I began acquiring Vibroplex keys in 2025 after beginning my CW journey. 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 demonstrated by others, I found that after properly adjusting them, they became a joy to use and made 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 to other collectors. I’ve found it interesting that the most revered reference material available today surrounding determining production dates for Vibroplex bugs, in particular, is general estimations. I’ve found several instances within my collection where serial numbers and nameplate types don’t follow the guidance put forth in, say WW7P’s “Birthdates of The Vibroplex Keys” from 1996, or KN6W’s information about nameplates and in which serial number ranges they were found. Also missing from the literature is adequate information about other Vibroplex company offerings such as the Vibrokeyer and Iambic paddles.
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K2MAS.net 