What's up with the Vibroplex Bug Morse key's unique sound?

This video is primarily for new Amateur Radio CW operators to give them some familiarity with a Vibroplex Bug and its unique on-air sound when other operators work them at speeds below the Bug's normal operating speed.

Note: not mentioned in the video but Bugs can be slowed down with aftermarket weight extensions so they don't necessarily have to be operated at high DIT speeds but I don't hear many of them slowed down on-air.

[RobMacKendrick]

Worked a lot of WWII vet radiomen back in the day; they all stuck faithfully to their bugs, and they each had a distinctive "accent". You could tell who it was on the air before they ID'd. I can hold my own with my iambic (my own generation's "six-gun"), but I've always been envious of the Duke Ellington swing those old sparks had. It's just... class. Thanks for the demo!

[arizonareport]

I received a 1944 Vibroplex bug from a retired Navy lieutenant who served in the Aleutians during WW2. Serial #134115. He referred to it as a "speed key." He did not know that I would eventually become an amateur radio operator when he gifted it to me in my 20s before his death in 2001. Thank you for the video. Interested in learning CW and using his key. .

[rockymountainhiker]

All these years and I never knew what caused that "swing" sound. Thank you for your video.

[YVEN]

My ears delight with the sound of a bug. Congrats, 73 es GD DX 👍

[thestingyham]

I watched an expert Navy sender on another video. He said you're supposed to grab the right-side key when interacting with slower users and make your own dits and dahs with that, from the side. Not sure which was is right, but that's how he does it, and that way both dits and dahs are the correct slower speed. Treat it like a sideways straight key. I've also seen some guys dual-mount two keys on a board -- like an old Burnell straight key, which is in "closed" position. Next to it is the bug or paddle key. When using the bug/paddle, they'll keep the Burnell "closed" so only the bug/paddle works. Then, for working slower ops, they'll open-up the switch on the Burnell and work from the straight key.

[deepthought]

Actually Morse Code was very sophisticated for its day. One dash (ideally) equals three dots, Morse reasoned the more characters in each letter the longer it takes to send a message so he identified the most common letter in the English language - the letter E = one dot, the second most common - I = two dots, the letter S = three dots, the letter T one dash and so on... In this digital high speed age we shouldn't forget how ingenious our ancestors were....

[dro]

I used a Vibroplex bug when I was Chief Op at AE1USA in Germany (circa 1962).

[gerdpfeil]

Bugs are more often than not an imposition to newcomers and anyone with a feeling for rhythm. Most OMs are not capable of setting up their bug or adjusting their speed so that speed and length of dashes and dots correspond, resulting in a *horrible fist* (which is what you probably mean by "unique sound") that's giving me cardiac arrhythmia. People oughtta either wrap their heads around how to use these contraptions or put them where they do a better job, be it in the hands of someone knowing what he's doing or onto a bookshelf as a conversation piece.

[Bass.Player]

I did a lot of cw in the seventies and even at twenty words a minute I could always tell a bug operator...

[RMoribayashi]

Back in the 80's the bug at my club's station had a couple of extra weights and it could go as low as 10wpm. One was literally hanging off the end to have as much effect as possible.

[vadimbe]

Physics teach us that a pendulum's period does not depend on the pendulum weight, but on the pendulums' shaft length...

[kccvh]

The unique sound, I suspect, is the result of the original design of the Vibroplex being suited to the commercial telegrapher of the early 20th century. The operating speed on the landlines was typically 35 wpm, and the rather narrow range of the Vibroplex is centered at this speed. Making the leaf spring either thinner or longer would slow the dits down, it doesn't appear practicable to add enough mass to the end of the pendulum for good sending at 13 - 20 wpm.

[diamondgrove]

I was introduced to the "bug" in the military. I was taught to "embrace" each of the paddles with the thumb on the left side (I am right handed) and the index and middle fingers on the right side, barely brushing against the paddle with each movement so that the base is never tempted to move side to side. It's not a difficult technique to master - give it a try. It will help you get /that "swing" out of your sending rhythm. 73's

[hamradiocq]

Awesome interesting video... why on earth does it have Dislikes?

[YouTube]

If I don't have an "aftermarket weight, " I take a Quarter and I alligator-clip it to the existing weight. That can get the bug down to 13 wpm or so.

There's always the Farnsworth philosophy. If my sending key won't go below 13 wpm, but the Ham I'm talking to is going 10 wpm, I can increase the spacing between letters to get down to 10 wpm, even though each letter is still being sent at 13 wpm. At worst, it takes the other guy (or gal) a few seconds to adjust to the quickly-sent letters, but it's not a stress for them because of all the space in between the letters.

I consider doing that as "my good deed of the day, " because I'm exposing them to more quickly sent letters, and that helps to increase their operating speed.

I would only send the letters a few wpm faster than the total speed. I don't want to freak anyone out by sending, for instance, 20 wpm if they're only up to 10.

If they're going a lot slower than my bug can go, I can always switch to a straight key. I never met a Morse sending device that I didn't love, so no problem breaking out the straight key.

[Israel.Pinto_Ben.Yosef]

Hermoso video, el vibroplex fué diseñado originalmente para ser usado con los telegrafos de morse, los alámbricos, esa velocidad era adecuada para transmitir a 120 W per Min . 73 FM México

[thom]

These adjustments are what helped operators develop what is know as a "fist". Operators could recognize someone just by how they used these keys. Sadly this is lost with modern iambic keys.

[leegroce]

That is a nice old bug and you have a good fist! I bought one sometime back but haven't used it much, I need to play with it again. Enjoy!

[Ed-vitg]

never knew the bug's opt speed was over 25wpm. I worked my way up to Extra class when required to pass a CW test. got a bug due to, just couldn't send CW with a straight key any longer somewhere above 20wpm. I guess that is why I had no problem with adapting to a bug, i was able to copy better than 25wpm. I used my thumb and index finger as (without realizing) wrist action was less cumbersome.

[robertmunozcabos]

Hi, Richard

thanks for your kindness and response,
the Vibroplex, beautiful,

a hug
Robert
spain
EA3HYQ