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Reviews For: Extendadot

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Extendadot
Reviews: 8MSRP: 16
Description:
Device to slow the dot rate of a Vibroplex key
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.extendadot.info
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0085
K2BEW Rating: 2014-11-28
Fantastic! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Frank,W7IS is just a great guy to work with, and his "Extendadot" works perfectly! I contacted him about getting one for a 1938B deluxe Mac-Key, and since he did not have anything on hand to fit it he fabricated one to fit the Mac-Key. He then fully tested it and then sent it to me. It included 3 different weighted rods of aluminium, steel and brass, and a couple brass weights (for a little extra, since my key did not have the original weights)
With different combinations of the rods and weights I can vary my sending in a broad range of speeds and have it set to around 12wpm for now.
Here is a YouTube video Frank made of the one he fabricated for me, along with some others for other bugs;
http://youtu.be/rpAB7UTtWPs
I could not recommend the Extendadot more, or working with Frank. Just shoot him an email through his website and let him know what you need and he will work with you to get something just right for your bug at a fantastic price.
A 10/5 review if I could rate it that high.
Thanks Frank!
73, Tom K2BEW
AB2CF Rating: 2011-08-15
Puts the vari-speed to shame Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Like many who drifted from radio, I lost some speed. I bought a Vari-speed and thought it was ok. It was acceptable until discovering W7IS' Extendadots.
WOW!! What a world of difference. First, they are easier to adjust, even on the fly. (not so with the vari)
Then I tried it on some bugs that felt clunky with the vari. Gadzooks!! They felt right. Holy cow the vari overwhelmed their feel and response. The Extendadot allowed them their natural feel and response, just slower and with a finer adjustment control.
It is fantastic to be able to use all those bugs that were going to sit idle until my speed returned. Now I can use them and they feel Right. The old #4's are on the desk, and so are many others the vari didn't do justice to.
Do yourself a favor and skip the vari-speed. Invest in one of Frank's speed controls (also called trombone speed controls) and you'll be more than happy. You'll never buy another vari, that's for sure. Every time I use my bugs I am glad I bought the Extendadot
Peace
WF8O Rating: 2010-03-01
Great Bug Tamer! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I received my Extendadot last Friday. It does the job! I can now send decent CW at 18 wpm or so with dits and dahs properly proportional. Thanks Frank, W7IS, for a great tool.

Sincerely, Mike Narges WF8O
K2MEN Rating: 2008-05-29
Super product! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Bought my first bug last summer. I needed to slow it down to become proficient. Extendadot did the trick!

Product works great and delivery was fast. When I had a question, it was promptly answered. I couldn't ask for more.
KJ7BS Rating: 2008-02-28
Great Device Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
WOW! After receiving my first bug, a Vibroplex Lightning, I was amazed at the dot speed and surprised when I could not slow it down more. I had read were operators actually slowed down their bugs so I fired off an email to the Straight Key Century Club email list asking how to slow it down. The overwhelming response was to contact Frank, Mr. Extendadot.

I am now able to adjust to a very slow speed to practice my timing. Two weeks with the extendadot and I made my first CW bug contact. It was not perfect, but it was slow and encouraging.

Frank sent me a new design for the Lightning Bug which works really well. The ability to slip on and off the weights for a quick speed change is very handy.
KF0FS Rating: 2007-11-09
Great device Time Owned: more than 12 months.
What can I say, works great, well made, price is right.

I used one on a Champion to slow it down for my granddaughter and it did everything it claimed.
AD5VJ Rating: 2007-08-25
WORKS AS ADVERTISED!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After many years of being a Ham (since 1965) I have finally found the "Bug Tamer" that really works and doesn't put extra strain on the mechanism or the jewels on my Vibroplex Presentation Keyer.

Thanks to Frank W7IS

Gud job Frank es thanks for all the support on getting me started in the right direction with using it.

Bob AD5VJ
KD8CGH Rating: 2006-04-14
Simple and effective Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As a new ham I was happy to get my CW up to 12 wpm. I was lucky to acquired a Vibroplex Standard that only needed a through cleaning. Unfortunately, its slowest dot rate is well above my present speed capability.

Extendadot is a simple, elegant device that lets you move the weight further out to slow the dot rate. I got one from Frank (W7IS) two days after an email to him. It works well.

Smoothly adjustable, as my rate improves I just slide the weight in.

Should be included in every basic Physics class.