Hi Alan,
That’s a nice workaround i will try.
This key made me mad during my SOTA activities. I was suspecting my transceiver, my skill, etc…
Thanks for the info !
73 Patrick
I have the exact same issue with my porta paddle, I will try this modification for sure.
TNX Allan
1 Like
I really like Peter’s GM0EUL’s key. It’s by far my favorite, even over my palm. Check it out at [GM0EUL Morse keys - Products ]. The weight shown includes the battery.
Ariel NY4G
5 Likes
i also use the Whiterook MK-33 single lever key.
i had to replace the armature with metal (BeCu) after a few years.
Very easy to use. i operate CW in Motion, holding the Key in one hand and keying with the other. Mine is painted green so it is a Greenrook. i put a little cover box over it and closed up the lever opening with thin plastic so i would not get wet from snow or rain.
The keyer chips in some rigs get shorted by rain drops.
Test your keyer out so you won’t be surprised in the rain.
Paul w0rw
1 Like
I ordered a paddle from GM0EUL.
It arrived the other day and I got the chance to use it to try it out. This paddle is awesome! I love the size of it and it sends great. I highly recommend getting the magnetic base for it which he offers.
4 Likes
I order this, for 20€ I think it will be a honest backup paddle for my primary Palm.
Ariel,
So you’re a cyclist as well?
73,
Fred/N7PN
Hi Zach @KM4BLG
If you go for an FT-817(818) you can try this one from AliExpress :
uniHAM UNI-715
73 Éric
I have a paddle from cwmorse.us, their dual lever paddle. it has a smooth operation and adjustments are reasonably easy to set to a good spacing.
However a few weeks ago I was operating at a summit where the sunshine was very strong and I found that the plastic the paddles were made from was bending in the heat. so instead of the paddles being spaced apart by about 20mm, they now bend in towards each other, with not much room left for more bending.
I plan to put the paddle in the sun and see if I can perform a reversal of the unwanted bending.
Home 3D printers usually use a plastic with a low melting point, apparently. The plastics with a higher melting point emit nasty gases when heated for printing.
Buyer and activator beware. Keep it out of the (VK) sun and it will be fine, most likely. mine has been until now…
Andrew vk1da
2 Likes
I’ve had this happen to a very cheap 3d-printed paddle. I put it in boiling water for a few seconds and it kind of came back to its original shape without having to interfere with it much.
1 Like
Thanks, i will try that.
73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
Hi there
i will be getting mine soon.
73 de hb9fvk
I put the paddle on the dashboard of my car for a few days. At the end of one sunny day, only about 25C outside air temp, the plastic was liquid enough to allow me to bend the paddle arms back to near their original positions. I still may use the hot water method to see whether that allows more range of adjustment.
The main reason for mentioning this is that a lot of 3D printed items are being used by amateurs now, and as SOTA activators tend to expose these items to extremes of weather not usually found in the home, it is best to be aware of possible side-effects.
I will try to keep it out of the direct sunlight in the Australian summer, in future.
Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
2 Likes
Hi, I just recieved this chinesse key, 19€ shipping included.
Once the adjustments are made (tension spring and gap between contacts) the key works perfect.
2 Likes
Another vote for the paddles from GM0EUL. Peter sent me a UMPP-Academy recently. I used it today on an activation and it’s great. It’s much more sensitive than the CW Morse I was using. It takes up so little space in the kit compared to the former. She’s a keeper and now a permanent part of the MTR kit.
2 Likes
Hi Alan,
Just wanted to say thanks for this post and for your write up. I also have a Porta-Paddle II and the intermittent keying was driving me mad. I could never be sure if it was me or the paddle making the mistakes. I have carried out a version of the mod that you have suggested and it has cured the problem. Perhaps not very elegant but, as you say, it is an otherwise solid key and it saves me having to replace it.
73, Nick 2E0EEM
2 Likes