Begali Traveler Light Morse Code Key 

One day after Field Day and it arrives! It *is* a gorgeous and agile key. Your review was right on. The weight is high but the usability is extremely high. This was a present from my wife, and while my wife had some confusion in ordering, here it is. I am not surprised that the key is so agile and so perfect; that's what Begali keys are. I was surprised at the intense delight I felt upon viewing the Traveler Light when I first removed it from its very intelligent case. Brilliant and beautiful = joy. I appreciate Charlie's very thorough and helpful review.

Nice review Charlie! People need to understand. It’s like the difference between a Kia and a Ferrari. 73!

It is my favorite paddle. Yes it weights a lot but the feel is great.

It looks like the Bugatti of portable paddles. Very nice looking.

As always, Great Video! Thanks for including this paddle in your series. Gives us all something to consider that's better than just wondering from a picture we can see on the net. 73

I'll admit that I got a bit of key lust from Thomas, K4SWL, when he featured it on a number of his POTA activations. The wings that protect the paddles are genius and provide a lot of stability to the key. It will move if placed on a slick surface, so a sticky pad is a needed part of the kit. The fingerpieces can be replaced and I ordered mine with the aluminum fingerpieces. I prefer that feel to the plastic. Begali has a nice portable key, the Adventure Duo (they offer a single paddle version too). It is a lost smaller and lighter and fits the SOTA use case better than the Traveller. It has mounting brackets for KX2/3, KX1, and FT-817 rigs that make a lot of sense for portable operators. I've used it with my Elecraft rigs and it works. An optional heavy base with magnets is available and works well for other rigs or for tabletop use. These are expensive keys, as are all the top-shelf keys. If you are a CW operator and have the funds, then any of the best keys will give a better operating experience. A reasonable intermediate can be found in the American Morse Equipment line. They are well-built and reliable even if they don't have the same refined touch as the more expensive keys. But you also won't freak out if you drop one in the field. ;) Where did that case for the Traveller come from? I'd like to add that to my kit. This key is my POTA go to and I'd like to have better protection.

Great review, its a tough one to categorize, for the general SOTA community I think any of us would carry it. If you are an ultra hiker or SOTA enthusiast you would not. You just have to decide your operating and hiking needs to determine if you put it into your pack, since I have a kitchen sink in my pack I would carry it.

Thanks

Thanks for the review! This year at the Ham Radio in Friedrichshafen I played with it at the Begali booth, along with even more heavy ones. Once I'm up to a comfortable speed, this might be a viable alternative for easy summits. 73 Stephan

Interesting review, Red. My first Begali was a Traveler, and I love the key. I bought it as a first high-quality key that I could use in the shack and in the field. It works beautifully for an all-purpose key. Eventually, I bought a Begali Adventure to go with my KX2 as a lighter weight backpack key with that incredible Begali feel! Then, I started putting the Traveler in my POTA box with my KX3, PX3, and KPA-100 amp. After a few trips, I bought a Begali Expedition for the shack. Three separate use cases, three excellent keys. Yes, the Traveler really does not fit your usual use case. You should review the Adventure key. It fits. Grin. NU6T, Rich

It is an outlier but I am glad you've reviewed it because I have seen so many people lately using it and falling in love. It is good to have a detailed review and having watched it I am probably going to give in eventually. I have the N0SA key coming from CW Morse to keep me occupied for a while first.

Did you enable the bluetooth option in the back? That's why I didn't supply a cable. Nice review. It's back home sitting in the ham shack.

Please have a luggage or fish scale to measure the force needed to move the key. Waight is important while transport, but in usage is a force that holds key in position (gravity, magnetic or friction).

I've got the Magnetic Professional Paddle. It is fantastic.

Great review, honest rating (allthough i am a bit more favoured), the Begali traveller is my SOTA favorite for a long time, i totally agree on the build quality, just the upgrade to use the aluminium fingers is a definitly next step ! thank you for reviewing this one too 73 .. Edwin PD0SOT(/A)

Charlie, thanks for all your paddle reviews. I appreciate them. One suggestion for paddle (or any gear) review is it’s ability to still work under a harsh environment. Will it work if dropped in snow? Will it withstand torrential rains that all of a sudden crop up on a summit? Long-term effects due to harsh environments (rust, corrosion). Those would be valuable to me also. 72 de AI3W

“if you accept the weight and size this is a no brainer.” nice.

You made the point of accepting the heavy weight for increased stability…then to hold/stabilize the body with your right hand while sending? Does that make sense to anyone?

Freedom units, please

When i win the lotto Charlie lol good info - 73

I noticed that you did not demonstrate that this one is supposed to be strapped to your leg. You said your friend did not send the strap with it. It would’ve been nice if you acquired the strap before you did this video so you could show how it’s really supposed to be used. For example, people on a sota trip may not have a table to put the paddle on, and they can just strap it to the leg.

This paddle shouldn't be called portable, it's a joke with that weight 😂 unless portable by means of driving a car🚗 but using this logic any other paddle is portable

Awesome Red .. de YC2VOC