Another week of amateur radio has expired. Expired Ham, get it? 🙂
Welcome to another issue of Expired Ham, a weekly newsletter where I discuss the ways I participated in the amateur radio hobby this week.
I feel like I do more buying and collecting of ham equipment nowadays than actually operating on the air. Maybe now that Spring is here and the weather outside is nice, that will start to shift back into operating mode. I’m sure my wallet will be happier.
If you recall from last week’s newsletter, I have taken a leap into the world of semi-automatic bugs with the purchase of not one, not two, but five semi-automatic keys recently. I managed to find a set of three Vibroplex Deluxe bugs which were manufactured in 1944 and 1945, to start with. These are unique bugs in that they are the Deluxe models with the jeweled pivot screws and red finger pieces. Typically, the Deluxe models should have a chrome base. However, during the Second World War, most chromium was being used to support the U.S. war efforts. So, Vibroplex painted the Deluxe models during this time in what was called “Battleship Gray”.
| Serial Number | Year | |
| Original Deluxe | 143221 | 1945 |
| #6 Lightning Bug | 126896 | 1944 |
| #4 Blue Racer | 131443 | 1944 |
I also found a nice Vibroplex Champion bug that I felt would help my Vibrokeyer feel less alone. The Champion arrived before the other bugs did and I spent quite a bit of time piddling with it trying to get the hang of using a semi-automatic key. It turns out that I’m not as good at sending proper code as I thought. The electronically keyed devices hide quite a bit of inconsistency. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, really, but it uncovered a discrepancy in my CW skills that I now want to correct. Two main discrepancies have arisen. My dit to dah ratio is not a perfect 1:3 like it should be, and when sending dits, I sometimes cut the last dit short by releasing the lever too soon. I can do better. I must practice, practice, practice.
To round out the semi-automatic collection, I found and could not pass up a good deal on an excellent condition Hi-Mound BK-100, complete with its dust cover which has no cracks at all. The only problem with this bug is that the suction cup feet have become hard with age.
I don’t know where this road is headed just yet. Am I now a Vibroplex bug collector? Or did I just happen to get a little wild and impulsive? I guess we’ll just have to see.
Here are some great resources for anyone curious about their Vibroplex bugs.
- Vibroplex Collector’s Guide by Tom French, W1IMQ (2006, 3rd Ed.)
- Birth Dates of The Vibroplex Keys by John Elwood, WW7P (1996)
- Telegraphkeys.com – A great resource showing photographs of various antique Vibroplex bugs
- The Vibroplex Collector’s Page by Randy Cole, KN6W
- Bug.date – Quick, easy dating service for Vibroplex bugs
73,
Matthew, K2MAS
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