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THE AM BULLETIN BOARD => QSO => Topic started by: PA0NVD on February 03, 2019, 10:58:21 AM



Title: CW key, please some info
Post by: PA0NVD on February 03, 2019, 10:58:21 AM
I have restored this beautiful key. It has HUGE silver contacts and cable ties for big cables. Looks like it was used for spark gap transmitters.
If someone has more information, it will be highly appreciated


Title: Re: CW key, please some info
Post by: W1ITT on February 03, 2019, 12:19:36 PM
https://nemosphotography.blogspot.com/2013/09/admiralty-pattern-7681-morse-key.html

The Admiralty Patent numbers were given to various things used by the British Royal Navy.  The 7681 was a fairly common key for shipboard and shoreside use.  Obviously, they were made back when things were made well and are well worth restoring. 

Here is another page with various British keys, including the 7681.

http://www.telegraphkeys.com/pages/keys/british.html

And remember, CW  is amplitude modulation !


Title: Re: CW key, please some info
Post by: Opcom on February 03, 2019, 12:56:49 PM
got to wonder if that wooden disc is to protect the operator from burns and high voltage. A real mans' key there.


Title: Re: CW key, please some info
Post by: PA0NVD on February 03, 2019, 01:12:31 PM
Thanks for the info
The open question is still the year of manufacturing. I found at https://www.brundrit.co.uk/british-military-keys   a similar key of 1928 that has a serial number in the 368. But the year JC is not clear to me

Indeed that disk should be to protect from HV. If it was used to key (AM Modulate....) a spark transmitter, quite high and lethal voltages and currents were switched. I wonder if the sparks got old in those days..... ???


Title: Re: CW key, please some info
Post by: W1ITT on February 03, 2019, 04:12:16 PM
Here in the States we often call that sort or knob on a key a "navy knob" and I'm sure it was used to keep the operators fingers out of the high voltage when using certain keying schemes.  I have used one all my radio life, simply because I like the feel of it supporting my fingers and I think that I make better CW when I use it.  As a Novice licensee 52 years ago, I bought a key that didn't have the "skirt" so I made one out of Masonite, a brown pressed fiber material.  I still have it.    Later I bought a nicer commercial key that had one all built in.   It's all a matter of personal preference.  And they look very cool!
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