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Reviews For: Junker D.G.B.M.

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Junker D.G.B.M.
Reviews: 34MSRP: 185
Description:
The Junker "Morsetaste" (German for Morse Key), with its all enveloping cover, it must be said, is not the most attractive instrument. It is a solid, functional instrument, it is not covered with unnecessary gadgets and it sports no giant, shiny logo.

Product is in production
More Info: http://home.earthlink.net/~g4czr
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00345
YS1RS Rating: 2021-06-11
Superb key!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Saw one in use on a WWII U-Boot Submarine documentary. Decided to look for WWII German Navy Key and found it.
Didn't know they were still in production, later after the war, for the civilian business market. Didn't know these were famous till I started looking for one.
Finally found one on a well known internet flea market: It was Bundeswehr green one.
Designed by Josef Junker GMBH Berlin, at the beginning of the 30's. The WWII version was mostly painted white for the German Navy but have seen a few on green. The Army version was green. On submarines have always seen it without the cover, at least on the old real historical films/documentaries and photographs of U-Boot from WWII. They were marked DRP and had numbers on the gap dial adjustment wheel. After WWII they were marked DBGM and no longer had numbers on the gap dial but is the very same key. Extremely precise! German engineering precision at its best!!! The one I bought was all beat up from the top cover but inside was perfect. Get one and you will never be disappointed. This key will survive me for sure. Mine is from the 70's and will see many more and more years to come. I had only clean up the contacts once by passing a white paper business card in between its contacts. Do not use any abrasive material. The thin white card was enough to clean it. It is a precision instrument and you barely see the light between the contacts.... just amazing!
If you have the opportunity to grab one do it. The keying is precise. Won't move on your desk. The spring action is perfect. Adjustments are millimetric. Positive keying and adjustments will never move from its position after you adjust it to you personal taste as it happens with other keys. Mine has a coil inside; I guess designed to avoid sparks but not sure. Have seen people removing it but it is not necessary. Mine works superbly well with it and I keep it original.
The best keys I have in my collection are the Czech Army key and this one. If I only had to make a decision and only take one then run for my life... I will always go for the German Junker Key. Is that precious for me.
73
Rob
YS1RS
DL9BDM Rating: 2021-04-13
A masterpiece of German wireless history Time Owned: more than 12 months.
There is probably no German radio amateur who has not acquired his telegraphy practice with this key. It was also mandatory for the practical Morse code test at the German telecommunications administration before it was abolished in 2003. This key has been a classic since 1931, unfortunately the production ended in 2014. The Joseph Junker company ceased operations that year. Very sad.

In addition to a Vibroplex bug, I regularly use this key in my station.
HB9IRF Rating: 2021-02-04
Still going strong Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought a Junker key new as preparation for the code test. It was the one with the O-ring for the space adjustment and the plastic cover.
Later I got an older one that had the stepped adjustment and the aluminum cover.
It came in military "green". I then had the base plate "show chromed".
This one still "shines" on the shack desk and is in use.
SP9HZX Rating: 2021-02-03
Perfect key Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The best key I've ever had.
K6LQ Rating: 2021-02-02
They Have Been "discovered" Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Indeed.

In the last 5 years or so they have become a bit more rare and prices have skyrocketed...

Typical high quality german engineering

Almost too soft a feel for some though

The aluminum clam shell cover on mine is UGLY, badly oxidized with paint chipped off etc. Hence paid only $25 for it

Key works flawlessly though..

It will be on my SK sale when the time comes...
G4VRR Rating: 2021-02-02
Slick Key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a great key, period. Mine doesn't have the stepped adjustment- just a rotating milled edge wheel, but that matters not. There is just this extremely soft and barely detectable bounce and together with its quiet action makes it far and away my favourite key. I love that undetectably slight springy feedback. I also have a fishing tackle tray box full of spare parts that were sold off a couple of years ago, but I can't see any of them ever being needed.

My Naval key, Kent key with the American arm and Czech army key just don't get used any longer. OK it's subjective but while all are superb keys, none can really touch the Junker. These Junker keys are still to be found- especially in Germany if you can persuade the seller to ship abroad, and the prices are maybe a little high for old kit, but the quality makes them worth easily up to $150. Try one sometime and then embark upon the hunt!
N7AG Rating: 2021-02-02
Best "Feel" Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Somewhat hard to find, a little expensive.

Has about the best feel of any hand key I have used!

Hang on t on it!
N7TAT Rating: 2021-02-02
Keeper! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine NOS almost 10 years ago. The adjustments are very smooth and predictable. The key functions perfectly. Just perfect. Period.

I modified mine by removing the knob and drilling / taping the arm for 8/32 thread then added a Speed-X navy knob.

Not only is the key smooth to adjust and a pleasure to use, it is also a very quiet key.

I just with it wasn't an ugly military OD green. A nice brass version with no cover mounted on marble would be the bomb.
VK5ISO Rating: 2018-05-03
Superb key Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
In terms of value for money, this is undeniably the best key out there. They can still be found in Germany on EBay Kleines Anzeigen (which is where I bought mine) for 40-50 Euros and if you can convince a German seller to send one abroad, you will not regret it. The key epitomizes high-precision German engineering and is well-nigh indestructible (I must add, in all good faith, that it is not a work of art as some well-known recent keys: if you need highly-polished chrome fittings, etc, you might be happier with a GHD). The civilian version in anodised grey paint looks better than the dark-green military version.
N5GKV Rating: 2016-09-04
superb straight key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used my elmers Junker back about 1980 and went on to buy and use all sorts of keys ---- even a very expensive GHD GT502MIL Straight Key. I was looking at ebay one day and found a guy in Argentina who had a case of "NEW" ones. I bid very low money but wound up winning one of them with my lowly bid? I AM ONE HAPPY little ham... My family can sell it off when I become a SK. Yes, its that good... I do wish it had a "Begali" style navy knob on it. THAT would make its absolutely perfect...