Paddles

Paddles are important tool for CW operator. I have 3 of them;Schurr profi, Chevron and Mercury made by Bencher.

Schurr has springs for tension. When I knew paddles with magnet for tension, I believed the latter was much better than the former regarding the touch of keying.

I had used Chevron for a year or two until I noticed it occured contact problems. I knew a way to solve it for sometime as described for a while. But, felt it was troublesome to do that procedure, I have used Mercury for months.

I felt loosened axis of dots with Mercury recently when hitting it hard. I gave it up now even though tightening of the axis might improve it. Mercury has made unpleasant bouncing sensation when hitting the levers in addition to this loosened axis, even though it could be partially ameliorated with narrowed contact gaps and stronger tension.

Chevron"s contact problem occurs at two parts. One is at contacts as with the other kind of paddles. It is simply solved with cleaning the contacts with paper. The other is unique to Chevron. It sometimes happens between the column and the bolt supporting the contact. Exactly, the surfaces of fastening nut and bolt as well as of the screw in the column bring about oxidized membrane, which causes resistance to small amount of current running in the keying circuit.

 

The outlook of Chevron. Pretty heavy

and beautiful. A perfect paddle without

the  occasional contact problem.

I am often whispered by someone to purchase some good paddle like Begali. I am almost inclined to order one model of Begali. Thinking how long I could use it from now, however, I won't do that so far. I don't want to be a fetish collector of keys any longer!

I placed this old Chevron on the operating table. And, as I used to do, I put conductive grease to the aspects of the fastening nut and the bolt facing to the screw in the column. I know it gets rid of the contact problem for several months. I go on repeating the procedure when the problem recurrs. 

 

You may see some debris of the conductive

grease between the fastening nut and

the right aspect of the column.

 

 

It is not easy to meet an ideal paddle. So far, I would go on with Chevron.

I won't be able to excuse errors in sending at least for several months.

 

 For the manufacturer's honor, I would add that they have improved the contacts in the new model, even though I don't know what they have done with this contacts as well as if the refinement has solved the problem or not yet.  

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

    

                              

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