On Apr 16, 9:55*pm, K7ITM wrote:
On Apr 16, 1:17*pm, Tim Shoppa wrote:





On Apr 14, 6:07*pm, David Harmon wrote:

Is there any particular plug/socket type connector that is an accepted
standard or most prevalent kind for connecting a CW key to a radio?

Quarter inch phone plug is most common on equipment from the 50's,
60's, 70's. A few use a phono (RCA) plug.

A lot of recent equipment has an 1/8" stereo jack that allows you to
use an iambic paddle on the rig's built in keyer.

There have in the past few months been a couple of QST reviews of
paddles and portable paddles where, for some bizarre reason, the
reviewer assumed that a typical user was incapable of wiring the
connecting plug or correcting the wiring if left and right was
reversed. I thought this was a little odd, but maybe a lot of newbie
hams really cannot wire a plug. I will admit that the cheapie plugs
and jacks from Radio Shack, Mouser, etc., are pretty crappy and melt
the insulator if you are too heavy handed with a soldering gun. The
Switchcraft plugs and jacks (a lot more money than the cheap stuff!)
are a joy to work with.

Tim.

Which is not to say that Mouser ONLY carries "cheapie" plugs and
jacks. *They are a Deltron distributor, and Deltron makes some really
fine parts. *For one of their 1/4" phone plugs, seehttp://www.dem-uk.com/DEM_PDFs/326.pdf. *I've been using Deltron XLR
connectors for over 10 years, and find they are a real joy to assemble
and to use, and have held up extremely well in a professional audio
environment. *The XLRs beat the Switchcrafts hands down, and I
personally like them better than Neutrik. *But their over $10 each
price for 1/4" phone plugs probably isn't for everyone. *;-) *(Mouser
also sells Switchcraft...)

I also like the Neutrik's but at least with the connectors I've seen,
the insulators are thermosetting plastics that can melt under
soldering temperatures.

One of my pet peeves (extending back to polystyrene coil forms in my
childhood) is that I really really hate it when plastic starts melting
when I use a soldering iron in a fairly normal fashion. I will admit
that there are special cases where extra precautins must be taken, and
I will admit that sometimes I may be a little heavy handed with my
WTCPT (which is temperature regulated).

But I can also see a newbie (like maybe that QST reviewer) using a non-
regulated-temperature soldering iron and getting frustrated with
soldering simple connectors.

I really really like the Switchcrafts for their solid feel and
unmeltable insulators. I admit that Neutrik et al are pretty good too,
and I can put myself in the mindset of "be careful, don't melt it!"
when I use them, but I just adore the Switchcrafts.

Radio Shack and Mouser have some other brands at differing price
points and differing gold plating but I honestly have little to no
feel for where they fall on actual usability. With any brand other
than Switchcraft, I always have the fear that I'll pay extra money and
end up with cheap crap. With Switchcrafts, I know that I'll pay the
extra money but also know I'll never end up with cheap crap.

I do like some of the other Deltron-branded stuff from Mouser,
especially their chassis punches.

Tim N3QE