‰  NOW 40 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2009 QST  PAGES 52 AND 81  ‰

THE ZN 9A A SERIOUS RIVAL TO THE FRATTINI AND BEGALI PADDLES.  THE IMPROVED
HIGH FRICTION FOOT SYSTEM FOR THE ZN 9B MODEL, WHICH I WAS NOT ABLE TO TEST
FOR THIS REVIEW, WILL LIKELY SEAL THE BARGAIN.  WHEN I ORDERED THE REVIEW
PADDLE LAST YEAR, TONY WAS MAKING EACH P
‰  FROM PAGE 81  ‰
BX5AA 182,450 B C EF3A 2,069,172 C C PS2T 1,716,205 D VK3EW 28,160 B C

BUT THE COVER LIMITS THE TRAVEL OF THE CONTACT SPACE ADJUSTMENT SCREWS,
REQUIRING WIDER SPACING THAN I PREFER.  A WIDER PLEXIGLASS DUST COVER WOULD
OFFER A SIGNIFICANT ENHANCEMENT.  THE SCULPTURE CAME EQUIPPED WITH A 3R5 MM
STEREO SOCKET IN THE REAR, WIRED SO THAT THE RIGHT HAND PADDLE GOVERNS THE
TIP CONTACT RATHER THAN THE MORE USUAL RING.  IN THE PROCESS OF REVERSING
THE PADDLE WIRING, I DAMAGED THE SOCKET.  SO, I REMOVED THE SOCKET AND HARD
WIRED THE CORD TO THE PADDLE.  IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF BEGALI CLEARLY
INDICATED THE PLUG CONNECTIONS.  N3ZN BRONZE MODEL ZN 9A TONY BALENO, N3ZN,
IS A CIVIL ENGINEER AND A LIFE LONG AMATEUR MACHINIST.  HE MAKES A VARIETY
OF HIGH QUALITY KEYER PADDLES, ALL OF WHICH SHARE SIMILAR FEATURES
INCLUDING LIGHTWEIGHT 6061 T6 ALUMINUM LEVERS AND SHIMMERING STIFF CARBON
FIBER FINGERPIECES TO MINIMIZE THE MASS TO BE MOVED WHILE KEYING.  THEY
ALSO INCLUDE NEODYMIUM REPELLING MAGNETIC RETURN MECHANISMS.  THE ZN 9A IS
INTENDED FOR OPERATORS WHO PREFER SHORT AND LOW FINGERPIECES, WHICH COME IN
‰  FROM PAGE 81  ‰
8,880 B A OK2BYW 499,698 C A PY2SEX 69,180 C B YB3MM 151,140 A C C4W
1,167,572 B B DF1DX 233,142 C A PR7AR 57,993 C B YB1TJ 66,720 B B 7Z1SJ

PIETRO BEGALI HAS RENDERED THE SCULPTURE IN AISI 304 STAINLESS STEEL, AN
AUSTENITIC NONMAGNETIC MATERIAL CONSIDERED MORE CHALLENGING TO MACHINE THAN
THE BRASS USED FOR MOST PADDLES.  THE SCULPTURES TENSION MECHANISM USES
NEODYMIUM MAGNETS EMBEDDED IN THE END OF THE TWO TENSION ADJUSTMENT SCREWS.
TURNING A SCREW MOVES THE MAGNET CLOSER TO, OR FARTHER FROM, ITS REPELLING
MAGNET MATE MOUNTED OUT OF SIGHT ON THE PADDLE LEVER.  FINGERPIECES EXTEND
FROM 0R4 TO 1R9 INCHES ABOVE THE OPERATING SURFACE, ALLOWING A VARIETY OF
FINGER POSITIONS WITHOUT ADJUSTMENT.  THE BEGALI SCULPTURE WEB PAGE OFFERS
LINKS TO VIDEOS OF ACCOMPLISHED HIGH SPEED CW OPERATORS MANIPULATING THE
SCULPTURES FINGERPIECES.  THE SCULPTURES ALUMINUM ALLOY LEVERS AND STIFF
BUT LIGHTWEIGHT CARBON FIBER FINGERPIECES ARE QUITE SHORT HORIZONTALLY.
WITH A 1 1 LEVERAGE RATIO, IT TAKES VERY LITTLE MOTION TO CLOSE ITS 14
KARAT SOLID GOLD CONVEX CONTACTS.  BEGALI IS NOW OFFERING OPTIONAL RED OR
BLUE ALUMINUM FINGERPIECES 1/8 INCH LONGER THAN STANDARD FOR OPERATORS WHO
PREFER MORE FINGER CONTACT.  MY SCULPTURE PADDLE ARRIVED FROM ITALY IN AN
EXCEEDINGLY WELL PADDED PACKAGE.  A THIN PLASTIC DUST COVER IS STANDARD,
‰  FROM PAGE 81  ‰
3,748,250 A C IZ2FOS 856,231 B B LP1H 939,872 B C VK4TT 3,425 A B RG9A
2,818,912 A C EF1W 657,152 B B LU7EE 22,425 C A KH7X 1,844,352 A C UA9CLB
2,622,636 A C PD1DX 466,488 B B LU8EHR 2,418 C A KH6NF 884,390 A C JA2MWV
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