelf. The finish on the black painted base was flawless and with the polished brass it makes a handsome package. A few minor tweaks to adjust the magnetic lever tension ( generous, knurled adjustment screws make this easy and precise ) and everything was set as I wanted.
The small size of the key and the large size of my hands were not a perfect fit. I found my thumb hitting the edge, rather than the flat surface of the fingerpiece and my pointer finger brushing the base as I keyed. An e-mail asking about bigger fingerpieces resulted in an offer of a longer and larger set for the right price ( $0.00 ). Problem nicely solved ... you folks with bigger hands might ask about this when you order.
Overall a solid, well built key that should easily handle QRS to QRQ operation for many, many years and look good doing it.
Customer service and communication rate five stars ... a company that asks for your feedback on how you like the product and really means it ... how often do you see that?
VY 73,
Gary K1YAN
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N9ZI
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 19, 2008 17:08
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Very Good Paddle
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I got this as a Christmas present from my Mother, wounder how she knew what to get me, hi hi.
This is a real high quality paddle, got the all brass one & it looks great, has great feel and touch, am extremely happy with this one.
Also have one other keeper, a Begali Simplex Mono.
Have been a CW op for over 54 years now & thank Tony for providing such a fine paddle for me to use now.
Terry N9ZI
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K3EY
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 18, 2008 19:47
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Sleeper
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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One thing I know about in this hobby is paddles because I am very interested in them plus I had a ton of them over the last twenty five years. That includes the high-end models costing plenty. I owned three different WBLV22 paddles which are the best of the best for feel. I have been a journeyman machinist since the early 70’s worked as a machinist for a major airline until forced retirement due to 9/11. I now work as a journeyman machinist for General Electric. This is my field-- paddles included.
There are very well made paddles being manufactured by individuals using only top grade materials with the very best bearings and gold contacts, still the WBL paddles are by far the best--for feel, where no others have come close. That is until Tony decided to produce paddles himself based on different types of high-end paddles. Tony also owned a ton of paddles before deciding to make them himself to gain the knowledge and experience necessary.
I did proto type work for Tony critiquing his paddles with my impressions of what was good and what was not in the paddles he sent me to test. I was harsh with my critiquing. Tony responded accordingly. The end results were paddles that use high quality bearings and very strong magnets, light weight arms, short ratios, and most of all the ability to set the contacts so close they just about touch without needing constant adjusting to maintain that extremely close spacing no matter the temperature or harsh fist using them
When you accomplish a very close spacing (which almost all paddles being produced just can’t do) you have a very unique feel. The WBL does this. As Ulrich/N2DE named it-- Black Magic-- which I agree with. Any of Tony’s paddles are capable of this very close setting by virtue of the design, the materials and construction that goes into them. I can set Tony’s paddles to such a close setting that the feel matches the WBL. I must qualify here explaining that my N3ZN paddle uses wood finger pieces, just like WBL. The feel is as close as you can get to the WBL and why it’s the only paddle I use these days.
I know there are truly fine paddles being produced out there with the best of materials used. I owned just about all of those paddles and they will outlive me ten to one. I also found that not one of those paddles, even the ones costing five hundred dollars match the N3ZN paddles for feel. It’s impossible to accomplish unless you take the path Tony did.
The WBL feel is what Tony took into account when going through the headaches and heartaches of making and trying paddle after paddle until he found what it required to produce that perfect paddle. At the same time the paddles had to be priced accordingly so people could afford to buy them. I use his Vertical paddle because that is what I prefer being the WBL fan I am, it’s the WBL match.
I have used all of his paddles and they all have the architecture within them to produce the best feel you could possibly get out of a set of paddles. For those who never used a paddle like the WBL a good example would be a capacitance touch paddle. One with no moving parts that functions with capacitance touch. A extremely light touch is all that is required which produces this great feel that with practice you can send at extremely high speeds without fatigue or errors.
Tony’s paddles are the best kept secret out there. Like the WBL that made black magic and then vanished from the scene. These paddles give the owner a feel like no other paddle can, and they are extremely well priced.
If you want a paddle for ease of operating with the best feel then I strongly suggest you get yours while you can. Like the WBL these great paddles can and will disappear someday and become an eBay treasure hunt. Look at the Hensley and others who were there and then gone. It’s not an easy endeavor to do and keep doing year after year for what amounts to peanuts. Passion is the bigger payoff, but passion dies over time.
I appreciate what Tony and others like him are doing because it was at one time my dream to do this exact thing since I am a machinist and enjoy great paddles. My life circumstances made that dream impossible.
One day totally unexpected I received this package in the mail. It was the N3ZN ZN-3A Vertical. Tony knew I loved the WBL so he made that model and gave it to me for helping him by critiquing his efforts, which he called valuable input and I called slamming his work. That unexpected gift from Tony is now exclusively the only paddle I use. That’s after owning everyone you can name. I still have a Profi that sits here.
I know I was long winded here but that was necessary to explain the story of the man and the paddle. There are others out there no doubt, cheaper too, but after my extensive and long time experience it’s my strong opinion that nothing available at this price range and even much higher priced touches the N3ZN paddle for feel and real life operation.
73 -..-. Curt/k3ey
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K7JAL
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 9, 2008 17:38
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Best key made
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just got Begali Sculpture this week. I expected it to be the best key that I have ever used. Not so. This NZ-4A that I got from N3ZN Keys is far better for doing QSQ. The spacing between the contacts can be set much closer with the NZ-4A than with the Begali. The NZ-4A stays put better than the Begali. The adjusting screws are tighter and the foot print is about 2/3's the size of the Begali. The NZ-4Z is the one that is still attached to the radio, and will be the one that I take with me in the RV. Maybe I'll buy another for The RV, and one for the vehicle for mobile use. I will definitely own more of the N3ZN keys.
Now don't get me wrong here. The Begali key is a beautiful and wonderful key. It works better than most of the keys I own. I still like my Schurr keys. The reason I used the Begali Sculpture for a reference point is because it has the reputation of being the best key made. In my opinion the N3ZN Keys are the best. I do not know Tony or anyone at the N3ZN site, but I will say that whom ever does the machining on the N3ZN keys is one of the best.
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AB1CW
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 30, 2007 09:42
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A Keeper!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I ordered the ZN-4A after reading the reviews and looking at Tony's website. I've been playing with CW for 46 years.
I ordered the paddle, and it was shipped priority mail. It arrived extremely well packaged, and I was impressed by the evident care that was taken to make sure it arrived in excellent shape. It comes complete with an attached cord with a 1/8th stereo jack (the ziplock bag was a nice touch). I plugged it into my Omni 7 (the jack was wired correctly and no changes were necessary)), and was delighted with the results. The paddle is very precise, and Tony set the spacing very close (I haven't adjusted the spacing).
I have experience with higher end paddles like the Schurr Profi 2, and this one is certainly up in that category. The adjustments are very straight forward, so lengthly instructions are not necessary. N3ZN is so sure you will be happy with his paddles, he offers a 30 day money back guarantee. Well, he won't see mine returned either (as noted in another review). I spent 10 hours or so participating in the RAC CW contest, and the paddle performed flawlessly. No need to re-adjust anything.
If you are looking for a custom made paddle designed for QRQ operation, then I can highly recommend this one. As most avid CW Ops know, paddles are very personal decisions, and opinions vary widely .
I hope you found this review helpful. 73s AB1CW
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K7JAL
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 22, 2007 12:26
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Fantastic key
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I am a key collector. I have several GHD keys and Schurr keys. Schurr are my favorite. I haven't had the ZN-4A but a couple of weeks, and I am overly impressed. It has a small foot print, but is heavy, and has 4 soft feet to keep it from moving. Even if you like to slap your key this baby will stay put. The contacts on this thing can be set so close it is like there is no gap between the contacts, for a light touch. The ZN-4A is quickly becoming my favorite key. The only thing about it is the finger pieces are wider than I like, but it is just a matter of a little practice on my part before I have it down pat. In the mean time there may be an extra dot or dash. This key is very easy to use at 30+ WPM. I love this key.
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K7QO
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 29, 2007 17:48
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ZN-4A is a great paddle
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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October 29, 2007. Received the ZN-4A paddle from
Tony via USPS Priority Mail. It was well packaged
and insured just in case.
When Tony asked how I like my spacing I said very
very close. And that is how it arrived, with a
very close spacing setup and a light touch. He
is obviously a user of paddles as well as a machinist who designs them.
I gave him a 5.0/5 rating because that is what I
feel the paddle deserves. Absolutely a joy to
operate. I immediately hooked it up to a N0XAS
PicoKeyer as the ZN-4A came with cable hooked
up with 3.5mm (1/8") plug with dit connected
to the 'tip'. The paddle worked flawlessly and
even with my years of experience it felt like
the finger pieces didn't move!! As nice a touch
as even the most expensive paddles.
Enough of this review. I'm going to the rig
and operate.
BNCU dit dit
Chuck K7QO
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AA4MC
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 2, 2007 10:32
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great key....
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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this is my fourth key from Tony. i have a schurr profi , and many others, but his are the best for me. try one, you'll like it!
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