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Reviews For: Ameco K-4

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Ameco K-4
Reviews: 13MSRP:
Description:
High quality key with polished brass base, shorting bar, 1/8" silver contacts. Easily adjustable contact spacing and spring tension. Ball bearing design.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.amecocorp.com/electronic.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00134.5
WB5AGF Rating: 2020-10-04
'The' Japanese Ball-Bearing Straight Key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When I was a teenager in the 1960s virtually all the big electronic stores (Lafayette Electronics, Burnstein-Appleby, etc) were selling 'this' key (though perhaps using different 'cover' names for the same imported key).

Back then they sold for a few dollars and, for the price, they were a great way to get-on-the-air as a Novice ham.

Nowdays the design appears to be out-of-production although there were so many made that they show-up on eBay all-the-time (usually too pricey).

They are really simple keys but they work OK so long as the user understands that it's an inexpensive design.

One thing to be very aware of .... the 'ears' of the lever project into the midst of several tiny ball bearings (I have seen both 4 and 5 ball configurations) that are set in heavy grease. If you back-off the adjusting screws be very careful when lifting-out the lever arm as there is then nothing holding those tiny balls in-place other than the grease. Those balls are tiny ... if they fall-out ....

- Paul, WB5AGF
AC2JB Rating: 2015-09-20
Replaced ball bearing with sealed bearing Time Owned: N.A.
I've had a K4 for years but the loose ball bearings fell out of it and were lost.
I went to a hobby store and found a tiny high quality sealed ball bearing unit that I was able to press fit (with slight oversize drilling of the k4 bearing cups)
I took out maybe a few thousands of an inch of metal from the bearing cups and the hobby bearings pressed in perfectly.
The key works exceptionally well with the better bearings and a resized/new spring.
Try out the modification! The bearings were a little over a dollar each.
A great old time key, especially so with the new bearings!
Jeff, AC2JB
AC0CW Rating: 2012-03-25
Fair key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The K4 I have was given to me by a fellow ham. My main complaint is that the action is stiff. The spring tension, even with the tensioning screw backed all the way out, is too stiff for me to send comfortably. I tend to prefer sending with a light touch.

The K4 is the key on the left in the picture.
AE5OV Rating: 2012-03-21
Very good key. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My friend bought me this key at a hamfest in 1996 while I was taking my General Class test. I have used it ever since. Very durable since I got it used and who knows who had it before me? It is the only straight key I own, and has never given me any trouble. I used it almost daily from 1996-1997 while stationed in Korea.
KC9GUZ Rating: 2007-07-27
Nice little key! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought one last year to help me to pass the code test to get my General(i used it to practice sending CW) and i have also used it on the air. Its actually a nice little key! Well made and solid feeling. But, as of late it has been replaced by a more comfortable to the wrist bug type key, but it still gets used once in a while whenever i feel like sending some straight key CW!
K4LD Rating: 2007-04-13
Great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this the day after I passed my CW exam, and it is great. I wired it up and it works great. I am planning on buying a QRP CW rig and plan on buying another.
AF4KK Rating: 2005-02-02
Works very well! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Like the previous reviews have said, it's a great little key at a great little price. I installed one in my car back in 1996 and it's been doing well ever since. I have in attacthed to a flexible "neck" mount and when I rest my hand on my car's automatic transmission shift lever, it makes a perfect way to do some strraight key!
KU4UV Rating: 2005-02-02
Good Basic Key for new CW ops Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this key about 6 years ago to use with a 10 meter transceiver after I got my General license. I have recently started getting into CW operating more, and I use the key with my Icom 730 transceiver. This key sells for around $20, and it is great deal at that price for a new ham who would like to practice CW with a code oscillator, or get on the air after having learned the code. I mounted the ket on a wooden board, and it works great on my desk with my transceiver. I also recently built the Ameco code practice oscillator, and it is great too. This is a nice key, and a great deal for the price
KG9HV Rating: 2004-11-24
good cheap key Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a good cheap straight key. I've had mine
for 11 years and it works fine. For the $17 they
cost, you can't go wrong.
KG9HV
K8AG Rating: 2003-10-27
30 years and still counting Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned the K4 since my second QSO as WN8WJR 30 years ago. On my first QSO, the cheap plastic key came apart and I finished the qso by touching two of the key parts together. The K4 has been my primary key all along. I have tried other straight keys, but none of them were as easy to adjust with the easy feel of the Ameco.

73,

John Pawlicki, K8AG (formerly WB8WJR, WN8WJR)