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Eldico SSB-100F Transmitter Eldico R104 HF Receiver

  A comment about the Eldico EE3 keyer from George K9GDT

After my relocation from the East Coast to an apartment in North Evanston (IL), I was eager to set up a station at minimal cost because I was saving up to buy a house. So I acquired a used Eldico keyer because it was "affordable" and had built-in paddles. It turned out to be much better than I expected. The electronics was immune to the RF field caused by my nearby antenna. This same field caused the lights on my Christmas tree to illuminate whenever the key was down.

Another pleasant surprise was the EE3's built-in paddle. I wasn't expecting much after using dad's beautiful chrome plated Vibroplex paddle during my Novice days. The huge plus of the internal paddle was the stability of the mechanical settings that wouldn't change in the middle of a transmission. (unlike the Vibroplex paddle)

Yet another benefit was the superb feel. You could tell precisely when the DIT and DAH contacts have been made, even when using a light touch. I could relax and comfortably send 45+ wpm during long QSOs without needing a "death grip" on the paddles.

The only downside to the EE3 keyer was its single-lever non-iambic operation. Here's all you need to know about using an iambic paddle. by Chuck K7QO  (page opens in new browser window)

These days I use several Begali paddles.  (page opens in new browser window)


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