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Reviews For: Vibroplex Straight Key Gold

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Vibroplex Straight Key Gold
Reviews: 7MSRP: 299.95
Description:
Straight key
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.vibroplex.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0074.6
NN2X Rating: 2021-11-27
Great solid KEYER Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got back in the CW mode (2021), Last time 1980 / Passed Extra). 41 Years not using CW mode! So I am back in the game of CW!

This straight Key is fantastic it makes sending CW easy. I tried lighter keys, and could not get into rhythm.

This key felt natural, like a glove.

Well constructed, and made.

C U on the bands..

DE NN2X / Tom
K1FPV Rating: 2014-01-06
Great Key For Those Who Prefer A Straight Key! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my Vibroplex straight key now for over 8 years. I still use it daily, and prefer it over several other straight keys. I have a Vibroplex Bug that is 10 years old, but always find myself going back to the straight key.

The straight key is smooth, the adjustments are easy to make and it is comfortable in the hand. What more can I say?
VE7KNQ Rating: 2012-08-05
Excellent key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned this key for over 10 years now and it's still the only one I use. Elegant, simple, heavy and easy to adjust. I haven't yet regretted purchasing it. Just keep the contacts clean and it'll serve you forever.
N1AFV Rating: 2007-01-09
GREAT Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
GOT ONE FOR CHRISTMAS. AFTER A TIME IN GETTING IT ADJUSTED THE WAY I LIKE IT, I LOVE IT. BETTER THAN THE BUG.
KD5MJJ Rating: 2007-01-09
Perfect Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.


I acquired the SK several months ago. I am a geezer who has been around CW 50+ years.

I have a nice collection of paddles from Vibroplex ( most recent acquistion ), Begali, Schurr, and Bencher. I also have a Vibroplex Presentaion bug.The point being, I know a quality product and I know what works for me.

In the past I just hated using straight keys. It seemed always a battle with the key to be comfortable and turn out a "good Fist." My earliest was a surplus J38.Hated it ! Loved CW ! I got a bug as soon as I could muster the money. I became a life long lover of CW once the struggle with the J38 straight key was over.

Later I graduated to keyers and Iambic paddles. The only paddle I actually dislike is the Bencher. Clutzy is my opinion of it. Vibroplec Iambic ( once properly adjusted is a winner), Schurr ( a thing of beauty and precise performance), Begali ( an Italian masterpiece).

I tried straight keying again during ARRL's Straight Key Night two years ago. I even bought a new straight key: a Nye Speed-X. It was fun for about an hour. Too light weight, hard for me to control, about as loveable as my J38 from 50 years ago.

About 3 months ago the Vibroplex Straight key came into my life. Once it was properly adjusted, I found what had been missing: enjoyment using a straight key !

Attributes: Beautiful, Heavy, great geometry, tight tolerances, comfortable to use over lengthy sending sessions, easy control of dots, dashes and spacing. I now have it on tye operating table along with my paddles. I look forward to using it.

I use British style of sending. The arm and elbow are off the table. Perfect key for me using this technique.

It is not cheap but most quality things are notcheap. Life is short. I am glad I have it and I have forgotten the cost.

73

Hank
K5ICW
ex-kd5mjj
KS3J Rating: 2002-04-18
Spongy & unsupported Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This key LOOKS GORGEOUS...great styling and solidly built. The contact arrangement leaves something to be desired, but I'm not sure if the problem is my individual unit or the key in general (see below). The silver moving contact on the arm is fastened on in such a way that the leaf on which it's mounted FLEXES as the contacts make, which causes a mushy, spongy feel that gives me problems sometimes.

E-mailing Vibroplex for support is an exercise in futility. The first try got me a reply from an office manager, who gave me the e-mail address of a Mr. Felton Mitchell. My second e-mail, to Mitchell, went unanswered for a month. The third message basically said that they'd sold hundreds of keys and mine was the only negative comment, so I must have misadjusted my key. So much for customer service.

If you're in it for a key that looks great and might someday be a collector's item, this is the key for you. If you want something conducive to sending fast, accurate code, I'm doing better with the simple Bencher straight key I bought to replace this one.

Scott
AA9QE Rating: 1999-11-13
Looks great! Works alright too! Time Owned: unknown months.
This key is great to look at, and it works pretty good. It has a very heavy gold plated base. The lever is heavily chromed, as well as all the top parts. It has a red Navy knob, a flat topped knob with a decent sized "poker chip". It has the classic Vibroplex styling. The side to side stability is a bit loose, and I can not seem to lock it in good enough. It is a good mechanism, just a slight bit sloppy, but not enough not to send good code with. All in all, a fairly nice key.