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Author Topic: High end iambic paddles?  (Read 712 times)

HS0ZFE

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High end iambic paddles?
« on: February 06, 2022, 07:43:54 AM »

Hi All

what's your take on the very best (precision) paddles? www.i1qod.it or the most expensive Begalis?

I started with a beautiful but wobbly LTA. Llaves Telegraphico Artesana for like $ 180 back in 2000. Owned Schurr's Profi 2 and Alberto Frattini's handmade keys.

73
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KB7TT

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2022, 09:01:37 AM »

I have a couple of Begali's, very smooth and easy to set the gaps.  They are both iambic design. 
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KH6AQ

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2022, 04:45:39 PM »

I have a Begali Simplex that I really like but my favorite is my Bencher BY-2. That type of design has a lighter feel to it.
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ZL1BBW

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2022, 06:18:47 PM »

I have a Kent double paddle, used it now for 7 years, good as new, just getting run in nicely now.

Are you after operator comfort solid on the desk or flash looking?

Only thing I did on mine was to turn the paddle pieces upside down to make it higher off the desk, much nicer for me use now.
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ex MN Radio Officer, Portishead Radio GKA, BT Radio Amateur Morse Tester.  Licensed as G3YCP ZL1DAB, now taken over my father (sk) call as ZL1BBW.

HS0ZFE

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2022, 09:59:26 PM »

I have a Kent double paddle, used it now for 7 years, good as new, just getting run in nicely now.

Are you after operator comfort solid on the desk or flash looking?

Only thing I did on mine was to turn the paddle pieces upside down to make it higher off the desk, much nicer for me use now.

A: Well looks matter but the precision feel will trup those.
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ZL1BBW

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #5 on: February 08, 2022, 09:41:26 PM »

I have a Kent double paddle, used it now for 7 years, good as new, just getting run in nicely now.

Are you after operator comfort solid on the desk or flash looking?

Only thing I did on mine was to turn the paddle pieces upside down to make it higher off the desk, much nicer for me use now.

A: Well looks matter but the precision feel will trup those.



I've bee banging around on a paddle now for best part of 56 years, amateur and good lot of time professionally, the best morse I have ever heard sent by hand was on a clapped out vibroplex that 99% of people now would sling in the bin, this guy could rattle away doing broadcast at 30wpm plus for over an hour non stop, we had to be able to do 27 wpm for 5 minutes with no errors or corrections on a up n down hand key as well.

So for me the Kent fits the bill nicely, built like solid piece of kit, never needed adjusting for the last 4 or 5 years easily, ball bearings on the top n bottom of each side.

I will admit i do not have light touch on a paddle, comes from using all sorts of keys and a using some very old manual typewriters when taking traffic.

Have tried a few bencher keys and they feel very light and flimsy to me, did try a begali and it felt like i was riding a racehorse that i couldnt control to my satisfaction.

Also built a touch paddle and they a whole new experience, so light you just vaguely touch the paddle and its off and going, quite nice, but definitely an acquired skill in using one of them.

Anyway GL in your hunt for a new paddle.
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ex MN Radio Officer, Portishead Radio GKA, BT Radio Amateur Morse Tester.  Licensed as G3YCP ZL1DAB, now taken over my father (sk) call as ZL1BBW.

N6MST

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2022, 09:49:43 AM »

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K0RS

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"90% of the people in a pile-up have no idea what's going on.  It's up to you to be in the remaining 10%."  *W9KNI*

W6MK

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2022, 04:10:28 PM »

Buy many times, cheap and spendy, used and new. Try many keys. Spend endless
hours figuring out which one(s) you prefer and why (not).

Enjoy years and years of adventure.

Spend many hours in discussion of the virtues and shortcomings of various keys.
Accumulate an impressive collection of keys and dust them every five years.

Don't expect your sending to get better automatically.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2022, 04:13:55 PM by W6MK »
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K3TN

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #9 on: February 10, 2022, 04:40:29 AM »

My major improvement in CW sending was moving away from iambic keying - then that brought me to the high end paddles.

At the Dayton Hamvention  I would always do my usually oohing and aahing over the Begali keys and trying them out, but never felt like I would send any better with one compared to my old Vibroplex.

Then, 7 or 8 years ago, Begali had the Sculputure Mono single lever paddle that I tried out and magically my sending seemed much better. Turns out I'm a slapper, not a squeezer. That key was so purty that I bought it and still use/love it today.

So, my first point is: are you sure you really want an iambic paddle?

A few years later at Daytong N3ZN had a single lever version of his ZN-9 (I'm not sure it is available any more) and I tried that and loved that. I'm not a collector, but I had set up a separate position for remote operating another station at that time and used that as a justification to buy that key.

If I had to choose just one, I'd probably choose the N3ZN key, probably mostly because of the keypiece feel, size and height, but luckily I don't have to choose!
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John K3TN

KL7CW

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #10 on: February 10, 2022, 11:14:40 AM »

The "best key" is very much a matter of personal preference.  I have been a CW op (ham, maritime, and shore station) op for about 67 years, and for much of the time used a bug, or whatever key happened to be at a station.  Naturally I got used to hitting the key rather hard.  When I started using paddles, this style continued.  For a few decades I used a Kent paddle, which I found very satisfactory.  From time to time I borrowed a few high end Swedish and German paddles from friends and used them in my shack for a few weeks.  Also at Dayton, tried many keys including a long session at the Begali booth. Most were fine keys, and budget was not an issue for me.  Finally, for no valid reason (since I was always very satisfied with my Kent), I purchased a N3ZN dual lever paddle 5 or 10 years ago. It was sure beautiful, but took me some effort to learn to handle it gently, instead of banging it like a bug. So look at the ZN paddles as well as others.  Also consider K3TN's advise to at least try a single lever paddle.  I am 80 and too stubborn to admit that I will give up on iambic squeeze keying, and go to the more logical single lever paddle.  Also I would need to get rid of my dual lever paddle collection.  I have both magnetic return and spring return paddles and have only a very slight preference to the magnetic ones, however some folks really have strong opinions on their preference.  Also, some paddles make louder clicking noises, which some folks consider objectional, but personally this is not an issue, since for serious CW work, I use headphones.  If I lost my entire paddle collection, I would personally just buy another N3ZN.
               RICK   KL7CW
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N6MST

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2022, 03:48:51 PM »

N3ZN had a single lever version of his ZN-9 (I'm not sure it is available any more)

The ZN-SL (https://www.n3znkeys.com/p/13/zn-sl) is alive and well and available right now. It is the paddle I use and couldn't agree with you more about getting away from dual-lever keys. Single lever is the way.
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K3TN

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2022, 04:43:18 AM »

Mine is a ZN SLR - a round base with single paddle action. That does not seem to be available anymore.
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John K3TN

HS0ZFE

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2022, 01:45:10 AM »

I might get certified... But I ordered several paddles.

www.i1qod.it has lowered prices. HA8KF sells directly (but his website cannot be updated. 6 of his 7 models are still shown at "95 Euros" but the new EU price including sh&h is 160 Euros. °° Moreover: I bought a "Bergsiek" Profi M

Begali hasspecial editions of the "Graziella" paddle wih nitro and golden contacts for 580 Euros with EU shipping.

73 de Chris HS0ZFE KF6VCI MI1ESG
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N2TO

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Re: High end iambic paddles?
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2022, 08:21:53 PM »

The iambic paddles I've owned for years are the W9WBL V2L, Kent Iambic, OK ham's hand made and Envirotronic. The Kent's are built like a tank, love them. I called Stan W9WBL (SK) and bought his original design V2L. I had the opportunity to work Stan the following Saturday on the air as he worked my new paddles. They're great. The OK paddles are very nice but a little bouncy. The Envirotronic are my portable paddles of choice. Favorites are the Kents. I owned the Bencher Iambic paddles but sold them long ago.

GL

73 Kevin N2TO
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