M0AGA This is the call sign of the designer of the Chevron Twin Lever Magnetic Iambic keys.
Kevin Gunstone was born near Nottingham in 1952 and current occupation is an assessor helping apprentices to attain their National Vocational Qualifications in the Automotive Industry.
For 35 years I have been involved at some level in the industry mainly within the repair of accident damaged vehicles. Have been with Ann my wife for 32 years and we have one daughter (Rachel) who is 22.
First licensed in 1995 as G7VAA and a year later after passing the 12wpm morse test became M0AGA.
Joined FISTS in March 1999 (6017)
In May 2003 become a member of The Radio Telegraphy High Speed Club (1824) thanks to several sponsors who included the Web Site Designer and Manager Ray G0TUE.
In August 2003 I was nominated by G0JWB as a potential member of FOC (The First Class CW Operators Club)
After receiving the required sponsors, I became a member on the 27th December 2003 (1812).
My main interest has always been operating morse code.
Like most Radio Hams I began sending code on an old Army “Pump” key and after a meeting with Bill G0JWB at my club (Worksop Amateur Radio Club) I saw and used for the first time a twin lever paddle key. This was a portable version with a built in electronic keyer fitted under the base plate of the key.
From that day onwards I was to purchase and use a twin lever key and electronic keyer.
I have used many different keys and keyer's since then and sought to find the “Perfect” (For me) combination.
Despite purchasing the highly acclaimed Schurr Profi Key (Whose engineering quality was superb), I still looked for that elusive perfection.
A local Ham and close friend of mine Alan G4HCD modified a Jones Key I owned and made some very subtle changes that were to help me decide on what the perfect key should perform like.
I soon found the best electronic keyer to suit me from an old Radcomm article by Ian Trusson G3RVM. Again this circuit was given to me by my good friend Alan G4HCD.
I had an enforced period of time from work in February 2003 after collapsing in my office at work. During this 3 months rest period I found time to do something about my dream key. Armed with only a mental picture and no specialist equipment, I was to spend over 200 hours filing and shaping brass.
The end result was a lever that when balanced at the fulcrum point across two razor blades stuck to a spirit level and raised just 1mm would oscillate for 4 minutes.
By using magnets for tensioning instead of conventional springs, the friction was removed and a lighter more responsive action occurred. By using precision bearings above and below the levers the action was kept silky smooth.
When assembled and during testing, I found the key so light and responsive that I never noticed just how quickly the sending speed could increase without much effort on my part.
The whole operating experience had changed overnight and already I was looking at ways to improve this prototype. Despite really liking the look of the finished product, I did not find the finger plates to my liking. They were nice to the touch but the positioning was not right for me. A different set were fitted and it made a nice feeling key even better.
During the time I was making this key, I had regular visits from Alan G4HCD who besides being an excellent CW operator was also a retired master engineer. He gave me lots of tips and advice during this time and even gave me some of his cherished gear including a very nice micrometer. I purchased a cheap DIY Pillar Drill for drilling the plates and posts etc; but even now was realising just how much equipment was required to turn a nice operating key into one that was also nice from an engineering view.
With the first key complete and in the very capable hands of Alan G4HCD I started making another key to include design changes. I was to move the magnetic tension inside the bearing block, make the levers lighter and even use a lighter base plate. The original weighed nearly 2kgms and even the heaviest of users would find it difficult to move that around the bench!
I followed the same principles as before with the balanced levers but with no magnetic tensioning posts to worry about, the base plate could be smaller.
This key turned out in my opinion to be the best so far. Being lighter levers meant there was less mass to move and I soon found out that the key was capable of outperforming the operator. This was a key happy to be purring along nicely at 30wpm or really traveling like a Formula 1 race car. The base was painted a fitting Ferrari Red and has since been evaluated by one of the best QRQ Operators there is, Steve Langham G0DMN.
This key took around 100 hours to complete.
It was so easy to operate this key that within 90 seconds of it being placed on his bench, Steve was chatting with Carey KT4P at over 50wpm like he had used the key all his life.
I knew then that the design was a little special.
Another good friend of mine John K1JD and I had been discussing the important metrics for a key. John felt the look of the key was important or in his words “A key needs a certain Candy Factor”. He also used methods I had not thought about when making my keys.
I was always conscious of room temperature affecting the metals but never considered placing a halogen bulb on the key to see if it started sending its own code..!!
The Mark 3 Chevron key was to find its way across the Atlantic to Rhode Island where again I knew a proper evaluation could be made in a totally different operating atmosphere to the U.K.
This key had the thinner base but with a wooden plinth fitted. The major difference with this latest version was the use of straight unbalanced levers. It was to give the key a different feel to the others. The finger plates were also fairly close together.
Whilst the build quality and “Candy Factor” would not match some of John’s collection, I was fairly confident the key operation would be right up there.
In fairness to John, he always accepted that this was a home brew prototype and it is certainly unique being the only one of its kind like the other two keys.
A change of employment just over 2 years ago and the need to study for new qualifications meant the vision of making these keys was put on hold.
I always dreamed of having them made professionally but the costs were much more than I had expected even for one offs.
Then one evening a friend of mine suggested an engineer he knew and gave me a phone number.
A visit to the engineering company was to be a happy occasion because I found someone prepared to make my keys for less than a King’s Ransom.
The building and setting up of these keys was still to be completed here but at least we would then know the product had been thoroughly checked and tested to the standards we started with but manufactured to strict tolerances on the very latest equipment.
It takes Alan and me around 25 hours to complete the finished product.
You will find no plating of cheaper metals to make the product look nice on these keys.
It is just the best materials available, hand polished and then built with the affection only a fellow morse enthusiast can appreciate.
Apart from my lovely wife Ann who provided drinks and nourishment and endured my countless hours in our garden shed, I must offer my deepest gratitude to Alan G4HCD who provided the technical drawings for the engineer and gave invaluable input during the manufacturing process. This is why his replica key is aptly named the HCD Chevron.
I would also like to thank Steve G0DMN and John K1JD for their feedback because all the comments given will be used to make the AGA Chevron which features internal magnetic tensioning.
Different metals have been used to give the key a different look in its standard guise but many options are available to suit the purchaser’s choice. The important factor in all these keys is the ability to alter the height of the finger plates to suit the operator. Different sets of finger plates to suit the operator are also available on request.
It is possible to have your own call sign included to give your key that personal touch. Each key is individually numbered and will be built in batches 10.
The first keys available to the general public will commence at #005
A very lucky FOC attendee at this year’s FOC Annual Dinner to be held at Cirencester will take away one of these superb keys as a major raffle prize.
Prices can be found elsewhere on the web pages.
This is a key no serious operator or key collector should be without.
So if sending morse code on a key designed by an enthusiast for fellow enthusiasts is what your shack needs, then look no further than the Chevron range of keys.
Should you purchase one of these keys, I hope you have as much fun using it as myself and the Beta testers have done.
Kevin Gunstone