[TenTec] TenTec/Vibroplex

[Tim MacDonald]

After a long wait I  recieved my new paddles.

I will qualify myself, I am a reluctant, struggling, in-experienced operator
on his way to a general license.  I don't know much about CW hardware.  I
guess I was surprized at what arrived yesterday. My expectation was that I
was going to recieve something special, a high quality precision built peice
of equipment (I do realize that Vibroplex makes a deluxe model and that the
TenTecspecialedition is based on the lessor standard edition).

What I recieved was something less than that.  Although apparently well
packaged, the "dit" contact assembly was 90 degrees out of alinement.  One
trunion pin is noticably longer than the other.  The rear ends of the two
lever bars are out of alinement (the angle of the trunion pin holes are
off). After a call to ten tec this morning I dis-assembled the unit to check
to see if it was simply out of adjustment.  The trunion pins still are
different lengths, additionally the tapers on the pins don't all come to
points.

I guess I am asking where to turn?  I don't think this is an adjustment that
I am missing.  Is this typical Vibroplex quality?  I have seen refernce to
vibroplex upgrading of hardware with "deluxe" parts.  Is this the answer?

I thought that the iambic paddle would be another peice of TenTec equipment
that I could treasure. I welcome any suggestions or comments.  I would like
to turn this into a workable and the special peice of radio gear that I
expected, not a boat anchor!

(This communication was perpared entirely without the benifit of "spell
check" (...it probably needed it) 73 Tim, KB1GFV)