Magnetic Morse keys?
 

I wonder if any have experimented with magnets hovering over
reed relays to act as the contacts of a Morse Key, possibly on
the vibrating arm of a bug key?

The reason i ask is the difficulty of excising noise on the dot contact
of the bug key I made a couple of years ago.

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

On 11/02/2014 19:49, gareth wrote:
I wonder if any have experimented with magnets hovering over
reed relays to act as the contacts of a Morse Key, possibly on
the vibrating arm of a bug key?

The reason i ask is the difficulty of excising noise on the dot contact
of the bug key I made a couple of years ago.

I bought a Ten-Tec keyer at a rally, which used electromagnets instead
of springs.

I hated it - ended up flogging it on ebay and got a Katsumi instead.

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

Kafkaësque wr

I bought a Ten-Tec keyer at a rally, which used electromagnets instead of springs.

That seems an 'interesting' way to achieve the required dynamics but a
complex one. What were the claimed advantages?

I can think of several which could be claimed but they would hardly justify
the complexity.

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

On 11/02/2014 22:19, Brian Reay wrote:
Kafkaësque wr

I bought a Ten-Tec keyer at a rally, which used electromagnets instead of springs.

That seems an 'interesting' way to achieve the required dynamics but a
complex one. What were the claimed advantages?

I can think of several which could be claimed but they would hardly justify
the complexity.

I agree - but if you want the alternative view, see he
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10796

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

On 11/02/2014 23:00, Fred Roberts wrote:
On Tue, 11 Feb 2014 22:04:51 +0000, Kafkaësque
wrote:

On 11/02/2014 19:49, gareth wrote:
I wonder if any have experimented with magnets hovering over
reed relays to act as the contacts of a Morse Key, possibly on
the vibrating arm of a bug key?

The reason i ask is the difficulty of excising noise on the dot contact
of the bug key I made a couple of years ago.

I bought a Ten-Tec keyer at a rally, which used electromagnets instead
of springs.

Electromagnets or permanent magnets?

Electromagnets. There was an adjustment for the current flowing through
the magnets which was a bit like the spring tension on a proper twin paddle.

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

On Tue, 11 Feb 2014, Kafkaësque wrote:

On 11/02/2014 19:49, gareth wrote:
I wonder if any have experimented with magnets hovering over
reed relays to act as the contacts of a Morse Key, possibly on
the vibrating arm of a bug key?

The reason i ask is the difficulty of excising noise on the dot contact
of the bug key I made a couple of years ago.

I bought a Ten-Tec keyer at a rally, which used electromagnets instead of
springs.

I hated it - ended up flogging it on ebay and got a Katsumi instead.


Didn't semi-automatic keys use magnets for something? I remember seeing
an article about making one, and I remember magnets, even if I can't
remember their purpose.

One could do away with the paddle. Have two microswitches and
attach levers to them, and key by pressing one or the other, rather than
moving a lever sideways. Those have been described in the magazines.

In this day and age of computer keyboards, using two fingers to press
"alternate buttons" might be a more familiar thing than a lever back and
forth. Plus, it's similar to how you use a straight key.

Michael

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

Michael Black wrote:
On Tue, 11 Feb 2014, Kafkaësque wrote:

Didn't semi-automatic keys use magnets for something? I remember seeing
an article about making one, and I remember magnets, even if I can't
remember their purpose.

I recall a good number of years back, 30/35, someone asking me to help with
such a key.

The magnets generated the relative di/dah length. I don't recall if it had
one or two paddles but it seemed to have a mass of adjustments to get it
right. There were other magnets to adjust the paddle(s).

It was beautifully machined but the electrical connections were terrible,
plus a few other things. I did the repairs and the OP twiddled the
adjustments, keyed away beaming ear to ear, and left happy offering all and
sundry as reward.

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

In message , gareth
writes
I wonder if any have experimented with magnets hovering over
reed relays to act as the contacts of a Morse Key, possibly on
the vibrating arm of a bug key?

The reason i ask is the difficulty of excising noise on the dot contact
of the bug key I made a couple of years ago.



Hall effect switches will be better.


Brian
--
Brian Howie

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

Brian Howie wrote:


Hall effect switches will be better.

Good idea, if the problem is dirt etc. on the contacts.

If it is caused by poor machining, them it won't help.

Poor machining can cause contact, or parts initiating contact, to 'wobble'
rather than make / break cleanly and stay firmly made. You get a similar
effect in laser based sensors which use mirrors to form a closed path, eg a
ring laser gyro. There you are not closing a contact, you measure something
else, but if the mirrors can move......

Magnetic Morse keys?
 

"Brian Howie" wrote in message
...
In message , gareth
writes
I wonder if any have experimented with magnets hovering over
reed relays to act as the contacts of a Morse Key, possibly on
the vibrating arm of a bug key?
The reason i ask is the difficulty of excising noise on the dot contact
of the bug key I made a couple of years ago.

Hall effect switches will be better.


reed swich is simple on-off, and applicable to any TX.