AA5TB's Telegraph Keys

I have always been interested in radio telegraphy (CW). Over the years I've acquired a few instruments of the trade. I wouldn't call my telegraph keys a true "collection" yet but I thought I'd share what I do have.

This key was made in Japan for Radio Shack for many years. It was my first key as a novice back in the 1970's. I always thought it was kind of cheaply made and I haven't used it much after acquiring my first J-38. However, after mounting it on a nice piece of oak and spending some time filing the arm's pivot joint to remove burrs and fine tuning the ball bearing adjustments I must say that this key shines up very nicely. I attached leather to the bottom of the oak and the whole assembly is relatively light yet stays put on the table. If you are looking for a inexpensive key for everyday use you might consider finding one of these and doing the same. This key is still sold today by Milestone Technologies as an Ameco Brass Key AM-K4.

I acquired this J-38 key in the late 1980's. It had belonged to my friend Richard Hall, W5ZJG. He and I were radio operators at the coast station WFE in Houston. When he became a silent key the key was given to me. I believe the key had once belong to his father who was also a ham. I know it is very old. It has been used so much that the knob is wore very thin and the arm is slightly bent.

I do not know what company manufactured this one. There were many companies contracted to manufacter the J-38 for the U.S. military as I understand it. All I know is that this one is mostly brass except for the chrome plated steel arm, non-brass rear binding posts, and non-brass shorting bar. It has a very nice feel and good, solid click of the contacts. I have used this key very much. I recently attached a piece of leather to the bottom with the soft fuzzy side out and the key "clues" itself to the table.

I purchased this key from an antique store in Mena, Arkansas around 2000. It was very dirty and mounted on a piece old wood with a homebrew code practice oscillator. I suspect it had belonged to a ham but who knows when. I disassembled the key and carefully cleaned it up. In reality it was in pretty good shape. I mounted it on a oak "paddle". I use it quite a bit but it doesn't feel as good as my other J-38. The "anvil" and "hammer" contacts seem to be kind of soft for some reason but it is probably just different.

I do not know the manufacturer of this J-38 either but it resembles what K6IX calls a White Metal type. I think that the frame is made of nickel or at least heavily plated in nickel. This J-38 seems to be a bit rare.

I purchased this Kent straight key from England in 1994 and it came in kit form. I completed the key on June 11, 1994. It is very similar to the type of key that was used on the Titanic. It is a nice key but the "anvil" and "hammer" contacts seem to have a bit of a bounce to them that may cause problems in some transmitters. It would probably work good with a spark transmitter since it has contacts on it that look like they could handle a 30 amps!

This is my Soviet TKF key manufactured by Cherkassy Telegraph Equipment in the Ukraine between about 1988 and 1992. It includes a built in LC antisparking filter. These keys were constructed for the Soviet military and Artic weather stations but this one was never delivered due to the fall of the Soviet Union. I obtained this key new in the box directly from the Ukraine in 2007. It is said that the manufacturer has lost all of it's technological facilities and will never be able to make these keys anymore.

Believe it or not, I can send good CW at 25 WPM with this key. One would think that such a massive key couldn't more very fast but there is something about it that allows me to keep a good "beat". I put some leather on the bottom of it and it stays put.

Notice that this key has electrical contacts at both the rear and front of the arm to allow either normally closed contacts or normally open contacts. I don't know what the original use of the dual set of contacts was for but it would be ideal for a full break-in QSK rig or for time sequenced keying of a microwave transverter to prevent damage to LNA's.

• TKF - Dust cover closed.
• TKF - Dust cover open.
• TKF - Dust cover open, another view.

Here are my Bencher paddles. I received these as a Christmas gift from my wife many years ago. These have been my "work horse" for radio telegraphy.

• Bencher - Another View.

I take my CW gear out to the field every chance that I get. When operating portable size and ruggedness are major concerns. I built the following set of paddles to meet my needs for field operating.

• Homebrew Paddles - More information on this Web page.

I purchased these Ham-Key Model HK-1 paddles some time around 1981 I believe. I put a lot of entries into my log with these paddles. With the original feet I had a problem with the paddles sliding around on the table so I took the feet off and mounted them on a solid piece of oak. I then clued some foam pad on the bottom side and with my arm resting on the wood they stay put no matter how hard I bang them.

After acquiring my Bencher paddles these have been only used at Field Day or other activities that may be too harsh for the Benchers.