Merry Christmas to me … again

Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 – Occasionally I find that it pays to be in the right place at the right time when surfing eBay. I watch dozens of auction each week, and I will follow them as long as the bids seem reasonable. If they jump out of “reasonable” range, I’m out. At this point when it comes to CW keys, I don’t need to buy the 11th grey-based 1960s Vibroplex Original to add to my collection.

And I watch the rarer keys, knowing full well that they’ll go to the “big boys” with the “deep pockets.” It’s always fun to see how high they go … or don’t.

I was watching an auction for a relatively rare key, a T.R. McElroy A-400. This key, as described by Tom French, W1IMQ, was only produced for a very brief time and was the transition key that bridged the original T-bar design and the P-500 Professional.

As you can see, the A-400 is similar to the T-bar, but without the tabs on the sides of the top of the pivot frame. The key uses posts for the contacts, which is a step toward making the key more akin to the Vibroplex.

The key, pictured here, came in its original wooden box, and the key was in mint condition. There were no bids on the key for the week it was listed, which is nearly always a clue that everyone was sitting on the sidelines poised to pounce on the key in the last 15 seconds of the auction.

I haven’t seen an A-400 on eBay, and I was excited to see it listed; I don’t own one, but I assumed I didn’t have a chance. Long story shore, I entered the only bid and won it with the minimum bid. I couldn’t be happier!

The key arrived yesterday, and I’ve found it every bit as nice as it looked in the photos. I haven’t taken it out of the box (its secured to the bottom of the case, just as it was from the factory).

My McElroy collection is far from complete … I still need a 1937 Mac Key with the large “C” damper; I also do not have a 1934 or 1935 Mac Key, or the rarest of the Mac Keys, the Mac Key Junior.

I need to get the key on the air sometime, but for now it will stay protected in its box, next to my P-500 that came in its box. I still need a way to better display and store my keys … sounds like a good winter project, eh?

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