Keys - Morse

Straight Keys

These are the ones used since Samuel Morse's times. There are chap and nasty ones and also very elaborate ones.

Semi Automatic Keys

Also called "Bugs". They are mechanical devices that generate dots by pressing the keying lever to the right. The speed at which the dots are generated can be adjusted mechanically. Dashes are created by pressing the keying lever to the left. The operator determines length of these.

Automatic Keys

Also called El-bugs. They generate dots and dashes electronically. The speed of the code can be adjusted. Older versions of El-bugs also allow you to set the ratio between dot and pause.

All of the above are relatively easily home brewed. See for instance: N1HFX' design or an even simpler one based on an Astable Multivibrator

Straight and semi-automatic keys can be bought from VK2DLF.

Radio apparatus
Apparatus	Keys - Morse * Kits * Radio/PC Interfaces * Receivers and transceivers * Software Defined Radio (SDR) * Vintage Radio
Manufacturers	Alinco * Elecraft * Flex Radio Systems * MFJ * Icom * Kenwood * RF-Space * Ten Tec * Yaesu
Transceivers	Alinco DX-70TH * Elecraft K1 * Elecraft K2 * Hendricks QRP Kits * Icom * Kenwood * Yaesu
Projects	Build a simple 160 metre receiver * Powering a hand held transceiver from an AC power supply
See also	Antennas