Month: February 2007

Code key collectors had some prime keys to chase the last few days on eBay. I was tempted to chase some Vibroplex models, but how many Original DeLuxes keys does one guy need? If I […]

A couple of pre-eBay moratorium purchases finally arrived today, both of them semi-automatic bugs. The first was a mint-in-the-box Lafayette version of the Japanese Skillman “coffin” bug. This key was not only spotless, but it […]

While my wife would say that I consider all my code keys “keepers,” the key that arrived today comes near the top of that list. It's not particularly rare, but its one of those keys […]

Tonight I've been getting reintroduced to an old HF friend. Yes, thanks to eBay, I've been reunited with a singleband SSB/CW transceiver like I once ran mobile and fixed more than 15 years ago. The […]

Uh-oh — OO! Wow, this has been more fun that eBay — the gnashing of teeth and handwringing that's been going on the last few days on 75 meter phone. It turns out that several […]

I've been following a number of code keys and other gizmos on eBay, but man, prices on some of this stuff have quickly kicked my buying hopes to the cyberspace curb. Not that I'm in […]

On these cold winter nights, there's few things I enjoy as much as reading a book or magazine in our home library while SWL'ing. We have a wood stove in the library, so it's often […]

I didn't really need yet another Vibroplex, but this one was simply too good to pass up — a 1942 Vibroplex Original in mint condition for less than $50. This included the original Vibroplex case […]

Why the rather obtuse reference to Peter Gabriel's 1983 song “Shock the Monkey”?? Stick with me, dear reader. I had a carpenter friend who always liked to quip “You could train a monkey to do […]

OK, after writing about my nice EF Johnson chrome plated rectangular-base key, I have a couple of additional entries to add to that. J-38 STRAIGHT KEY. There were a zillion of these keys produced by […]