keys – Page 2 – WB3GCK QRP Amateur Radio

More Antenna Testing in Valley Forge

In my last post, I talked about using a simple antenna comprising a 15-foot radiator, a 7.5-foot counterpoise, and a 4:1 unun. It worked well, but I found it a little touchy to tune on 40M. Today, I tried the same configuration, but with a slightly longer radiator and counterpoise.

I wanted to add a little length to the radiator, but limit it to 19 feet, so I could still use my lightweight 19.5-foot telescoping pole to support it. Looking at a table of random wire antenna lengths to avoid, it seemed like 18 feet might be a good choice for 40M through 15M, my primary bands of interest. Scaling the counterpoise wire proportionately, I went with a length of 9 feet.

Just as I was getting ready to cut a set of wires to try out, I stumbled on a video by Thomas K4SWL. In the video, he was using an antenna built by AD8HK that used a radiator length of 17’9” and a counterpoise length of 8’10.5”. I went with those dimensions, since they were very close to what I was considering and seemed to work with Thomas’s KH1.

On the Air

To try it out, I made a quick trip over to Valley Forge National Historical Park (US-0761, KFF-0761). Using the same 4:1 unun and coax as the last time, I made a quick check to see how my Elecraft T1 loaded up on the bands. The tuner quickly found a match on 40M, 30M, 20M. On 17M, however, it seemed to struggle. I went back to 40M and got started with my activation.

This wasn’t the best day to be doing this. The geomagnetic field was unsettled with a K index of 4 and the A index sitting at 47. Nevertheless, the callers showed up, although at a somewhat slower pace than usual.

After I had 14 contacts in the log, I decided to spend the rest of my limited time playing around with the antenna. When I went back and checked 17M, the T1 tuned it up without flinching. I also rearranged the counterpoise wire so it ran 180 degrees opposite of my coax. Checking the bands again, the T1 reliably matched 40M through 17M.

Convinced that the new wire lengths work, I went back to the 15-foot radiator and 7.5-foot counterpoise I used a few days earlier. This time, the T1 had no issues loading up on 40M. Go figure!

I really wanted to give the unun with the smaller ferrite core another shot. When I last tried it with the 15-foot & 7.5-foot wires, neither my KH1 nor my T1 could find a match on 40M. Unfortunately, I neglected to put it in my backpack before I left. I’ll have to save that for another time.

The Straight Key Century Club (SKCC) Weekend Sprintathon contest was going on this weekend, and I worked one SKCC station while tuning around the bands. This month, the WES theme was homebrew keys. In the spirit of the contest, I made the contact using a straight key I built a few years ago from junk box parts.

My homebrew straight key constructed from odds and ends in my junk box — My homebrew straight key constructed from odds and ends from my junk box

Conclusions

So it looks like both the 15’/7.5’ and 17’9”/8’10.5” configurations are usable with my homebrew 4:1 unun. Given a choice, though, I would probably stick with the longer wires.

One other thing is clear: short random wires can sometimes be finicky little critters. When in doubt, rearrange the counterpoise wire.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Puppy Sitting Again

I recently spent six days out in Central Pennsylvania on house- & puppy sitting duty again. I got to spend some quality time with my grand-dog, Belle, and got in some radio time, too.

PA State Game Land 246 (US-8941, KFF-5862)

My first radio outing was early on a Friday morning. Pennsylvania State Game Lands 246 is only about 10 minutes away, so it’s perfect for a quick activation. With an active geomagnetic field, the propagation didn’t look at all promising. I ignored all that and headed out the door. As I was leaving, Belle thought we were going for another walk. Needless to say, I had a very disappointed German shepherd at the window watching me leave.

The parking lot at SGL246 was empty when I got there. I set up my 12-foot whip and homebrew loading coil, along with my trusty Penntek TR-35 (5 watts, CW). I spent the whole activation—and it was a short one—on 40M.

My truck at PA State Game Lands 246 — State Game Lands 246 (US-8941, KFF-5862)

Given the band conditions and the early hour (around 0745 local) on a weekday, I got off to a slow start. My big issue was the local power line noise. Before I started, I tuned around 40M to find a frequency where the noise was lower. Despite the band conditions and noise, I seemed to be getting out well enough, and the received signals were fairly strong.

After 30 minutes on the air, I finished up with 14 contacts. I packed up my gear and headed back to take Belle for that walk. After that, I think she forgave me for leaving without her.

And Then the Rains Came

Bright and early Saturday morning, I took Belle through the basement to let her out in the backyard. I found myself splashing through puddles of water in the rec room, and the sump pump was running like crazy.

We had some severe thunderstorms the previous night, and according to the local news, we received close to two inches of rain overnight. So, much of the day was spent cleaning up and drying out instead of playing radio. Fortunately, my (far) better half drove out for the weekend and helped with the cleanup effort.

Capt. John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (US-4567)

When I woke up Sunday morning, I saw we were in the midst of a severe geomagnetic storm. Some hams on a local repeater were complaining about the poor conditions on the HF bands. So, what did I do? I headed out for an early morning QRP POTA activation.

For this water trail, I went to a public boat launch on the Susquehanna River. The river was still slightly flooded from the recent rainstorms, but the water hadn’t reached the parking lot.

Some minor flooding of the Susquehanna River — Some minor flooding on the Susquehanna River

Given the poor band conditions, I used my homebrew loading coil and a 17-foot whip instead of my usual 12-foot whip. I was hoping the additional five feet would help my 5 watt signal punch through the geomagnetic storm.

I also used my brand new Pocket Paddles from CWMorse. I neglected to order one with magnets, so I couldn’t attach it to my clipboard. However, I think I have a plan to address that as a future project. On the air, the Pocket Paddles performed flawlessly, and I’m looking forward to using them a lot more in the future.

After my third CQ call on 40M, I quickly logged my first two contacts. The contacts kept coming, but at a slow pace. After nine contacts, I thought that the tenth one might never come. Fortunately, it did. After 45 minutes, I ended up with 12 contacts, including one park-to-park. Not bad for a severe geomagnetic storm. I packed up and headed to a grocery store to pick up a few things for breakfast back at the house.

And Back to PA SGL246

On Monday morning I made another trip over to PA State Game Lands 246. There was a major geomagnetic storm in progress, so I knew this would be another challenging activation.

The parking lot was empty the whole time I was there. No big surprise, given that it was early on a weekday. I went with the same set-up as yesterday, opting for the 17-ft whip.

With a K Index of six and the usual power line noise, it was slow going on 40M. It took a few minutes of continuous CQing to log my first contact. It took almost 45 minutes to get seven in the log. At that point, things stalled for a bit. Around that time, I received a NOAA email alert saying the K Index had increased to seven.

I had allotted an hour for this activation, and I was getting close to the end. Then, out of nowhere, I had three callers in rapid succession that got me to 10 contacts. For good measure, there were three more after that.

I finished up with 13 in the log, with one known park-to-park contact. So, my little five-watt station managed to pull it off again. Take that, Mr. Sun!

And with that, I wrapped up my activations out here. Radio-wise, the band conditions were challenging, but it was still fun. I might be back in central Pennsylvania for another round of puppy sitting next month—with better band conditions, I hope!

72, Craig WB3GCK

No-Name Mini Straight Key

I needed another mini straight key like a hole in the head. With my fascination for these things, however, I just couldn’t help myself.

The key in question came from AliExpress and cost me about $18 USD. Although it has no markings on it, it appears to be from the same manufacturer as the QU-21C paddles I bought a while back. The basic design is the same as the QU-21C, and it came with identical packaging and accessories. After modifying the magnetic base, the paddles have served me well. So I took a chance on the look-alike straight key.

My No-name mini straight key from AliExpress during a recent portable outing. The key is magnetically attached to steel strips I glued to my clipboard. — My no-name mini straight key from AliExpress during a recent portable outing. The key is magnetically attached to steel strips I glued to my clipboard.

Out of the box, the straight key’s contact spacing was a little wide for my taste. Using the included Allen wrench, I adjusted the key more to my liking. For a cheap key, it has a pretty good feel to it, and it keys cleanly.

The accessories that came with the mini straight key. (Not shown is an adhesive rubber square that I attached to the bottom of the key.)

Based on my experience with the QU-21C paddles, I had some reservations about the highly polished square magnet on the bottom. However, since the motion of the straight key is the vertical plane instead of side-to-side, the magnet is less of an issue.

I used the key during a recent outing, and I had no major issues with it. I have some a couple of steel strips glued to my clipboard, and I stuck the key there. There was a little movement, but nowhere near as bad as the paddles. I just needed to make sure I didn’t get too vigorous with my keying. After I use them some more, I’ll decide if I want to modify them like I did with the paddles.

Most of the time I get what I pay for, but in this case, I think I got a decent product for the price. I let you know if my opinion changes with time.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Captain John Smith Trail

I was out in central Pennsylvania over the past weekend for our family’s belated Thanksgiving get-together. Before we left for home on Sunday, I squeezed in a quick early-morning POTA activation. This time, I drove down to Falmouth Boat Launch to activate the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (US-4567).

The Falmouth launch is about two miles downstream from the infamous Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station. I was here once before back in 2018. However, I had forgotten that this water trail includes the entire length of the Susquehanna River. (I have since uploaded that log to the POTA website.)

It was about 20F (-7C) when I headed out for the 15-minute drive to the site. The parking lot was nearly empty, so I was able to park in a spot that fell within the 100 feet guideline. I had previously used Google Earth to measure the distance to the river.

WB3GCK along the Susquehanna River on a sub-freezing morning

I quickly put up my 12-foot loaded whip (before my fingers got numb) and set up my Penntek TR-35 (5 watts CW). Thankfully, the sun and my body heat brought the cab of the truck up to 40F (4C) in short order.

The conditions on 40M were amazing. The first two stations answered my CQs before I had even spotted myself. When I finally posted my spot, I had a huge pile-up. There were a lot of early risers out there, so Craig was a very busy boy for the first 15 minutes or so.

I gave the cheap QU-21C paddles a real workout this morning. My quick and dirty magnetic mount held perfectly, and the paddles worked great. They’ll be seeing a lot more use in the future.

QU-21C Mini Paddles with my quick & dirty magnetic mount. This clipboard has some thin, steel strips, instead of the steel washers I had been using.

After 33 minutes on the air, I had worked 32 stations, all of them on 40M. I had one known park-to-park.

Then, it was time to head back to my daughter’s house for breakfast. On the way, I pulled over to take some pictures of Three Mile Island. I also saw another boat launch that I’ll have to check out further.

Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all who celebrated.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Hacking the QU-21 Mini Paddles

When I bought the QU-21C Mini Paddles a while back, I wasn’t crazy about the small square magnet attached to the base. It didn’t seem to hold very well. When subjected to vigorous keying, the paddles would sometimes move side-to-side. I came up with a quick and dirty hack that resolved the issue for me.

A little backstory is in order. I’ve never been a big fan of “two-handed” keying; that is, holding the paddles in one hand while sending with the other. I modified a small clipboard by gluing two steel washers to it, such that they lined up with the two magnets in my Palm Mini paddles. The clipboard securely holds the paddles and gives me a nice writing surface for logging in the field. I’ve been using clipboards like this for about 10 years now.

In just a few minutes, I modified my QU-21C paddles to adapt them to my clipboards and make them more suitable for “single-handed” keying. The first order of business was to remove the square magnet from the bottom of the paddles. That was almost too easy. I wedged a knife blade between the base and the magnet, and the magnet popped right off.

Magnets glued to the underside of the perf board to line up with the steel washers on my clipboard

Next, I took some perf board from my junk box and cut off a 3.5 x 1 inch piece. I used some Goop® adhesive to attach two magnets on one side of the board. I placed them so they had the same spacing as the magnets on my Palm paddles. Then I glued the QU-21C paddles to the other side of the perf board. Except for the drying time for the adhesive, I completed the project in about 10 minutes.

The QU-21 paddles glued to the perf board and ready for use

The magnets I used are really strong and probably overkill for this application. But, I had a bunch of them on hand, so I put them to use.

Admittedly, this cheesy little hack doesn’t look like much. If I feel ambitious sometime, I might come up with something more elaborate. Maybe something like the base I made for my little MS2 straight key. For now, though, this will suffice.

72, Craig WB3GCK

QU-21C Mini Paddles

I’ve been toying with the idea of putting together a small radio kit based on my (tr)SDX or something similar, so I’ve been looking at small paddles to go with it. Browsing through eBay recently, I came across several listings for the QU-21C paddles. They were inexpensive, so I thought I’d order them and give them a shot.

These paddles are nothing new; they’ve been around for a few years. (I’m definitely no early adopter.) The QU-21C paddles are made in China and mine are marked with the brand name, Magic Rabbit. From other reviews I have seen, there may be other manufacturers. So, the quality and packaging may vary. I paid about $24 USD from a seller (iDrone) that ships from the U.S., but you can find them listed for less than $20, if you don’t mind waiting for a shipment from China.

Opening the package, I found the paddles are even smaller than I expected. The base is approximately .98 inch by .98 inch (25mm x 25mm) and 1 inch (26mm) tall. The overall length, including the paddles, is 1.9 inches (48.5mm). On my kitchen scale, the paddles weighed in at 1.25 ounces (34 grams). The paddles appear to be 3-D printed, but the quality is pretty good. The base of the paddles is magnetic, which is one feature that first drew my attention.

Magic Rabbit QU-21C paddles with the rubber pad attached to the magnet. The pad looks a little ratty around the edges, because I removed it and decided to put it back on. I messed it up a little in the process. — Magic Rabbit QU-21C paddles with the rubber pad attached to the magnet. The pad looks a little ragged around the edges, because I applied it, removed it, and then decided to put it back on. I messed it up a little in the process.

The package I received included:

Paddles with a magnet attached to the bottom
3-ft cable with 3.5mm stereo plugs on each end
Hex wrench for adjusting contact spacing
Two adhesive metal discs
Adhesive rubber pad
Plastic storage case that holds everything

Some of the accessories that came with it. The cable is inside the clear plastic storage box. The adhesive discs can be applied anywhere, so you can use the attach the paddles magnetically.

My first impression was that the contact spacing seemed a little wider than I like. I used the supplied hex wrench and adjusted the spacing until the contacts were completely closed. Then, I backed off a little.

I prefer a light spring tension on my paddles, but the spring in these paddles seems stiffer than I’m used to. Unfortunately, there’s no adjustment for that. So, I’ll just have to get used to using a little more force than my other paddles.

I’m not sold on the magnetic base, though. The square magnet is fairly strong, but it’s highly polished. So, the paddles sometimes have a tendency to slide when I’m sending. I applied the rubber pad that comes with it, but that seemed to offer only minimal improvement. For now, I just hold them in one hand while sending with the other.

I’ve actually thought about trying to remove the magnet altogether, since it appears to be glued on. At least, it wouldn’t be attracting every ferrous object that comes near it. But, for now, I’m just thinking about it.

The QU-21C paddles during a recent activation, along with my trusty Palm Mini paddles are also shown. — The QU-21C paddles during a recent activation, along with my trusty Palm Mini paddles.

I had a chance to use the QU-21C paddles on a recent park activation. It didn’t take long to get used to them, and I had no issues with them at all. The paddles keyed reliably, without missing a single dit or dah.

Even with my spring tension and magnet gripes, I’m pretty happy with these paddles. These cheap paddles look like worthy candidates for field use. We’ll see how well they hold up over time.

72, Craig WB3GCK

Palm Paddle Cable Repair

During a POTA activation a few days ago, I was in the middle of a QSO when my Palm Mini paddles started behaving erratically. I knew right where to look for the cause of the problem.

The Palm Mini paddles have been my go-to paddles in the field for many years. Although the German manufacturer, Palm Radio, is no longer in business, they are still the only paddles I take along for portable work. They are compact, have a great feel, and work perfectly with the clipboard arrangement I use in the field. I loved the first set I bought and later acquired a second set.

These great little paddles have one weakness: the cable connection. The three-pin connector is similar to standard header pins with a two-piece plastic backshell held together with a tiny screw. Once inserted into the paddles, there’s no locking mechanism to hold it in place. It’s definitely not the most rugged arrangement. After my first encounter with cable issues, I ordered a couple of replacement cables. Sadly, that’s no longer an option.

During my most recent episode of cable problems, the connector backshell had fallen apart, leaving the tiny wires exposed. I grabbed a spare cable and was back in business in short order.

Fortunately, after some searching, I found the two backshell pieces on the floor of my truck. The screw that holds the backshell together goes into a threaded boss, which had broken. I encountered an identical failure on another cable a couple of years ago, so I knew how to deal with it.

After I got home, I carefully checked the wire connections and confirmed that they were still intact. So this time, the fix was just to reassemble the backshell. Since I could no longer screw the two halves back together, I had to resort to drastic measures. I call this the “final fix.” Once implemented, it can’t be undone.

This photo shows the rear of the Palm Mini Paddles (left). On the right is the connector I repaired by gluing back together. In my haste to repair the cable, I neglected to take pictures of the inside of the connector. — This photo shows the rear of the Palm Mini Paddles (left). On the right is the connector I repaired by gluing it back together. In my haste to repair the cable, I neglected to take pictures of the inside of the connector.

I positioned the connector in the bottom half of the backshell and re-checked the connections. Then, I applied a dollop of Goop™ adhesive inside the backshell and put the top half on. The Goop™ filled the inside of the backshell, holding it all together and providing some additional strain relief for the tiny wires. After cleaning off the adhesive that squeezed out during assembly, I clamped the backshell overnight. The next morning, I gave it a test and confirmed that everything was still working.

I’ve seen webpages describing ways of replacing the fragile connector with something more robust. I’m not quite ready to perform major surgery on my beloved Palm Mini paddles. Someday, I suppose, I’ll have no choice.

72, Craig WB3GCK

No-Name CW Paddles

Once a day, I receive an email from eBay showing the latest listings for CW keys. In one of those emails, a small and inexpensive set of 3D-printed paddles caught grabbed my attention. My curiosity got the better of me, and I ordered some.

The primary reason for my interest was the size. I normally use Palm Mini paddles attached to a clipboard, when I’m out operating portable. The eBay listing offered paddles that were a bit smaller than my Palm Mini paddles. The Palm paddles are no longer available (much to my chagrin), so I was curious if these cheap paddles might be a viable alternative. Given the low price (around $15, shipping included), I had no delusions that the no-name paddles would be as good, though.

The paddles are “unbranded” and listed on eBay under the awkward title, “Cw key automatic key short wave automatic key double paddle radio report NEW.” There are numerous listings for these paddles. Most of them ship from Hong Kong but there are some U.S.-based sources. Some are available in kit form.

They are available in 3 sizes. The two larger paddles have magnetic bases. I bought the smallest one (3x8x2 cm), which had the potential to work with my clipboard setup. They are intended for two-handed operation but I figured I could improvise some sort of magnetic base for them.

Unbranded, 3D-printed paddles from eBay. The screw (one on each side) adjusts the paddle contact spacing.

As mentioned earlier, they are 3D-printed. The seller cautions: “Can’t work in high temperature environment!” The term, “high temperature,” is undefined. I’m sure I would start to wilt in the heat long before the paddles.

It took a couple of weeks to receive my paddles from Hong Kong. Besides the paddles, the package contained a 3-foot patch cable with 3.5mm stereo plugs. There was no documentation but none was needed.

Read view of the small, un-branded, 3D-printed paddles from eBay. The rear connector is a standard 1/8-inch stereo jack.

Out of the box, I found the contact spacing to be much wider than I’m accustomed to. Fortunately, the paddles have access holes on each side to adjust the spacing. A few tweaks with a Phillips screwdriver got the spacing closer to my liking.

It was easy to fashion a magnetic base. Using some two-sided foam mounting tape, I added two strong magnets to the bottom of the paddles. The magnets didn’t line up exactly with the washers on my clipboard but they held pretty well.

You’re probably wondering how they work. Well, they are about what you’d expect from $15 paddles. For sure, they lack the solid, precise feel of my more expensive Palm paddles. The paddle arms have what I call, “vertical slop.” By that I mean you can wiggle them up and down. Also, the paddles’ contacts aren’t the greatest. They are just the threaded ends of two machine screws contacting the threads of a vertically-mounted machine screw.

With the “vertical slop” and the rough contacts, you don’t always get clean contact closure. To me, it feels like the contacts sometimes “scratch” when they close. The left paddle also sticks occasionally. At higher speeds (20+WPM), they can be challenging. That said, I am able to coax decent-sounding code out of them at moderate speeds—if I’m careful.

As they say, you get what you pay for. These paddles won’t be replacing my Palm Mini paddles anytime soon. They don’t have the smooth, quality feel of my Palm paddles—or any other paddles I own. Not by a long shot. I concede, however, that comparing these $15 paddles to more expensive products is not entirely fair.

CW keys and paddles are always subject to personal preferences; however, if you are on a limited budget, these paddles might work for you. It certainly won’t cost you a lot to find out.

73, Craig WB3GCK

[Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in these products whatsoever.]

The K0MBT Mini-Mini Key

OK, I admit it. I have a fascination with tiny straight keys and paddles. With the proliferation of 3D printers, there are a lot of neat, innovative products available these days. This unusual little key from Dave Balfour KØMBT is a good example. [Update 3/16/2020: Dave recently changed his callsign to ADØB.]

Dave got started in 3D printing as a hobby a few years ago. A while back, he started sharing his straight key designs with his fellow SKCC members on the SKCC mailing list. That generated some interest and, before long, Dave was offering his keys for sale. As of this writing, Dave is offering straight keys in two sizes and a single lever paddle that can be used as a sideswiper (aka cootie) key.

I ordered the smaller of Dave’s straight keys, which he calls the “Mini-Mini.” Dave promptly shipped one and I had it a few days later. When I opened the box, I was immediately intrigued by this little key.

K0MBT "Mini-Mini" Key — K0MBT “Mini-Mini” Key

When I say “little,” I mean “little.” Overall, it measures approximately 2-1/4″ L x 1″ W x 3/4″ H and weighs in at a minuscule 0.7 oz. (19g). Instead of a traditional knob, Dave uses a novel indentation on the keying lever. The other unique thing is the switch he uses instead of the contacts. A little computer mouse switch provides both the contact closure as well as the return spring. As a result, there are no adjustments for contact spacing or tension. It doesn’t get much simpler than this.

On the rear of the key, there are two terminals for connecting the wires of your choice. There are holes on each side of the key, that meet at the two terminals. You can route your wires in from the side, providing a little strain relief.

Rear view of the K0MBT "Mini-Mini" key — Rear view of the K0MBT “Mini-Mini” key

When I first grasped the key, my forefinger instinctively went into the indentation and it felt very natural. Despite the lack of adjustments, the key has a nice feel to it. With it just sitting on my desk, I can send code without the key sliding around too much. With the cable I’m using, though, it can sometimes feel like “the tail wagging the dog.” It’s not a huge issue, as long as I’m careful.

Kudos to Dave KØMBT for this unique and fun little key. If you’d like more information on Dave’s keys, look him up on QRZ.com or download Dave’s PDF file describing his offerings.

73, Craig WB3GCK

[Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in this product whatsoever.]

Westclox Canadian Military Key

While puttering around the shack this morning, I came across an old key I had all but forgotten. It’s a Westclox Canadian military key that I acquired back when I was first licensed. It has been tucked away in the back of my desk drawer for most of the past 44 years. I can’t remember ever using it on the air, so I figured it’s time to give it a fresh look.

It seems like I’ve had this Westclox key forever. I remember buying it from a mail-order military surplus house around 1975. It was in excellent condition and appeared to be unused. The label on the box reads: Z1 ZA/CAN 0977. The box also shows a manufacturing date of May 1949. An identical key is shown on the W1TP website. The PA3EGH website also shows some similar keys.

Original box for the Westclox Canadian military key. The label reads Z-1 ZA/CAN 0977 and shows a date of May 1949. — Original box for the Westclox Canadian military key.

I don’t remember what I paid for it, but it wasn’t very expensive. I took a quick look at eBay this morning and I saw these keys listed anywhere from $80 to an outrageous $750.

One of the reasons it hasn’t seen much use is its “feel.” Unlike the J-38 style keys I used in the Navy, the contacts on the Westclox key are behind the fulcrum. This results in a “feel” that was a bit unusual to my taste.

The other issue with this key is that it’s somewhat loud. At one time I considered using it for portable operating while camping. However, I don’t think it would be a good choice for early morning operating when others are still sleeping.

Having said all that, there’s still something about this key that fascinates me. I spent some time re-adjusting it and it now feels better than I remembered. I also mounted it on a wooden base for some additional stability.

Frankly, I don’t think I gave this key a fair shake back when I bought it. So, I think I’m going to put this 70-year-old key on the air this week. If it really was new/unused when I bought it, this will be the first operational use in its 70-year existence.

73, Craig WB3GCK