| WB0KWJ |
Rating:    |
2022-06-24 | |
| Tough and works. Loose action relative to some keys. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have been almost exclusively a CW operator for over 45 years, and own many paddle models. I recently purchased an American Morse Porta-Paddle with steel base from another ham. Thus, I cannot comment on the kit assembly experience. Visual inspection suggests that my unit was absent the mismatched parts and machining errors that others report. The cost of mine new would have been about $101.
The Porta-Paddle is designed for portable operation. It is small but tough enough to survive some physical mistreatment. There are many configuration options for the convenience of the user. Mine is part of a complete FT-817 portable setup in a small padded briefcase that is likely to be handled roughly.
The Porta-Paddle is also inexpensive, meaning compromises. The switch contacts are the ends of steel screws touching brass posts. A single spring, resembling a ball-point pen spring, adjusts tension on both paddles simultaneously. This spring spans about 2.5 cm between the paddle arms, and is held in place by only its ends and tension--a loss risk. The integrated finger pieces are uninsulated, except perhaps by an aluminum oxide layer. Paddle movement is fixed by spring-tensioned screws rather than set-nuts, and are likely to require periodic readjustment during use. All adjustments are made using steel screws with plastic heads.
The action of the key is loose relative to the other commercial paddles I've owned (save for those integrated into keyer chassis). The paddles have about 1 mm of vertical play. The finger pieces are narrowly set, about 1.5 cm apart. This about the distance seen in Bencher paddles. Most others are about 2 cm. Immovable posts prevent adjusting the paddle separation. The integrated finger pieces are about 2 cm square, smaller than almost any others on the market. They are about typical height off the table, 3 cm at the center, when using the steel base. However, the finger pieces extend only 2 cm from the base, about half that of typical paddles. Getting a consistent, delicate feel was difficult. The finger pieces are very smooth. Some operators might miss the slight friction afforded by plastic versions. The steel base and rubber feet held the paddle in place on my desk. The stick-on synthetic rubber feet will melt away in storage leaving a sticky, hard-to-clean goo in their place. Throw away the originals and replace them with good silicone feet.
The idea behind this paddle is portability. Except for the possibility that the tension spring could snag on something and get lost, it is likely to survive travel abuse. It is smaller than most desk paddles, but not that much so. One direct competitor is the Vibroplex Code Warrior Junior, which, at $109, has the same size base as the Porta-Paddle, better action and mechanical construction, more adjustability, magnetic tension rather than springs--but longer, plastic (potentially breakable) finger pieces.
Frankly, unless both small size and toughness are of paramount importance on an outing, taking a well-built standard paddle, such as a Kent, would be a better choice. Unless weight is a serious issue, it might not be the best strategy to struggle with a compromise paddle under already compromised conditions. If size is critical, the Code Warrior Junior or something similar might be a better choice as a standard paddle. Even so, the Porta-Paddle is not out of the running if the user understands and accepts its limitations. |
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| AB0TX |
Rating:      |
2021-04-19 | |
| WOW!! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I bought this for the car with the leg strap and find myself using it in the shack. I have worked quite a few stations with it and operation is really nice. It is a lot smoother than I thought it was going to be. You will need the leg strap or the steel base as it is extreamly light by itself.
Shipping was really fast! I bought mine on a Monday with paypal and it was in the mail box on Wednesday when I got home from work!
It is a kit and I was skeptical about how it was going to perform. I built the Black Widow key and it was ok but it does not feel as precise as the Porta Paddle. It has a very nice feel and I am impressed. I have a Kent and N3ZN ZN-9N which I also love dearly and the Porta Paddle is one of my favorites.
Get one! You won't be disappointed.
Mike
AB0TX
Update: Today is April 19th 2021. I have had the Porta paddle for 13 years now. I do not use it all the time. I have many keys. I keep the Porta Paddle in my go box for Parks on The Air activations and Field Day events. It has always worked flawlessly. Kit was easy to build. It is very light which can be good and bad. I have mine mounted on a block of stainless steel and that gives it enough weight to stay put on the table as I use it. All in all, Great key! I would buy another one but I will probably never wear this one out. 73
Mike
AB0TX... |
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| N6IV |
Rating:      |
2019-07-06 | |
| Superb key for SOTA activity |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| This is my second Porta-Paddle. I wanted a spare unit for my SOTA activations. This is a rugged little unit. I have both mounted to the corner of a clipboard which I do my logging on. I have owned these paddles for years and have banged them around in knapsacks with no problems. I highly recommend them. |
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| W7YT |
Rating:      |
2018-10-31 | |
| Very Excellent Product! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Just received the kit. Very nicely packaged and everything was there. Online instructions are very good...pictures really helpful. The paddle itself is excellent...really nice feel and adjustments are solid and seem like they'll stay in place. Added the base and this thing doesn't move at all. Perfect for both portable and home use! |
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| JH7IOT |
Rating:      |
2018-10-11 | |
| No problem in assembly |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I ordered this key along with MS2 for my FT818. It's a very well made key and I found no problem in assembling it. Touch is great and finish is beautiful. I am very satisfied with these keys and the only problem is I feel like buying another one. |
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| K4EES |
Rating:     |
2017-10-08 | |
| Great product with Manufacturing Defects |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Firstly, everything came packaged neatly. I used the box it came in with a little tape to make a tray for all the parts. They were all there. The pictures in the PDF were slightly different than the kit, but the instructions were fine and I was able to figure out easily how things should go together.
I bought the heavy base, which was expensive, but made for a neat looking install.
There were a couple of manufacturing issues:
The screws that hold the pin retainer in place and associated threads do not match properly. I'm a full-time RV-er and don't have access to a full tool set, so I brute-forced the screws into place in the aluminum and removed them about 20 times now have some pretty ugly looking screw heads, but eventually got them to bottom out and hold the retainer in place.
The second issue is that the retainer binds on the paddles when the retainer screws are fully tightened. I tried removing the washers and got rid of the bind, but left a little up/dn slop in the paddles. I also tried leaving the screws a bit loose and this kept the paddles from binding, but wouldn’t give a reliable ground. Next, I tried ‘polishing’ the washers on some rough paper, but this wasn’t making any headway. After studying the problem, I figured I could take away a bit of metal from the retainer where the pins go into the retainer and this would give a little more clearance and elevate the binding. Since this is a hidden area, I found a file and filed away a bit of the metal. After re-assembly, I now have functioning paddles.
Since this is my first paddle, I don’t have anything to compare it against, but it seems to work well enough. Any rough edges I’m sure are due to my fingers rather than the paddle. Looks like a quality unit.
If these 2 problems were elevated, assembly would be 30 minutes, including soldering on the leads and I would give this a 5* rating. I have emailed the manufacturer / owner so he can address them.
I'm looking forward to getting on-the-air with the fully functioning Porta-Paddle II
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| KD4ONT |
Rating:  |
2016-08-07 | |
| Crap |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
If you choose to have a desktop base, this is a disaster waiting to happen. Iron base, stainless, brass and aluminum parts. Kit had wrong length parts, and tolerances that would not allow free movement. Screws too long or too short.
I tried to build this kit on a weekend. True value was closed. Home depot and Lowe's had limited stock. I had to buy screws that were too long, and the wrong metal type, and cut them, in order to finish it.
That is just the tip of the ice berg. I also had to ream out female pivoting points to make the ss shafts fit. I was one step away from sending back this pos and demanding a refund until I stumbled across noalox at home depot. After tearing down the key, for the umpteenth time, I applied the noalox, and it worked like magic! For a key and company that is so highly rated, why do they use 4 types of metals for an electrical and mechanical device!?! |
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| K7GMB |
Rating:      |
2016-02-26 | |
| Very slick ! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Needed a little key to go with the IC-703 in the Teardrop trailer. This fits the bill perfectly! Goes together easily in half-hour or so but you'll find yourself taking your time just the savor the build. Absolutely love the solid aluminum components. I don't believe you can go wrong with this one. Looking forward to getting the Quikmount as well. |
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| W8RBT |
Rating:      |
2015-07-15 | |
| Very Good Paddle |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I've had this paddle for about a month. I recommend it to others who want a durable, inexpensive, high-quality American made paddle for portable or shack operation. The metal base addition is a must have for desktop work.
I also have the Dirt Cheap Paddle (DCP) from them. I like it just as well. For those deciding which to buy, the main differences, IMO, are the contacts and the overall refinement. The porta-paddle is a much more refined, polished paddle with better contacts. They both can be mounted to the optional metal base. Either is a fine choice.
Finally, this is the third key/paddle I've purchased from Doug. He's professional, polite and courteous. The one problem I encountered on the DCP (short screws/bad base) was corrected by a simple email. He sent new parts promptly at no charge. |
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| KC9PHX |
Rating:      |
2015-04-28 | |
| Amazing Simplicity, Performance and Service |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
What a great multipurpose Paddle at a great price!
The Porta Paddle with the Steel Base works great on the desktop and it's size is perfect for portable work. I purchased the powder coated base and the leg strap. Both well worth the price compared to time and materials to make. I figured I could make a basic mount with Velcro easy enough so I skipped that option. I will be using that when mounted to a clipboard with my R4020 QRP rig.
Easy ordering with one email via Paypal...couple of days later I get email and USPS tracking number. Items arrived a few days later. Smooth.
I'm new to CW and rewarded myself with this paddle after finally venturing out on the air. I now know the joy of this mode and I'm hooked. My only comparison is with a CW Touch Keyer P6 that I bought when I got started. That is also a winning value paddle and silent so not to disturb the XYL.
So, I cannot compare to a Begali, Bencher or any other major manufacture yet this paddle is worthy.
Once I progress further as an OP I'll probably want a more expensive key in the family. For now no need for that what so ever, except perhaps the experience of a Begali.
I'm somewhat of a nit-picker about quality with high standards and expectations, and this paddle passes the bar.
Great machine work, easy to assemble(20 minutes) and while simple it works great. I wanted a mechanical feel without spending a lot of money. After sanding down the ends of the contact screws, the feel of the paddle can be adjusted very tight. I will say the instructions you download online could use an update. Overall, I'm impressed and totally satisfied with this purchase.
For around a hundred bucks(w/Base) you get a great feeling, nice looking desktop paddle(Blue looks cool). You can easily convert it to portable use and not have to worry about banging it around. The settings are easy to adjust and it's a tough little unit. Don't be surprised by it's size.
While on the small side it fits my medium sized hands very well. Rock Solid... Get One!
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