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| Reviews Summary for Autronic Single Paddle |
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Reviews: 3
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $17
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Description: Single-lever paddle, produced by Electrophysics in the 1960's. Available used for $30 - $70.
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More info: http://
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write your own review of the Autronic Single Paddle.
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K1FT
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 12, 2009 06:25
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Well Designed
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've used an Autronic paddle on and off for the past ten years. My key collection includes some very good iambics including Jones, March, Begali, N3ZN, Schurr, and Kent and Bencher single levers that I can use for comparison.
If and when you get some arthritis and the iambic key starts making mistakes, a single lever key (at least for me) is a great cure. The Autronic is a bit of a complicated articulated design, but it holds settings, is whisper quiet, and has little unwanted movement. They are fairly common showing up regularly on ebay for under $50.
A race bearing single lever would certainly have less vertical movement, but unless you are into high speed CW, the Autronic is a great value. I use it exclusively now, the rest are static displays.
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KI6UP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 2, 2009 23:08
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Very nice and built like a tank
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This key is so cool. I have used a bencher for 25 years, and this takes a bit of getting used to as it is not iambic - but is it made good.... oh yea, A dear old friend, not a silent key, NR7E swore a single lever key is faster then iambuc - we shall see - I was given this key so I can not say what is would sell for, but I would highly recommend it.
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VA7CPC
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Rating: 5/5
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May 27, 2007 20:41
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Still nice after 40 years
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've been using a Bencher BY-2, and wanted to try a single-lever paddle.
I bought an Autronic paddle over eBay for $46. It was made sometime in the 1960's. It has a heavy, compact base (3 3/4" square), crinkle-finished. The arms are cast and chrome plated, the contacts are silver. The adjusting screws are knurled nicely, but not super-fine pitch. The look is out of the "IBM Selectric" era, if you remember those.
All I did was clean the contacts with some cloth and alcohol, and adjust the contact gaps. They'll hold a tiny gap -- I can just barely feel the fingerpieces move -- and key reliably.
The mechanical design is neat -- see US Patent 3,098,898. There's one plain bearing, with both arms riding on it. After 40 years, there is a tiny bit of vertical play at the fingerpieces, but _no_ horizontal play. It's built to last.
It's a joy to use -- just gentle pressure, with no noticeable paddle movement. I'm slow, but some QRQ guys have told me it works well at high speed.
Unlike the Kent SP-1, it's very, very quiet. Unlike the Bencher, the arms are rigid and unbending.
If you want a single paddle, consider an Autronic. Good design is forever.
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