Sunday, July 2, 2017 – It is Sunday, the day the Lord rested after creating everything else during the first six days of the week. Evidently, there’s no day of rest for the wicked (or journalists, which may say more about both occupations than I care to think about right now), as I’ve been going non-stop since breakfast.
And sadly, I’ve missed my CW nets the last few nights. Just too many events going on, and too many opportunities to do things with the XYL. But it doesn’t stop my eBay browsing (and subsequent drooling over some of the listings). I have a couple of keys I spotted that I wanted to make note of in this space.
FROM THE “THAT’S A NEW ONE ON ME” CATEGORY. Just for the sake of documenting it for my own website, I wanted to write a bit about an apparently very rare Brown Brothers key that I not only have never seen, but never heard of!
On eBay presently there exists a listing for the Brown Bros. Model ES, which appears the be the Brown Bros. version of the Vibroplex Vibrokeyer. It is a single-lever key that — like the Vibrokeyer — operates much like a bug while using an electronic keyer. Prior to seeing the listing for the ES, the rarest Brown Bros. key was the CSA, which was a combo key that featured a Brown Bros. bug. I’ve only seen a few pictures of the CSA over the years, but I knew the model existed.
The key was listed by noted collector N3CW, who writes in the listing that the ES he has is one of six accounted for. Unlike other Brown Bros. keys, this one has a serial number stamped on the nameplate. The Buy It Now isn’t cheap, but for such a rare key, appropriate. I’ll be content with just adding the knowledge this model exists to my personal body of knowledge.
I wonder if the ES model was a derivative of the Brown Bros. bug? After all, the Vibrokeyer uses many of the same parts as the Vibroplex Original. Perhaps the ES model was developed at about the same time?
SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES (AND EVERYWHERE ELSE). I have to admit that despite my appreciation for Brown Bros dual paddle keys, and the lovely feel of the Kent twin-paddle key, my favorite iambic key is the Bencher BY-1.
Like a lot of things, personal taste often goes back to what you grew up with. My first keyer was the Heathkit HD-1410. It worked great with my Heathkit SB-102 station at the time, and could also key my boat anchor rigs (HT-37, HT-32A). The HD-1410 is adequate, but it isn’t exactly a Cadillac among paddles. Enter the Bencher. I picked one up at a hamfest and paired it with my new-to-me Yaesu FT-757GX — what a great key! Feather touch, easy to adjust. And while I enjoy a 
great many paddles, I always go back to the Bencher.
The going prices for Bencher keys on eBay has risen steadily. You can get several examples for Buy It Now prices in the $85 range and up … with the chrome BY-2 commanding a premium price. On occasion you can pick one up at the end of an auction for $40 or so, and that’s a good deal if you can get it. As one might expect, many keys need a little cleaning once they get to your QTH … but there’s a BY-1 listed on eBay that would likely take a great deal of cleaning. The prior owner apparently enjoyed smoking while operating CW. In my early eBay days, I bought a mobile HF rig that was as nicotine stained as this key is … you could smell cigarette smoke as you opened the box. I wasn’t sure I would ever get the rig clean, but eventually I did. I had to go inside and clean up the cooling fans, they were dirty too, and when the fan kicked it spread the smell of cigarette smoke!
My guess is that with a little elbow grease (and a good cleaning agent), this rather “smokey” BY-1 can lose its “patina” and come out looking (and smelling?) like a new key.
THE FEEDLINE BOOGIE. Ah, I love the great outdoors. And I particularly love great outdoor power equipment, like my Cub Cadet Zero Turn mower. But unfortunately, zero turn does not equate to “zero attention while operating one.”
Late last week I was mowing the lot around the house while carefully avoiding my wife’s water hose she has out there to water her plants. The last thing I wanted to hit was her water hose … and in being oh so careful, I ran over the feedline to my dipole. Shreaded the beejeezus out of about six feet of twin lead. I didn’t give a flip about the mower; my concern was with the important things in life, i.e., my antenna feedline. As soon as I wrap up this entry, I’m dragging my son outside to give me a hand while I splice the mess back together.
73 es CUL … de KY4Z SK … dit dit …