Vibroplex Key Collection

I began acquiring Vibroplex keys in 2025 after beginning to learn the Morse code. I associated the Vibroplex brand with quality Morse keys. My first key was an Iambic standard. It wasn’t until early 2026 that I acquired my first semi-automatic bug, a 1961 Vibroplex Champion. While at first, I was reluctant to use a bug due to how noisy they appeared to be when I saw them demonstrated by others, I found that by properly adjusting them they become a joy to use and make minimal amounts of noise. This discovery sent me off in search of other models of the Vibroplex to try out. At some point, curiosity turned to collecting and I found that I really enjoy learning more about the history of the Vibroplex semi-automatic bug and other keys in general. As my collection grew, it became clear that I needed to catalog each device to add to the collection of information available online about these wonderful devices. There are a number of resources that can be found online which are centered on Vibroplex collecting. Tom French’s The Vibroplex Collector’s Guide, John Elwood’s Birth Dates of The Vibroplex Keys, and Randy Cole’s Vibroplex Collectors blog are a few of my favorites. Missing from the literature is adequate information about other Vibroplex offerings such as the Vibrokeyer and Iambic paddles.

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