Sorry about the rather abrupt end to CW from F/NO-123 on Thursday.
The lead from my Palm Paddle failed at the paddle end. I managed to work on for a bit by holding the cable still with my left hand but it eventually got too bad.
Colin G8TMV
In reply to G8TMV:
This is a hidden advantage of the Code Cube. The lead still fails after each extended period of excessive abuse, but is now easily replaced with any bog standard 3.5mm jack to 3.5mm jack audio lead such as those available cheaply from car audio shops. No messing about with the fiddly connector on the lead for the standard mini palm paddle without Code Cube.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to G8TMV:
I guess all users of the Palm Paddle have experienced that at least once, I certainly have. Very annoying indeed during an activation. Mine now has a very short lead to a stereo jack socket and then I use a stereo jack to jack as Tom. The very short lead doesnt seem to stress the stupid little connector on the back of the Palm Paddle and this has worked to date.
Thanks for the QSO from F/NO-123, that has given another Complete.
73 Andrew G4AFI
In reply to G8TMV:
There’s this “microphone” thing which, I gather, is easy to use. 
In reply to G4AFI:
I guess all users of the Palm Paddle have experienced that at least once
Nope.
Some of us understand the concepts of minimum bend radius and fragility of connectors!
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
I have never had a problem either. However it may be that Palm have changed the cable type that they use. The current paddles seem to be supplied with a much less flexible cable than earlier ones.
73 Richard G3CWI
That is certainly my experience as well. However, I can boast that I have broken both the older more flexible cable AND the newer stiffer cable. I have also broken the first cheapo car audio patch lead I acquired. I am good at breaking things. This is something that has been recognised for testing purposes by a supplier of portable radio products.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M0LEP:
There’s this “microphone” thing which, I gather, is easy to use.
I’ve tried that - the MIC KEY mode using the UP/DN buttons on the FT-817 fist mike as dah and dit paddles. I think it was on Rombalds Moor G/NP-028 on the occasion of a Mini Palm Paddle lead failure.
Well I managed it, but I totally disagree - it is not easy to use at all.
Tom M1EYP
In reply to M1EYP:
it is not easy to use at all.
I gather it works better if it’s actually plugged into your rig, rather than hanging on a hook in your shack ninety miles (and a stretch of sea) away…
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to M0LEP:
By coincidence, just this morning I received an email from Hannes (DL9SCO) of Palm Radio. He says they have completely redesigned the connecting cable for the Palm Mini paddle in the light of reported problems with the original cable.
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to G8TMV:
Actually Colin, breakdowns and failures apart, I don’t see anyone saying well done on a CW activation as I don’t recall you being a brass-basher. I may be doing you a dis-service and you have lots of CW experience that I’ve not noticed before.
So if you are new, then congratulations.
Andy
MM0FMF
In reply to MM0FMF:
Actually Colin, breakdowns and failures apart, I don’t see anyone
saying well done on a CW activation as I don’t recall you being a
brass-basher. I may be doing you a dis-service and you have lots of CW
experience that I’ve not noticed before.So if you are new, then congratulations.
Thanks 
I’ve done CW chases before and I’ve only been trying to learn CW since I was first licenced in 1979.
Friday was my second CW activation, the first was G/SE-013 on Wednesday!
I certainly got lots of dah-di-di-dah-dit practice on Friday having to send F/G8TMV/P
As well as the 817 I’ve got an ATS3B and two MTRs (one of which is un-built as yet).
I got my palm paddle used from a local ham, apart from the lead problem which I will investigate over the next day or so I have to say that I’m not a fan. I find the ‘action’ very imprecise compared with the Kent paddle I use at home.
Colin G8TMV
In reply to G3NYY:
I’ve just seen on the german website of palm radio is the announcement of the new cable. There is also a connector-only kit (without cable) available.
http://www.palm-radio.de/deutsch/dnew.html
Since my very beginnings with CW last December, I’m permanently struggling with the connector, too 
73 Stephan, DM1LE
In reply to DM1LE:
Thank you for the info, Stephan. Here is the translation of the latest announcement on the Palm website:
"For use with the Mini Paddle we now offer a highly flexible cable (“MP-CC”), about 70 cm in length. This is now shipping with all Mini Paddles.
The new cable is thin, highly flexible and provides increased reliability compared to the solution used previously.
On one end, a gold-plated 3.5mm jack is mounted. On the other end is the well-known 3-pin connector for the mini paddles. However, for this connector Palm Radio now has specially developed a special plastic housing.
The connector consists of a two-piece bolted housing with integrated strain relief and is designed for cables up to about 2.3 mm diameter.
For DIY cables we also offer our new plug separately as a plug kit ‘MP-plug’."
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
In reply to MM0FMF:
So I decided as the weather was nice, id do a quick activation of Rombalds Moor this afternoon.
I already have the point in the bag for this year so this was a non scoring activation. I decided to give my SW20+ a rare session on the air. The rig has a freqmite fitted, this give a readout of frequency to one kilohertz resolution. I find it’s all too easy to knock the vfo knob and coupled with the ‘somewhere in the ball park’ dial setting it’s not easy to stay on frequency! I’m not experienced enough with the rig to know if it has a natural drift also.
Considering the above information, imagine my delight when my key starting producing dits that I was not instructing it to! Yes, it certainly was a challenging activation but ultimately fun. It seems as though I had suffered again with the dreaded Palm Paddle disease 
I have a brand new OEM cable in reserve so I guess I’ll have to press that into service. I’m very careful with my gear, Im frugal with finances but this will be my second paddle cable failure.
73,
Colin
In reply to M0LEP:
In reply to G8TMV:
There’s this “microphone” thing which, I gather, is easy to use.
Sure!
I thought that’s reserved to tune the antenna and to use those pretty buttons on the upper side (QRG up/down/fast). I couldn’t imagine any other use for that nice accesory. But sometimes I forget it at home
–… …-- de EA2CW
In reply to EA2CW:
But sometimes I forget it at home
I hadn’t intended my activation attempt on F/NO-123 yesterday to be a CW-only affair, but…
73, Rick M0LEP
In reply to G3NYY:
Those two new options for the Palm Paddle look just the job. I am seriously considering putting in an order.
73 Andrew G4AFI
In reply to G3NYY:
Hi Walt,
Had very much the same e-mail, Hannes has offered to replace the old cable with a new version… happy days as I am sure they would have given it a good test before letting it out into the radio world…
Steve MW0BBU.
In reply to MW0BBU:
For what it’s worth I have “borrowed” a key from a friend who was never going to take it up a hill and it appears to be built like the proverbial brick toilet. Available on Ebay as item number 271470159910 (usual caveats).
Tom (M1EYP) has seen it and seemed to think it would perform and El Presidente claimed he could send morse with it (but he could send morse with two paperclips and a piece of wet string, so that is not necessarily a compliment!)
I might even be persuaded to use it later today if the rain keeps off.
73
Barry GM4TOE