Vibroplex Vibrocube
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| Frequency | Not frequency-specific - a CW keyer paddle for use with any HF/VHF/UHF transmitter |
| Bands | All (CW keying accessory) |
| Power | A passive iambic keyer paddle. It does not transmit or generate timing on its own; the radio's built-in electronic keyer or an external keyer turns the paddle's contacts into Morse. |
| Modes | CW (iambic keying) |
| Weight | 2.7 kg (6 lb) |
| Year | 2010 |
| output | Three screw terminals (dot, dash, common) to wire a cable to the transceiver's keyer/paddle jack - typically a 3.5 mm or 1/4-inch stereo (TRS) plug |
| note | No cable is hard-wired; you supply or make a cable to match your radio's key input |
| power req | None; it is a passive paddle. The radio's internal keyer or an outboard electronic keyer provides the iambic timing. |
A substantial, stay-put paddle: nearly six pounds of forged steel means it does not walk across the desk, even with a heavy fist. The oversize acrylic finger pieces suit large hands and short movements, spring tensioning gives a wide adjustment range, and the contacts are coin-grade silver. It is genuinely made in the USA and offered in standard, upgraded and all-chrome deluxe versions.
It is heavy and large, so it is not a travel or portable paddle, and it costs well over $200 (more for the Deluxe). Like any paddle it needs an electronic keyer in the radio or outboard, and you wire your own cable to suit your radio's jack. Feel is personal, and some operators prefer a lighter, smaller paddle.
The Vibroplex Vibrocube is a heavyweight iambic paddle for the home station, built on a six-pound forged-steel cube base that stays anchored under any fist, with oversize finger pieces and silver contacts. It suits an operator who wants a permanent, substantial desk paddle with large finger pieces; those who travel or want a light, compact paddle look elsewhere. It comes in standard, upgraded and chrome deluxe trims.
The Vibroplex Vibrocube is an iambic (dual-lever) keyer paddle for sending Morse, and its defining feature is mass. It is built on a USA-forged cold-rolled steel cube base that brings the whole paddle to just under six pounds, so it stays anchored on the desk under even a heavy fist without needing to be held or clamped. It was designed by Vibroplex's owner to be a large paddle that sits still on the desk and suits a big hand.
The base measures 1.5 by 3.5 by 3.5 inches, standing 4.25 inches tall on its rubber feet, and the hard-acrylic finger pieces are oversize at about 2.125 inches, larger than a standard Vibroplex paddle, so the hand moves very little. Tensioning is spring-loaded rather than magnetic, which gives a wider range of adjustment, the contact points are coin-grade silver, and the adjustment hardware is chromed brass. It comes in three trims: a Standard with a pin-and-socket movement, a Standard Upgraded with a jeweled movement, and a Deluxe with the jeweled movement and all-chrome top parts and base.
Being a paddle, it is passive: you wire a cable from its dot, dash and common terminals to the transceiver's keyer or paddle jack, typically ending in a 3.5 mm or quarter-inch stereo plug, and the radio's built-in electronic keyer (or an outboard keyer) turns the contacts into iambic Morse. It is made in the USA in Knoxville, Tennessee, and a fitted dust cover is available.
It is the heavyweight option in Vibroplex's paddle range. The lighter Vibroplex Iambic is the standard-size paddle, and the Bencher BY-1 is the classic chrome-base iambic paddle that many operators learn on.