You veterans probably already know this, but... I have a "Vari-speed" made by Vibroplex. It slows down the bug quite nicely.
See:http://vibroplex.com/accessories.html look for "vari-speed" -- John K5ENQ --- On Fri, 12/14/12, Ron D'Eau Claire <[email protected]> wrote: > From: Ron D'Eau Claire <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Vibroplex > To: [email protected] > Date: Friday, December 14, 2012, 2:52 PM > As Fred knows, I have Les' old bug > that is shown in the photo whose link he > posted, and the cable clamp weight. > > It makes for a very smooth feel, but H-E-A-V-Y. Les must > have had a wrist > like Popeye's arm. But the guys in commercial service like > Les worked at KPH > often had to send for long periods of time under 20 wpm - > sometimes as low > as 10 wpm. For them, matching the other station's speed > wasn't just a > courtesy; it was required. The cable clamp kept the dit > speed slow enough > for those stations. > > My favorite weight was simply a large alligator clip that I > attached to the > end of the pendulum (the alligator clip jaws don't interfere > with the damper > if you place them on the top and bottom of the end of the > pendulum). I also > wrapped some solder around the end of the alligator clip for > extra weight. > Lengthening the pendulum has a huge effect on the speed for > minimal weight > added. > > I bought a set of the heaviest weights the Vibroplex makes > and was > disappointed. They are the same diameter as the original > weights and simply > longer - the most inefficient way to add weight since it's > distributed over > a long part of the pendulum. Even two of them has only a > small effect on the > speed of a "fast" Vibroplex. > > I also have a Speed-X bug with a large diameter weight > (about the size of a > 2 euro coin or an American quarter dollar) with a very nifty > squeeze lock > instead of a set screw. It slowed down the Vibroplex quite > nicely, since it > concentrated the weight over a small section of the pendulum > for maximum > effect, especially when it was out near the end. > > The squeeze lock on the weight lets me change dit speed as > quickly as > turning the knob on a keyer from about 18 wpm to >35 wpm. > > > 73, Ron AC7AC > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] > On Behalf Of Fred Jensen > Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 11:25 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Vibroplex > > My crew mates at the coastal marine station all had shiny > Vibroplex bugs > they carried around in velvet lined wood boxes. They > were all lightning > fast on the dot side, and various "methods" were used to > slow them down. > See > > http://www.radiomarine.org/gallery/show?keyword=kphhistory&panel=pab1_1#pab1 > _1 > > scroll down to Les Burger on the right for an example. > My beat up J-36 by > Lionel [$5 at Surplus Sams] that I carried in my backpack > would easily slow > to 10 WPM, the leaf spring was about half as thick as a > Vibroplex. Putting > more weight on the armature will slow a Vibroplex, but it's > also additional > weight you have to slap around, and can lead to an > "interesting" fist. > > [If the URL above line wraps, you'll have to copy it into > your browser] > > 73, > > Fred K6DGW > - Northern California Contest Club > - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013 > - www.cqp.org > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
