so the keyer arrived in the post today and after raiding the cable box (don't ever bin a cable!!) I was able to weave together a loom of wires to connect the knife paddle to the rig.

half an hour's practice and I reckoned I could give it a go on the air.

DJ3EF was the poor guy on the other en of my feeble attempts!

so, first impressions?

a bit of practice and I'll get the hang of it, definitely less painful to use than straight key, but its a bit too springy.  and if I release the handle it can swipe across and thump the other side.

I need to damp it's travel.... maybe a little foam rubber?

I'll tinker!

for a 1st prototype, I'm very pleased, but work still to do!

I'm thinking about another direction, with a solid vertical bar with a switch on each side.  that'd loose the springiness, but the switches would need to be very free moving........

on the air yesterday and today?

OK1PGS/AM was my first aeronautical mobile contact.  just an exchange of calls and sig repts, so I don't know what he was flying, and he doesn't have an email addy on QRZ.com to ask him.....

the long distance stuff?

delighted to break a pile up and get my first into Tajikistan

K9LJN	USA IL
w1pid	USA NH
kb2uzy	USA MA
EY7BJ	Tajikistan