[TenTec] VibroPlex Code Warrior Jr. problems

[George, W5YR]

Bob, when I bought my VibroKeyer many years ago, it was intermittent in
operation. I finally found that the contacts to ground for each paddle were
made through the axle contact with the supporting bearings. This was just
not adequate. So I ran short lengths of tiny braid from each paddle to the
base ground terminal and that cured that problem.  I am not familiar with
how the key you have is made, but try putting clip leads on each paddle
back to ground and see if that helps the problem. Each lever is supposed to
be connected to paddle ground and an intermittent connection can result in
all manner of odd effects. The contact back through the bearings was
insufficient in my case.

73/72/oo, George W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas         
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe   
Amateur Radio W5YR, in the 56th year and it just keeps getting better!
QRP-L 1373 NETXQRP 6 SOC 262 COG 8 FPQRP 404 TEN-X 11771 I-LINK 11735
Icom IC-756PRO #02121  Kachina 505 DSP  #91900556  Icom IC-765 #02437

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KZ2G wrote:
> 
> I occasionally have a problem with my VibroPlex Code Warrior Jr. iambic
> paddles.  When I use it as a "squeeze key," squeezing the paddles together,
> it does not send the -.-.-.-.-  but just stops sending.  I checked wiring
> and it is fine.  and yet at times the "squeeze-key" works and then does not
> work.  my bencher paddles work fine on my Yaesu and Omni 6+ and on my MFJ
> electronic keyer.
> 
> I thought the ground or another contact on the paddles was bad, shorted,
> cold soldered, etc.  nope.  I resoldered, I checked the connections.  spent
> 3 hours trying to get the paddles to work when squeezed as a "squeeze key"
> again.  NOOOOO LUCK!  Ultimately, I had to put the ground contact on one
> paddle, by the magnet.  there it works fine as a "squeeze key," giving me
> true iambic function.  yet it did work fine as a "squeeze key" once with the
> ground wire on the base of the key where VibroPlex tells u to put it.  have
> any of u had this problem?  I'm wondering if the paint on the base of the
> key paddles occasionally acts as an insulator.  Weird.