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Reviews For: Bencher BY-1

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Bencher BY-1
Reviews: 156MSRP: 110 to 395 rrp
Description:
Iambic paddles
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.bencher.com/radioequip.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001564.3
K8APL Rating: 2001-01-12
BY-1 does the job Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i bought my BY-1 in 1997 and it has done everything i have wanted it to do.
IK1QHB Rating: 2001-01-12
top paddle Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'm only CW and my report about BY1 is: ...fantastic, take high speed and
with your simply machanism i think is the best on the market with better
Quality/Price report. I've had also some Vibroplex but at this time
aren't so qualitatively build like Bencher.
KC4TXR Rating: 2000-12-29
I think it's great and so does everyone else Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just scan down the key reviews list... by far the greatest number of responses. For a simple reason: everyone owns one of these because they are high quality and inexpensive. What more could you possibly want? This paddle is an icon in the hobby. If you bought only one paddle, this is THE one. If you currently own only one paddle, I bet this is the one...
W2RBA Rating: 2000-07-09
Bencher BY-1 is OK Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've had my Bencher BY-1 paddle for only a few months; it was bought used via the net. It's apparently one the revised, non-exploding types, for knowing its reputation, I tried to get it to explode (ok, ok, maybe it was a dumb idea, but it didn't, so all's well that ends well!). I have a Vibroplex which I have recently retired to portable use, to be replaced by the aforementioned Bencher. Its quality seems good enough for all but combat use and it works very well. Keys and paddles are personal things, however, and I expect you'd see a lot of variation in reports. For me, however, the Bencher is a fine piece of equipment and performs admirably.
W4STX Rating: 2000-07-09
I think it is a great value. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have used my BY-1 for over twenty years and think that it is very good. I bought it new and it has always worked well. It holds the adjustments and is a joy to use.
W4YA Rating: 2000-02-26
The BY-1 is awkward to use. Time Owned: unknown months.
I don't like the little triangular paddles. The BY-1 does not have a "solid" feel.
Mine sits on the shelf where it won't do any harm.

The BY-1 doesn't compare to my old Brown Bros. key.
VE7BGP Rating: 2000-02-25
Great Cw Paddles Time Owned: unknown months.
I have had my Bencher paddles since 1983 and have no trouble at all. Mine is the plain black base version. I really enjoy these paddles with my new Vectronics VEC221K I also reviewed in the keyers page. These paddles have been used for several field days and if you hear VE7NA on field day it might be me.
W1GFH Rating: 2000-02-13
Bencher BY-1 Time Owned: unknown months.
I have a Bencher (exploding) BY-1. Bought it about 12 years ago. Still in use. Let's face it: it's A CLASSIC. Reliable, simple, ruggedly made, easy to use. And most importantly, REASONABLY PRICED for the beginner and old hand alike.
N4ST Rating: 1999-12-11
Its a great key for me! Time Owned: unknown months.
I have been using the Bencher BY-1 for well over 15 years. I have an "exploding" version, but that has never happened in use, just when dropped! I think this is a fine iambic key. Maybe I'm just used to it, but I have tried keys costing twice as much, and have a +$200 custom key sitting on the shelf because I like the Bencher better. It is easy to adjust and stays adjusted. I have worn the contacts out with 10,000+ CW QSOs, but my replacement will probably be another Bencher. I only gave it 4 stars because its just not as pretty as the fancy custom models.
AA9QE Rating: 1999-11-13
Unfortunate Standard of Iambic Paddles Time Owned: unknown months.
These paddles have a heavy, thick chrome base. That was the good points. They have a tendency to drop out of the pivots at the worst possible time. Paddles have come along way since this design. It is a cheap introduction to iambic keying. A new standard needs to be adopted.