My Morse Code Key Collection

Plus thoughts and comments I'm not a serious collector of keys I just purchase the odd one or two that catches my eye, mainly to try them out or investigate their construction to further my Home made key hobby, so the descriptions are more on my  personal thoughts than anything else, and my collection is fairly fluid, some keys I only buy to try and sell them later, other are bargains I couldn't resist :) all part of the fun of Morse Keys.

Well I suppose although I have great fun using Morse Code on the Amateur Bands I should say I'm not very good at it, I bumble along at about 14wpm making mistakes as I go, which is probably the reason for my accumulating so many Morse Keys! That in the vain hope I may one day find one that increases my performance. My very first Key which I still have (right) is a Japanese copy of an American speed key, bought for me by an old friend of long ago whilst teaching me the code to pass my R.A.E its an average Amateur key cheap and cheerful but it does have adjustable ball bearings  and pleasant to use if you like a low slung key I'd say 6 out of 10 performance

My Second key obtained some time later is a version of the 8amp type of which there are hundreds of versions this has been with me for many years and has some time or another been used in all my CW projects as along with the speed key it was all I had! they are really nice general purpose keys, This old all brass type looks nice cleaned up, and for any non key enthusiast probably all one needs..  5 out of 10 performance

And what a stunner this key is, made by VK2DLF, if looks and finish were all there was to a key this would be tops, unfortunately the action is not all that good, simply as it is out of balance having no weight in the "nose" in fact it hasn't got a nose, sad to say I would only give this key an average 5 out of 10 for performance, if the maker could only put this sort of finish on to an exceptional key action (like my 80 series:) then it would be a world beater.

And now to one of my favorites, an old vintage Nye Key made in the US as a standard straight, it has a really smooth action, not so easy to adjust but suits my way of sending, a lovely old key, and I've had many great contacts using it. This one has been fitted with a copper and stone base which no doubt improves it operational feel. I'd say 7 out of 10 for this one

Time to ask the professionals, many of the old Ex services guys especially Navy tend to use the famous Nato key, this is a real monster of a key over a foot long, but has a nice action,  lightweight and finely balanced it's similar to the Swedish key inside using a flat spring pivot but slightly easier to adjust I've found, this one has the glass fibre case and is quite noisy, there is another version called the Navy key with a metal case, and this seems a lot quieter for some reason  8 out of 10.

In the meantime the key I keep coming back to and using, with its ultra smooth speedex feel is this Hi-Mound 708, quite an economy job but real value for money in my opinion a really nice key, I have fitted it with a softer spring as the original was to hard for my way of sending, and you do have to carefully adjust the bearing holder pressure for best results,  it doesn't have a lot of character with its gaudy plastic construction but having said that if you want a good cheap key this one takes a lot of beating, (after you have changed that horrible spring) I'm a bit biased with this key since I changed that spring so I'll give it a good 7 out of 10

And a fully automatic electronic key, one of the best of the vintage squeeze keys an old Hi-mound Manipulator, the electronics behind this key i.e. the electronic keyer itself was made for me by a good friend Nigel G4JYU, using a PIC micro controller, again its a bit above my skill level at the moment but one day...

This is an unusual key called a type 51, I believe it could have been made in Australia, and was used in the Vulcan A Bombers in a military role and also in a civilian role in the DeHaviland Comet Aircraft, so probably 50's vintage, It has a double spring tension arrangement which I can't seem to set light enough for me otherwise its a nice key if a little flimsy.. average performance 5 out of 10

And now a real Tank of a Morse key, made by Morse Equipment Ltd. Almost entirely made of Bakelite with a very long arm, an excellent action, light and crisp, and so quiet, it must be the quietest of keys just that its so big! and one has to say not the prettiest of keys, nonetheless worth its place in any shack or collection..   Performance wise it would be hard to beat in my opinion I must give it 9 out of 10

And this one was a REAL find, its a Danish design from the company MP Pedersen, AMPLIDAN Model 50713 it is without doubt a really nice key, very complex inside and has a similar feel to the Morse Equipment key above only a lighter action, I like the feel of this key very much, and has time has moved on I've began to appreciate its professional action and tried to emulate it in some of my Hand made keys, (shown with cover off) It is in my humble opinion one of the finest keys ever made, they don't come better than this, (except perhaps one of my own handmade 80 series on which the "feel" of this keys action is based ) Performance Simply the best 10 out of 10 I have since made a few keys from this design, you can see them Here  keys 120 121 122

And now probably the most well known professional straight Key, the Marconi 365, This one was purchased as a bargain on Ebay, in a partially stripped condition, originally it was a 365A but as all the extra contacts on the nose of the key had gone and the components on the base, I decided to shorten the nose and square off the base which more or less turns it into a 365B and then mount it on a hardwood plinth so I could use it, there is no doubt it is a very nice key but I can't help thinking it relies on its reputation a bit, as I've found after trying hundreds of keys and building many of my own its performance is only just above average. I'd say 8 out of 10

I've become very interested in making my own keys, this particular key is also Homebrew, it is of exceptional quality and unique design, something I can only aim at, purchased from America maker unknown but whoever it was made a great job of it, the little jewel in the handle is a very nice touch for this miniature key, performance quite limited 4 out of 10

And another of these strange little Marconi keys, this is the better known version with an odd V shaped bridge but they are basically the same key 6 out of 10 performance.

And here is my old RAF Type D key, it has sprung (once) replaceable contacts which give this key a special feel to it, I've used it a lot, shown with its bakelite cover off, there are still quite a few of these old keys around and well worth buying one if you are into straight key Morse operation, it has a nice cushioned feel to the action, and I couldn't resist giving it a polish to show off its brassy look :) If you are a bit of a brass pounder which I'm not I'd expect a performance of  8 out of 10

This Key is one of the famous Junker family, recently released from the once East German Republic, there are quite a few about and so available at a very reasonable price and I couldn't resist buying one, shown here with its military cover and base removed, I intend to go further and remove the metal work from the plastic base and mount the key on a nice Oak wood base to show it off, it is very well made precision key considering its military background, so many military keys are really utilitarian and feel it, this one is an exception to the rule, a nice key. 7 out of 10 performance

And now the Famous Schurr key, considered by some to be one of the finest keys in the world, in its mechanical construction and finish it is superb, again if that was all there was to Morse key design it certainly would be, my advice to anyone that wants a key that performs almost exactly like this Schurr is to buy a Junkers pictured above as the action feels almost identical, at the risk of screams from the pro's my evaluation of this key is that it has a very precise action but it lacks weight and doesn't have that feedback feel of a heavier well balanced nose contact key, I'm tempted to give it a 7 but owing to its superb workmanship I'll give it 8 out of 10.

And here is the Grimmer Wilson, with its heavy cast iron base and long slender handle and fine adjusters, its one of those pin pivot keys, the sort that American designers seem to love and the sort you fiddle about with and adjust for hours until you get it right, its a lovely old key with a light finger tip action, not the easiest key to set up but pleasant to use. like all pin pivot keys its tricky to adjust but I'd give it 6 out of 10

And now a real old oddball of a key, it is obviously a gas or vapour key, made to work in a dangerous environment where a spark could cause an explosion, so it has a complete cover, in this case it is a brass box with a leather shroud to the key handle, I've been unable to find a maker or a history other than an approximate date of manufacture around 1920, and a possibility of it being once used in Hydrogen filled Airships. Can't really rate this key performance wise with its age hardened leather cover.

No points for guessing this key, one of the variety of Swedish keys made for the semi professional or Amateur market, another key that I can't help feeling relies a bit on its reputation, it is in my opinion one of the most frustrating keys to set up, with its variable contact height which affects the spring tensioner, when you finally get it to suit your way of sending its a nice key but typical of these flat spring tensioner keys, you either like them or hate them, can't make up my mind :() I'll give it the benefit of doubt and say 8 out of 10 performance

And here is my Hi-Mound 804, I had long wanted one of these now quite rare and sought after keys, It is a heavy key and very adjustable with its strange horizontal round spring tensioner and adjustable handle length, but at the end of the day it has that flat spring feel to it, some say like sending with an empty baked bean tin, another hate it or love it action, there is no doubt it is a finely made key, but vaguely disappointing I found, perhaps I expected to much from the heavy bright finish. 8 out of 10

And now the predecessor of the HK-804 the HK-802, this is a different kettle of fish completely, firstly it is Heavy! weighing 1.2kg, and it is a very fine key key, although it is another spring type pivot type it has a much nicer feel to it than the 804 above,  a soft machine like action almost silent, I've tried most spring pivot keys and made a few but this one is the best by far, it is well made and nicely adjustable with a sliding knob, the front under slung gap adjuster is a little difficult to get at but that's being picky, this one seems to be an early type with a contact shorter on the upper left of the body, all in all an excellent key 9 out of 10.

Another German key made by VEB Funkwerk Leipzig almost completely made out of black plastic its a strange little key, with a surprisingly good action it can be set for a feather touch which I like, probably a cold war left over from the DDR, not in the same class as the Junkers but very nice. 6 out of 10 performance

Another strange little Bakelite key, made by the French company Dyna for use in commercial aircraft of the time, very quiet in operation, easy to adjust with its top controls but the action is a little on the stiff side for me. average 5 out of 10

This is a very modern key made by ITT Marine called a TK76 flat spring type, construction is stripped to the bone with a preset tension screw and plastic cover, nice key though above average performance 7 out of 10 I'd say.

A new addition to my collection, this is a very modern key called a Kenpro KK-61 I can find very little info on this key as to whether its still made or not, its a key of our times lots of plastic and very shiny chrome, basically its a standard Marconi 365 type but not so heavy also has a clear plastic dust cover (shown), it does the business precise and stable but quite soulless, a Morse key for the future if there is a Morse future, 7 out of 10

This is a French Saram key, I have been looking for one of these for a long time mainly to see how the unusual mechanism worked, I really like this key, so much so that I built a look a like version, I think the designers of this key deserve a cheer for breaking away from traditional key design, men after my own heart, and it works well, smaller than I imagined, but a responsive firm action 7 out of 10 (extra points for the design)

And this key I have no idea what it is? it is obviously Military by the paint and style, the wooden base and alloy plate have be made up so it can be used, I suspect it was once attached to a piece of equipment as a sort of fixed key, it is quite clever the gap adjustment is under the threaded knob and the contacts are waterproof, the pivot is of an adjustable point type the tension is a fixed spring quite hard, it has a terrible action barely 2 out of 10 I'd love to have some info on it.

And now a very old Lindholm and Wikstrom, I've liked this key since the first time I saw a picture of one a couple of years back, so much so I even made a copy never thinking I'd own one, It has restored my faith in old keys, usually vintage keys have a pretty poor action but not this one, it is quite excellent, smooth and effortless to use, a real classy lady 9 out of 10 (should be 8 really but an extra point for it's classy looks :)

And this one is a real prize, I purchased this as an early Ericsson but I'm not sure it is, looks more like an Oller, it has to be 10 out of 10, lovely action and looks to match, (click on the picture for full size page)

This key is an old H.White 1918 double current key, whenever I think I have done well with my Homebrew keys I look at this one and it puts me firmly in my place, the workmanship is really Excellent, however as a working key goes it is pretty awful, probably due to all the relay contacts hanging on the action, a really collectable key though, I can't really rate it as I'm sure it could never have been designed as a fast easy to use key, more of a slow signalling device. (shown with the lid off)

This is a French Jardillier Key, made for French special forces, it is a very small key ideal for mobile working, the action of the key can be greatly improved by replacing the original spring with a softer one, they are becoming quite rare, as a working key I'll give it 6 out of 10.

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