MFJ-564B MFJ-564 Original MFJ Enterprises Iambic Paddles for Morse Code, Black

Not a day goes by that I dont have to re-tighten one or more adjustment screws.

The Iambic Key Model MFJ-564B has poorly manufactured set screws that will not stay locked thus resulting in extra Dits and DAHs being added to CW transmissions. The bushings are also very fragile so you can not lock down the paddle tensioners sufficiently. We tried adjusting this for 5 months from July thru December 2020 and can not get the electrical contacts to stay in place for longer than 15 minutes. It can make an experienced CW operator sound like a novice operator. The threading on all the screws is poor and does not move easily. My husband with 41 years experience with radio-telegraphy pointed out to me that the set screws should tighten down and hold electrical contacts still. He demonstrated this on other makes and models of iambic paddles. It is clear the MFJ could not hold the contacts in place as other makes and models can do.

It works well and can be adjusted for light touch but adjustment changes after 5-10 minutes of sending. The rear spacer adjustment backs out as you send. I will be using locktite to keep it in place. The two front post adjustments also back out as its used. The lock screws meant to tighten them down were already as tight as they would go when it arrived from the factory, so limited options there. It may be a good starting key except for the adjustment problems which keep you adjusting the key rather then practicing. For another $50-60 a good high quality key can be purchased.

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I picked this up as I needed a decent key to practice morse code. Initially it was great however very quickly I found myself having to adjust this constantly to maintain a consistent feel. Then the next problem was that the more I adjusted it, the harder it became to adjust correctly. I would say this is a perfect first iambic key for anyone. Its a great way to get into Iambic without laying out a lot of money initially. However if you stick with it, you will out grow the key quickly. I still have this and keep it as a backup, but its not what I use primarily anymore. I will say the method of construction is good. I needed to travel with this and I put it into my suitcase, wrapped in a bundle of clothing. During one airport trip the airport security decided they wanted to see what it was, and took a look, however they just put it back on top of the clothes and zipped up the suitcase. This meant that every single knock and tumble was hitting the key directly. But, because the paddles are suspended via springs instead of screwed it, they just disconnected and the unit survived totally fine. So bonus points for this design, its hard to break the paddles! I suspect the downside to this design is what I mentioned earlier about the adjustment. It makes it a little bit too loose. All in all, this is a great first Iambic key for the price. Use this to decide if you want to invest in a more expensive key.

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Bought as gift for someone else. He was happy with it.

Bought as gift for someone else. He was happy with it.