Begali Traveler

[gm5bkc]

A few weeks ago I activated a park here in Colorado for the WWFF (and POTA) groups on CW (1400-1700z).  I used a Begali Magnetic Traveler paddle with a K1EL WKUSB keyer.  I've also used it with my decades-old Logikey K-1 keyer.

A few comments on the paddles.  The plastic box it comes with for transporting it is fairly rugged, but incredibly had to get open !  I didn't want to fight it while trying to get on the air quickly while portable so put paddles in a plastic bag and inside a clean sock.  I carry everything to and from the car in a hard case anyway.

I used the leg strap, the whole point of this paddle for me.  Unfortunately the strap is just one piece, threaded thru the slot on each side of the paddle frame.  As I put it all together at home, this means you have to get the opened up strap down and over your foot, in my case while sitting in the car.  I'll get a nylon side-squeeze buckle (like my dog's collar) and cut the strap to use the buckle in future.

I snugged the strap really tight and was on the air for 3 hours, taking it off once to leave vehicle and change bands from 40m to 20m (SotaBeams Bandhopper II dipole).  The paddle stayed where I put it, twisted a bit to the right since I use my right hand for sending.  It worked really well and no complaints about the paddle on the air.  It has the perforated aluminum finger pieces, giving a nice tactile feel.

Hopefully I can loosen up the plastic box that slides together, would be nice to use it in the field, and a snap together strap will make for easier and faster getting the strap on my leg

I've been using my Jones Key PK-200 paddles for over 25 years at home and all portable operating, nice to have one designed for field use !

Glenn AE0Q

 

[GM0WEZ]

Those perforated anodized aluminium finger pieces look really neat.

I know from SOTA that the Palm Paddle was a popular key for this sort of thing, but the Begalli is more elegant.

Re leg straps, these have a long history. I remember in about 1988 my signals instructor strapping a Clansman key to his thigh when USB comms were not working. It probably works better with a paddle or a cootie rather than an up and down straight key.

 

[gm5bkc]

There seem to be lots of old military straight keys with leg straps, but I just have never been a fan of a straight key when I have a keyer and paddles to use.  I've been using iambic paddles since 1969, for me CW is much more fun and effortless that way.

I have Vibroplex Code Warrior paddles that I was thinking of modifying to use a leg strap, but the Begali is a much better paddle.  If I try to drill and tap the bottom of the Vibroplex base (for strap loops) I'll probably make a mess of it...

In the US Navy, Radiomen weren't allowed to use a bug or keyer unless they had passed a high speed test and shown proficiency to a senior Radioman.  Strange because the civilian shore stations had ops using bugs and keyers all the time.  I went to KPH north of San Francisco one Friday evening in 1972 and saw their operation, they had a big wooden "bug rack" where everyone stored their keyers or bugs when off duty

Glenn AE0Q

 

[MI0PYN]

I've looked at these and they do look very nice indeed.

I'm nowhere near where I'm good enough to really get the best out of one of these, but I think it is the only Begali that I'd consider getting at some stage in the future that I don't think I'd resent the price tag on. My wife on the other hand probably would have a heart attack...

Just a question, does it have a 3.5mm jack on the back that you plug just any 3.5mm stereo jack lead into?

 

[gm5bkc]

Just a question, does it have a 3.5mm jack on the back that you plug just any 3.5mm stereo jack lead into?

Yes, and it comes with a 1 meter long stereo cable with the 3.5mm connector on both ends.  Most of the Begali paddles have the jack on the base.

Glenn AE0Q

 

[MI0PYN]

Well, at least if I do ever get one, I know it'll work well with how my shack is set up

 

[foggycoder]

Those Begali keys, and especially the Traveller, are closer to modern sculpture than anything else I've seen in the morse world.

I'm not averse to Nostalgia and it's modern cousin Retro. But so much morse equipment languishes in the stylistic past (no doubt because "form follows function" and morse equipment was essentially perfected 70 years ago, just before it's professional demise).

These "modern-style" keys make the hair on the back of my neck stand up - I thrill to see them. I think it unlikely I'll ever own one, but GM5BKC has the skills to fully appreciate his Traveller in a way I never could. And it's great to hear of it in action rather than gathering dust on a collector's shelf.

Another paddle I've admired for it's modern minimalist styling is the QSK llc, TP-1
https://www.qskllc.com/tp-1
I'll include an image below and add a new thread on it for reference.