Saturday, June 6, 2015 — I should be in Princeton, Ky., for their annual hamfest today … well, more correctly, at this time of the afternoon I would be on my way home. Great bunch of folks down there, always have enjoyed going down for this hamfest, the only one in Western Kentucky at present.
But since I stepped down as ARRL Section Manager, I’ve enjoyed not feeling obligated to go to events to represent the League — even if it was one of the most enjoyable parts of the job. I missed only one or two hamfests my first seven years as SM, but I ended up missing several my last year due to illness or family conflicts.
I haven’t ramped up my hamming activities yet, still suffering from GAS — Guitar Acquisition Syndrome. Actually, I’ve not bought another one, but instead of cruising eBay looking at bugs, I’ve been following guitars.
And my methodology is about the same — I’m looking for projects to invest some time in, not the mint condition collectible that sells for more than my first house. My guitars are like my bugs, I want to use and enjoy them, not put them in a case and brag about them.
But recently I’ve been doing more cruising in the code key catagory — partly to see if the prices I saw recently were an aberatation or the new normal for code key sales. The jury is still out on that one … perhaps I find it difficult to understand why the prices on some of these ebay keys so damn high. Some have been listed for months, which in my mind, proves they’re priced too high.
So today, I’m going to give my personal thoughts on some keys for sale; your mileage may vary of course, and remember — this is my opinion only. You are free to disagree (i.e., you have the freedom to be as wrong as you wish to be) if you wish. Everyone has an opinion, and these are mine.
WTF? OK folks, I have watched this key on eBay since November 2013. The first time I saw the listing, I had to stop to see what in the world makes a key and sounder so 
valuable.
Give the seller credit, he weaves an interesting tale about the possible (if not improbable) provenance of this key. Actually, he credits the guy he bought it from in 1984 as the original teller of the tale. And you don’t think the seller would have embellished the story in order to sell an overpriced antique, do you?
Since the ad was originally posted, the Buy It Now price has changed six times. Currently, the sounder and key will set you back a cool $2,593 with free shipping.
The story behind the key IS interesting; particularly if its true. The man who sold it to the current owner said it belonged to his grandfather, a telegraph operator in Mexico. The eBay narrative suggests the key survived the Mexican revolution; the serial number dates the key — a Vibroplex Original — to 1922, which is two years after the end of the revolution.
The write-up also mentions Pancho Villa, noting that Villa destroyed lots of telegraph stations and their equipment to prevent information about his whereabouts from being sent to the government forces, and suggests this 1922 key was a replacement key for one destroyed by Villa’s forces.
Great tale — but is it true? According to my research, Villa retired in 1920 in an agreement with the government to end his role in the revolution. He retired to his farm in 1920, and was killed in 1923. While Villa is a historical figure in the Mexican revolution, this key was manufactured two years after his retirement from the “revolutionary” business. Other than the story this seller was told 30-some years ago, there’s nothing really to prove the key’s provenance other than the seller bought it in Mexico.
The listing calls the bug and sounder “museum quality” …. I suggest they’re “as-found,” which isn’t bad considering their age.
As the Mythbusters would say, this is one of those tales that can’t be proved or disproved. Personally, my Skept-o-meter was pinging off the scale when I read this story, but then again, my inlaws say I’m an ass by nature, so go figure (who knew?? Hi!).
ROCK ON, SPEED-X (LITERALLY). I saw one of these listings recently and unlike the 
plethora of code key listings, I had to do a double-take. This fine Speed-X rectangular base key is mounted on a slice of petrified wood with a really nice galena detail. The listing notes that galena was commonly used in early days for a detector.
I have been a fan of rock collecting since I was old enough to search for fossils in the limestone rock in the driveway of our family home. The petrified wood — sycamore — is sliced and polished. I really, really like the look of it — even without the Speed-X key its a nice piece. If I had an extra Benjamin Franklin hanging around, I would buy it faster than you can say “But It Now, Crazy Bug Man!”
Yeah, I know, its a gimmick, but I like it. I’m not sure how the seller mounted the Speed-X key to the petrified wood base; I’m assuming its some sort of adhesive since the are no screws showing for mounting purposes. If my wife wants to get me something for Father’s Day, I’m sending her a link to this listing, hi!
SILK PURSE FROM A SOW’S EAR. Who among us key collectors haven’t had a Speed-X 500 or 501 key that’s suffered from the brittleness of the cast pot metal? The “T” 
pivot figure often has its “ears” broken on one side or both.
I’ve seen some creative ways to deal with the loss of one or both, and this one joins that elite club. I’m not sure if they painted or electroplated the brass on the bright metal parts, or if they are actually brass beneath the plating (as Vibroplex key parts are), but the result is truly a steampunk-like look. The black paint on the key contrasts well with the chrome/brass on the upper parts and the keying lever.
Whoever painted the key didn’t spend long on prep, it appears, but that doesn’t hurt it. The only thing I might have done is to remove the jagged edges where the “ears” on the T-bar broke on each side. The result (IMHO) is a key that doesn’t look like its broken. Whoever had this tried to make it look attractive and serviceable. Good effort on both, I think.
DOUBLE KEY ANARCHY. Pardon my bad pun, its late in the day and at this point I just want to be done, OK??
I own several keys similar to this one — a homebrew double key arrangement that attaches a straight key to a bug. In this case its a 1956 Vibroplex Lightning Bug paired with a Polechanger key. They are attached by way of a piece of angle aluminum, with holes drilled into the top of the base of the Vibroplex key (ouch!!).
The feet were removed from both keys, replaced with cork pads. I guess my complaint is drilling holes into the base of the Lightning Bug, but those could be filled. While not my cup of tea priced at an opening bid of $200, I’ve seen worse attempts to hook two keys together.
That’s all for this installment. I’m still kicking around the idea of creating a YouTube channel with video reviews of some of my keys. Of course, you’ll have the added benefit of making fun of my bad sending, but hey, I’m used to that (Hi!).
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