3 bugs, 2 paddles, 3 straight keys,guess I need at least one more set of paddles and maybe a straight key.
No such thing as too many ... here is my next one Marconi 213 style hand made by Phil Boyle - G0NVT Always looking for a next one..
I label all new keys with a tag.. date of purchase , from who and how much was paid. Last of all it gets it #. 247 Never 2 many.
I've got four straight keys: a Speed X I bought when I first got on HF many years ago, a Japanese "ball bearing" key which was given to me, a simple homebrew straight key made from a PC slot blank, and an antique Bunnell telegraph KOB (key on board) with sounder. I always thought I should get a J-38 just to have one, but I don't use a straight key all that much. My paddles are numerous: Bencher BY-1's were the first ones I bought, a Scorpion paddle for portable use, a homebrew set made by another ham as seen in my avatar pic, a set made out of a large paperclip, a homemade single-lever paddle as seen here: http://www.reocities.com/n2uhc_3/slp.jpg, and a set of touch paddles I built into a keyer. I've also made a set of NB6M paddles made from scrap copper PC board as seen here: http://www.reocities.com/n2uhc/paddle.jpg, but I gave them away some time ago to a ham who was wanting some paddles. I've also owned a set of KK5PY Te-Ne-Key micro paddles, but they were just way too small to use comfortably and I ended up selling them.
I just absolutely cannot master sending automatic dits but manual dahs. I either have to send everything manually like with a straight key, or everything automatically like with an electronic keyer. My brain go all asplode-y trying to master a bug.
They say the same thing in the cycling world. The perfect number of bikes is n+1. Whether bikes or keys, it's also d-1, or one less than your spouse will divorce you for bringing home yet another one.
Oh shoot, I totally forgot about my Galbraith paddles I mounted on a granite base. I guess I have too many paddles since I can't remember them all.
