Thanks Merv,
But...I think your explanation provides the reason most of us don't do it.
73, Milt k4oso

--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, Merv Schweigert <k9fd@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> For contacts I have some silver "rod" and turn it in the lathe to the
> correct
> size,  almost all bug contacts are press fit into the screw,  easy to
> turn up
> a batch of contacts and replace them on older bugs.  Same with the
> contacts on the dit spring and the dash lever,  grind off the rear and punch
> off the old contact,  then just "rivit" the new ones back in place.
>
> 73 Merv K9FD/KH6
>
>
> >
> >
> >
>

73 Merv K9FD/KH6

Irrellevant I suppose, but I LOVE your call sign.  All of it.  The K9 (canine), the FD, field day or Fred, and the /KH6

 

73,  Fred "FD"

 

also; W5YA / qrp, and WS0TA on SOTA peaks

 

73 Merv K9FD/KH6

I think my dog thought K9FD was what it was all about, since he got to go & hang out at Field Day.  The food he begged & stole was the best, apparently.

73 Kate K6HTN

On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 10:33 AM, Fred Maas <just.one.hill@...> wrote:

Irrellevant I suppose, but I LOVE your call sign.  All of it.  The K9 (canine), the FD, field day or Fred, and the /KH6

 

73,  Fred "FD"

 

also; W5YA / qrp, and WS0TA on SOTA peaks

 

73 Merv K9FD/KH6

Ok thanks Milt, you are right the "V"'s work, everytime I sit down for a
practice session the first series dont always pan out right then I settle in to
it and get some sort of rythm, after a while I find doing sequence's of a u v 4
helps too, my Aussie callsign exercise's the v 4 and for good measure w !!

like the old song said "it dont mean a thing if you aint got that swing"

73 Wade VK4WM
SKCC # 5621

--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, "k4oso" <k4oso@...> wrote:
>
> Wade,
> It is quite easy once you catch on to the fact that sending either dots or
dashes on a bug is not a "static", either-or operation.  The process of sending
is a fluid, swing operation.  While you are pressing the dot lever, your dash
finger is moving away from the paddle (to some degree) so that it starts back
toward the dash lever in the rhythm in which you are sending.  It might sound
complicated, but think of it as a pendulum operation with varying delays,
depending on the character.  Only if you are sending the "error" sign (........)
or a long dash (daaaaaaaaah) is it a static operation.  In my opinion,
practicing with "ditdahditdahditdah" will not help your problem.  I suggest you
practice sending a continuous string of "V"'s until you can feel the fluidity of
the operation that is necessary to overcome the problem.  Once you feel this
rhythm, you will be on the road to bug mastery.  Good luck, and feel free to
mention any other bug-related issues.
> 73, Milt K4OSO
> A serious bug nut

> * It doesn't work as well, but none the less seems to dome, just hand
> holding the contact imbedded in a screw still mounted on a post, to a soft
> polishing wheel.

Thanks Fred, the obvious escaped me but I hope I would have thought of it
eventually :-) that would work, by holding the post and turning the screw with
the contact against the mop the post will act very nicely as the pivot point to
get a nice circular motion.


> * Modern solid state rigs are so responsive that they actually try to follow
> the scratches or bounces of the contacts.  Grid block or cathode keying of
> the older tube radios did not.  Large loading capacitor will overcome this
> aspect.

of course, been a while since I had to think about that, sensitive they damn
well are!

> *  Old dit springs lose their tension, spring, and you can often end
> problems creating good dits by replacing it.  i had a bug (1908) with which
> the first dit was almost always two dits, split in other wrods, until I
> replaced the dit spring with a new one after which it made perfect dits.

My Champion is a 1951 model, now that with help from here and elsewhere I have
it adjusted reasonably ok there is no evidence that I can detect that might
indicate the u spring is weak.


> Hope these tid-bits are helpful steepening your experiential curve
>
> 73,  FD - kt5x

Steepening my experimental curve !! and I thought I'd just got over the first
hill !! but it depends how you mean it, steep up or steep down 8-)

73 Wade VK4WM

Thanks for the reply Merv, the silver rod would be a bit thin on the ground
around here I would imagine, I have a work and play background in precision
machining so I probably would expect to make up contacts out of brass and tip
the work end with hard silver solder, that should be a good test of my skills,
these days I dont have access to Oxy/acetylene equipment, a micro size jewellers
torch would have been perfect for this job, bottle hire is expensive here but I
have a MAPP gas torch that gets enough heat to silver solder quite well,
ordinary propane would do something this size easily too but the MAPP gives me
more control because of the flame profile out of the torch for small items, it
would be easy to end up with a molten blob of brass/silver solder alloy! now
there's a thought, just melt silver solder into a small metal tube to form a
solid rod and machine the outer metal away !! genius! (my xyl reckons that's
doubtful)

I now own another bug, an Australian made Simplex Auto, sadly the flat spring
steel blade that has the dot contact on it has fractured near the mounting post
and is now too short, it was two inches long, now it is an inch and three
quarter long, if I cannot find a length of spring steel the right thickness and
length the only method of repair I can see is to rivet an extension onto the end
and hope it works ok but I will try hard to find the spring steel, I am ripping
apart every redundant printer I have in my shed to see if there is anything
resembling what I want.

73 Wade VK4WM
SKCC # 5621
>
> For contacts I have some silver "rod" and turn it in the lathe to the
> correct
> size,  almost all bug contacts are press fit into the screw,  easy to
> turn up
> a batch of contacts and replace them on older bugs.  Same with the
> contacts on the dit spring and the dash lever,  grind off the rear and punch
> off the old contact,  then just "rivit" the new ones back in place.
>
> 73 Merv K9FD/KH6
>
>
> >
> >
> >
>

Hi, All -

      I have found another solution for scratchy and "bouncy" dots when keying a
very unforgiving solid state rig.  I use the bug to key an MFJ keyer that has a
"semiautomatic" function.  The electronics in the keyer are very forgiving of
bounces and scratches, but what comes out the other end is exactly what you told
the bug to do - including all of your timing and "swing" peculiarities.  The
problem that I have found with a capacitor that you have access to only the "C"
in an RC circuit; the inaccessible components vary with the rig that you are
keying, and the effectiveness of this approach may also vary.

     73 de Rich, WB9LPU

Hi Wade:

I've never had a Simplex unfortunately but years ago I hit upon a solution to
the spring steel issue that would probably work. Just head for the nearest
dollar shop and but a retracting tape measure. The inner core is made of actual
spring steel that I've used for a variety of things, including today's project
of replacing the mainspring on a 1919 vintage Viboplex. I've used the marked
part of the tape for contacts of various projects as well. The fabric measuring
tapes won't work :)

And Rich...I use the same technique of keying a keyer, in this case an AEA CK-1.
In addition to the advantages you name, it gives me a uniform sidetone for every
transmitter.

Those without a keyer at hand can just use a relay powered through the key; the
relay's inertia will handle the scratchy dits. The slower you send the larger
the appropriate relay :)

-Pete
WB2QLL
Somers, WI




-----Original Message-----
>From: vk4wm <vk4acb@...>
>Sent: Jul 9, 2011 9:34 PM
>To: cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Fred: [cw_bugs] Re: Vibroplex contacts
>
>Thanks for the reply Merv, the silver rod would be a bit thin on the ground
around here I would imagine, I have a work and play background in precision
machining so I probably would expect to make up contacts out of brass and tip
the work end with hard silver solder, that should be a good test of my skills,
these days I dont have access to Oxy/acetylene equipment, a micro size jewellers
torch would have been perfect

I now own another bug, an Australian made Simplex Auto, sadly the flat spring steel blade that has the dot contact on it has fractured near the mounting post and is now too short, it was two inches long, now it is an inch and three quarter long, if I cannot find a length of spring steel the right thickness and length the only method of repair I can see is to rivet an extension onto the end and hope it works ok but I will try hard to find the spring steel, I am ripping apart every redundant printer I have in my shed to see if there is anything resembling what I want.

73 Wade VK4WM
SKCC # 5621

 

G'day Merv
That is  an excellent suggestion Merv, would you believe I had a set of feeler
gauges right in front of me that I had been using to set the contacts! but it
didnt register at all to my brain! I have made up a new spring using some spring
steel out of a steel tape measure, a great idea suggested to me by Pete WB2QLL
and it worked out really well, the end where the tape attaches to the retractor
spring even had the correct size hole to take the silver contact from the old
spring, I removed the contact by using a pair of small side cutters and pliers
to gently work the peened over end until it was worked back into a size that
fell out of the hole in the original spring then I gently peened the end down
again until the contact was nice and tight in the new spring, I also found that
a Adel Nibbler just chomped the excess material away until I could use a fine
file and get the sides parallel again and the right length (2 inches) to the
spring, BTW the original spring is only 15 thou thick, when I tried using the
key I was dissapointed because it didnt work properly, it was double bouncing
but then I realized the adjusting screw was on the wrong side of the spring,
fixed that and away it went, some of the photos on the web in various
collections show that adjuster screw to be on the wrong side!

Now I am tracking down black crackle paint to refinish the base of the Simplex
Auto it is in poor shape, I am getting a spray can from a Auto refinishing
supply company but I have tried that stuff before with mixed results but it has
been interesting to see what is on the web about it too, I have a HRO 5T that
needs refurbishing so I want something reliable to work with, the old process of
stoving the painted panel to maximise the wrinkle seems to have been lost.

73 Wade VK4WM

--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, Merv Schweigert <k9fd@...> wrote:
>
> A good replacement for a spring is to buy a "feeler guage"  they can be
> found in
> individual sizes many times at auto repair parts stores.  I dont
> remember the
> exact size but perhaps 20 thousands thick feeler guage stock,  you can mic
> the old one to be sure,  a new spring can be cut and bent from this spring
> material quite well and any size new spring can be made.
> They also used to be called go - no go guage here in the states.
> 73 Merv K9FD/KH6
> >
> >
> > I now own another bug, an Australian made Simplex Auto, sadly the flat
> > spring steel blade that has the dot contact on it has fractured near
> > the mounting post and is now too short, it was two inches long, now it
> > is an inch and three quarter long, if I cannot find a length of spring
> > steel the right thickness and length the only method of repair I can
> > see is to rivet an extension onto the end and hope it works ok but I
> > will try hard to find the spring steel, I am ripping apart every
> > redundant printer I have in my shed to see if there is anything
> > resembling what I want.
> >
> > 73 Wade VK4WM
> > SKCC # 5621
> >
>

G'day Merv
That is an excellent suggestion Merv, would you believe I had a set of feeler gauges right in front of me that I had been using to set the contacts! but it didnt register at all to my brain! I have made up a new spring using some spring steel out of a steel tape measure, a great idea suggested to me by Pete WB2QLL and it worked out really well, the end where the tape attaches to the retractor spring even had the correct size hole to take the silver contact from the old spring, I removed the contact by using a pair of small side cutters and pliers to gently work the peened over end until it was worked back into a size that fell out of the hole in the original spring then I gently peened the end down again until the contact was nice and tight in the new spring, I also found that a Adel Nibbler just chomped the excess material away until I could use a fine file and get the sides parallel again and the right length (2 inches) to the spring, BTW the original spring is only 15 thou thick, when I tried using the key I was dissapointed because it didnt work properly, it was double bouncing but then I realized the adjusting screw was on the wrong side of the spring, fixed that and away it went, some of the photos on the web in various collections show that adjuster screw to be on the wrong side!

Now I am tracking down black crackle paint to refinish the base of the Simplex Auto it is in poor shape, I am getting a spray can from a Auto refinishing supply company but I have tried that stuff before with mixed results but it has been interesting to see what is on the web about it too, I have a HRO 5T that needs refurbishing so I want something reliable to work with, the old process of stoving the painted panel to maximise the wrinkle seems to have been lost.

73 Wade VK4WM

Wow! what a great restoration job and what an interesting key the Codetrol is, I
can understand your reluctance to see it go Fred, so does it work on the same
principle as the Simplex Auto, releasing the pendulum or is it like the standard
Vibroplex action but sideways instead? hard to work out from the photographs.

That wrinkle finish looks great, I pick up the can from a local supplier
tomorrow I hope but I doubt if it is the same brand as what you used, importing
aerosol cans into Australia has some problems I thought I read somewhere, if
this local stuff does not work out I will have to consider doing that if I can.

Sadly these days any access to the electroplating shop that was part of the
Reclamation Engineering business I was part of for 21 years has long gone, good
platers here are hard to find nowdays.

Thanks Fred, great web pages.

73 Wade VK4WM

--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, "Fred Maas" <just.one.hill@...> wrote:
>
> Wade,
>
> I have used Krylon Wrinkle Finish # 3370 successfully.  Look at the opening
page right angle bug on my website, < www.KT5X.com > to see what it looks like.
>
> Try it on a test surface before trying it on the bug.  It needs to be applied
fairly thick.  It doesn't wrinkle up right away, but over the next two DAYS,
with most of the wrinkling happening in the first 12 hours.  It needs to be in a
good temperature environment, room temperature is good.  also, let it harden for
two WEEKS or more if you can stand the wait before reassembling the bug. 
Otherwise, the hardware will slowly sink into the paint which is thick.
>
> 73,  Fred - kt5x
>
>

 

Wow! what a great restoration job and what an interesting key the Codetrol is, I can understand your reluctance to see it go Fred, so does it work on the same principle as the Simplex Auto, releasing the pendulum or is it like the standard Vibroplex action but sideways instead? hard to work out from the photographs.

That wrinkle finish looks great, I pick up the can from a local supplier tomorrow I hope but I doubt if it is the same brand as what you used, importing aerosol cans into Australia has some problems I thought I read somewhere, if this local stuff does not work out I will have to consider doing that if I can.

Sadly these days any access to the electroplating shop that was part of the Reclamation Engineering business I was part of for 21 years has long gone, good platers here are hard to find nowdays.

Thanks Fred, great web pages.

73 Wade VK4WM

161, Joe, Ronnie(Rowena), Marty & Sidney Pontek
P.O. Box 280
Dangriga
Stann Creek District
Belize
(Hopkins Village)
011-501-503-7346 Belize
011-501-666-3564 Belize (cellular)
903-424-4267 (My cellular when in Texas)
V31JP K8JP VP5/K8JP VP5JP K8JP/VA2
k8jp@...
FOC 1743, CWops 876, A1OP
SKCC 3171T, FISTS 7625 CC 951
LotW
Skype: v31joepalooka

Yes, I think shipping aerosol cans has problems, but I imagine something similar is made there.  Like I say, try it out on a test surface to get a sense for how thick to lay it on to get the kind of wrinkling you want.  And remember, the wrinkling takes place over time, not immediately.

G'day Joe

I will be trying as many suggestions as I can, thank you for your's Joe I will
most certainly try it, I got the spray can of crackle paint today from the Auto
parts shop, it is a high temperature paint for use around engines, I dont know
until I try how fine the crackle finish will be, there are a few ideas on the
web about how to crackle paint, apparently Tung oil was added to paint too in
the past but info is scant about just how the process went.

Interesting times ahead!

73 Wade VK4WM

--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, Joseph L Pontek <k8jp@...> wrote:
>
> Hi, guys.
>
> Something I tried way back when was to use different thinners with
> enamels. I used lacquer thinner once. I painted it on a panel and the
> rapid evaporation caused the winkle effect. After 3 or 4 days, I baked
> the panel and it became very hard.  There is another thinner that is
> used to speed up enamel "drying" and it is also used as the fuel for
> Zippo cigarette lighters, naphtha.  It needs to be accelerated with
> heat, though.  The wrinkle finish is caused by the rapid, but uneven
> evaporation of the thinner.
>
> Different enamel respond differently, so test on scrap first.
>

161, Joe, Ronnie(Rowena), Marty & Sidney Pontek
P.O. Box 280
Dangriga
Stann Creek District
Belize
(Hopkins Village)
011-501-503-7346 Belize
011-501-666-3564 Belize (cellular)
903-424-4267 (My cellular when in Texas)
V31JP K8JP VP5/K8JP VP5JP K8JP/VA2
k8jp@...
FOC 1743, CWops 876, A1OP
SKCC 3171T, FISTS 7625 CC 951
LotW
Skype: v31joepalooka

G'day Joe
I will be trying as many suggestions as I can, thank you for your's Joe I will most certainly try it, I got the spray can of crackle paint today from the Auto parts shop, it is a high temperature paint for use around engines, I dont know until I try how fine the crackle finish will be, there are a few ideas on the web about how to crackle paint, apparently Tung oil was added to paint too in the past but info is scant about just how the process went.
Interesting times ahead!
73 Wade VK4WM
--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, Joseph L Pontek <k8jp@...> wrote:

Hi, guys.
Something I tried way back when was to use different thinners with
enamels. I used lacquer thinner once. I painted it on a panel and the
rapid evaporation caused the winkle effect. After 3 or 4 days, I baked
the panel and it became very hard. There is another thinner that is
used to speed up enamel "drying" and it is also used as the fuel for
Zippo cigarette lighters, naphtha. It needs to be accelerated with
heat, though. The wrinkle finish is caused by the rapid, but uneven
evaporation of the thinner.
Different enamel respond differently, so test on scrap first.

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I have found that Ten-Tec rigs reproduce the switch bounce of the Vibroplex dit
contacts too faithfully.  Fortunately, a 1 uF capacitor across the bug terminals
did the trick with my Omni VI.  YMMV.

Jack - N0NV
SKCC 1662



--- In cw_bugs@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Meiss" <wb9lpu@...> wrote:
>
> Hi, All -
>
>      I have found another solution for scratchy and "bouncy" dots when keying
a very unforgiving solid state rig.  I use the bug to key an MFJ keyer that has
a "semiautomatic" function.  The electronics in the keyer are very forgiving of
bounces and scratches, but what comes out the other end is exactly what you told
the bug to do - including all of your timing and "swing" peculiarities.  The
problem that I have found with a capacitor that you have access to only the "C"
in an RC circuit; the inaccessible components vary with the rig that you are
keying, and the effectiveness of this approach may also vary.
>
>     73 de Rich, WB9LPU
>

It's the third Sunday of July already!  Yoou know what that means ....RFTB is
tonight!

RFTB is the ONLY monthly QRP Sprint officially endorsed by the Flying Pigs QRP
Club International.  This is a friendly lil' Sprint where all are welcome - no
need to actually be a Piggie to join in on the fun !!!  BUT we encourage all
Piggies to hop into the trough and join us for some fun.

AND ..... K6JSS will be leaving the hands of our most capable Vermont friends
before the Sprint begins - so we invite our Arkansas friends to join in the fray
and hand out some K6JSS/5 QSOs.

The time is the same as always:

East coast - 9:00 to 11:00 PM local time
Midwest - 8:00 to 10:00 PM local time
Rockies - 7:00 to 9:00 PM local time
West coast - 6:00 to 8:00 PM local time

The rules are at:

http://fpqrp.org/pigrun/

73 de Larry W2LJ
FP# 612
QRP ARCI# 4488

NAQCC Sprint Wednesday night!

Our July sprint is this coming Wednesday evening local time (8:30-10:30 p.m.
E.D.T.), which is Thursday, July 21, 0030-0230z.

I will refer you to the proper URL:

http://naqcc.info/sprint201107.html

There you will find all the details as to time, frequencies and other important
information.

Certificates: SWA (simple wire antennas) certificates by call area, VE, DX, and
if anyone has a 160M gain antenna, a certificate in the GAIN category as well.

Prizes: We have a prize of WB8LZG's paddle handles and knobs thanks to another
generous donation of the handsome hand-crafted items by Gregg. They go to the
winner of a random drawing among all who participate in and submit a log for our
sprint each month. Previous winners are not eligible. Take a look at the Prize
page in the main section of the web site to see what they look like if you don't
already know. We deeply appreciate Gregg's generosity.

This is a monthly event that caters to the CW veteran, the CW newcomer, straight
key and bug fans. All are welcome to participate (this includes QRO); but you
must use QRP power levels to compete for awards.

If you are not already a member of NAQCC... membership is FREE!  Just sign up on
the NAQCC website (http://naqcc.info/) and you will receive a handsome
certificate, with your membership number which is good for life, plus a starter
kit.

Come join us and have a real good time!

72/73 de Dave VA3RJ
NAQCC #0004

To set the record straight, as there was an erroneous report out there that the
Flight of the Bumblebees is THIS weekend - July 24th.

The Flight of the Bumblebees is ALWAYS the LAST Sunday in July.  This year, that
means July 31st which is next weekend - not this weekend.

If you'd like to make a practice run this Sunday to test out your stuff, that's
all well and good, and maybe highly commendable.  But the actual event is Sunday
July 31st.

Thanks for your patience!

Larry W2LJ
Head Beekeeper

I have just uploaded a simple program I wrote to help me with my bug sending.
After decades of squeeze keying, I had to teach myself to pump the dah side of
the lever for those characters that had two or more consecutive dahs. The
program is very basic and not at all flashy (I am much better at producing Morse
code than PC code), but it does what I says it does.

Bug.exe is an application that generates 5 x 10 grids for bug practice. The
characters in each grid are a random selection of letters, numbers and common
punctuation marks - but only the ones that contain two or more consecutive dahs;
i.e. the ones that require you to pump the right hand side of the lever. As a
longstanding squeeze key user but a newcomer to bug sending I found practising
these characters was a great help. I hope you do too.

To use bug.exe, unzip it to a folder of your choice and simply double click on
it. A simple console window will open up. If you enter Y in either upper or
lower case a random grid will be generated, entering any other character will
terminate the program.

73

Paul

NAQCC Sprint Tuesday night!

Our August sprint is this coming Tuesday evening local time (8:30-10:30 p.m.
E.D.T.), which is Wednesday, August 10, 0030-0230z.

I will refer you to the proper URL:

http://naqcc.info/sprint201108.html

There you will find all the details as to time, frequencies and other important
information.

Certificates: SWA (simple wire antennas) certificates by call area, VE, DX, and
if anyone has a 160M gain antenna, a certificate in the GAIN category as well.

Prizes: We have a prize of WB8LZG's paddle handles and knobs thanks to another
generous donation of the handsome hand-crafted items by Gregg. They go to the
winner of a random drawing among all who participate in and submit a log for our
sprint each month. Previous winners are not eligible. Take a look at the Prize
page in the main section of the web site to see what they look like if you don't
already know. We deeply appreciate Gregg's generosity.

This is a monthly event that caters to the CW veteran, the CW newcomer, straight
key and bug fans. All are welcome to participate (this includes QRO); but you
must use QRP power levels to compete for awards.

If you are not already a member of NAQCC... membership is FREE!  Just sign up on
the NAQCC website (http://naqcc.info/) and you will receive a handsome
certificate, with your membership number which is good for life, plus a starter
kit.

Added Note: The NAQCC European Chapter Sprint will take place Wednesday, August
10, 2011 at 1800-2000 UTC.  Full information on their website at: naqcc-eu.org/

Come join us and have a real good time!

72/73 de Dave VA3RJ
NAQCC #0004

Just received a Bunnell flash-key No. 5-48. has any one seen set up. Please see
photos.

161, Joe, Ronnie(Rowena), Marty & Sidney Pontek
P.O. Box 280
Dangriga
Stann Creek District
Belize
(Hopkins Village)
011-501-503-7346 Belize
011-501-666-3564 Belize (cellular)
903-424-4267 (My cellular when in Texas)
V31JP K8JP VP5/K8JP VP5JP K8JP/VA2
k8jp@...
FOC 1743, CWops 876, A1OP
SKCC 3171T, FISTS 7625 CC 951
LotW
Skype: v31joepalooka

Just received a Bunnell flash-key No. 5-48. has any one seen set up. Please see photos.