Ham4CW
Administrator
The Lionel J47 Morse Key and its matching leg mount are of WW2 vintage as far as I am aware (1945 seems to be the commonest date given around the web).
These are solid little keys that just keep on going. This one has certainly 'been through the wars' yet it still works fine. The yellowing is due to some heavy lacquer coating that was used, much of which has worn off over the years.
The key can be used both on or off the leg mount. I tend to use this key like the Belgian Military Key I mentioned elsewhere, either for CW-Com in the car (using the leg mount), or on a table while practicing sending on tea breaks.
The leg mount cannot be adjusted for leg size, and I found the 'solution' is to either straighten or bend your leg by varying amounts until the grip of the clamp feels OK.
The keys themselves are great little items, very crisp in sending, and can be obtained reasonably cheaply. Sometimes they are up for sale without the base plate, or even as new old stock. Such a mint key would be well worth grabbing!
73, Mark...
These are solid little keys that just keep on going. This one has certainly 'been through the wars' yet it still works fine. The yellowing is due to some heavy lacquer coating that was used, much of which has worn off over the years.
The key can be used both on or off the leg mount. I tend to use this key like the Belgian Military Key I mentioned elsewhere, either for CW-Com in the car (using the leg mount), or on a table while practicing sending on tea breaks.
The leg mount cannot be adjusted for leg size, and I found the 'solution' is to either straighten or bend your leg by varying amounts until the grip of the clamp feels OK.
The keys themselves are great little items, very crisp in sending, and can be obtained reasonably cheaply. Sometimes they are up for sale without the base plate, or even as new old stock. Such a mint key would be well worth grabbing!
73, Mark...
