The latest UMPP-1 is small, robust and ideal for SOTA/POTA or other /P operations where size and weight are of the essence!
The UMPP-1 has a magnetic base as standard and comes in a protective metal case the size of an Altoids tin.
Read a review of an earlier version of the UMPP-1 by Chris, G0JPS
http://lidscw.org/a-new-paddle-on-the-block
And a very recent review of the latest version (August 2023) by Damon Tilley, G4USI, in Practical Wireless.
Price:
UK: £55 including first class shipping within the UK
EU: March 2025: Sales to the EU are temporarily suspended due to tax and regulatory barriers. I hope this will be resolved soon.
US: USD 80 including shipping
Please enquire about other destinations. I use a tracked and signed-for service for international shipping.
To order please contact by email.
Paypal and BACS transfer accepted
Latest version of the UMPP-Academy.
Price:
UK: £65 including first class shipping within the UK
EU: March 2025: Sales to the EU are temporarily suspended due to tax and regulatory barriers. I hope this will be resolved soon.
US: USD 90 including shipping
Please enquire about other destinations. I use a tracked and signed-for service for international shipping.
To order please contact by email.
Paypal and BACS transfer accepted
The UMPP-Academy paddle was inspired by my work as a CWOps CW Academy advisor (the key is not endorsed by CWOps). We are often asked by prospective students to recommend a paddle that is good to use but inexpensive to buy. Its not easy, a beginner needs a paddle that will inspire not frustrate. I usually suggest they scour Ebay for a used Bencher but the risk is that they will get one in a poor state of repair. I also don't like to recommend they spend hundreds of pounds or dollars on a paddle just to realise that cw isn't for them.
So I took the basic attributes of the UMPP-1: precision bearings to mount the arms and a magnetic action to give a smooth return, and added full-size finger pieces, extra adjustment to set the arm spacing, a more robust central contact arrangement, a flying-lead with 3.5mm jack plug and mounting lugs to attach it to a radio or a heavy base of your choice.
The plastic components are still 3D printed from PLA because its the most appropriate manufacturing technique at this scale of production. The resulting key is a joy to use, it sends clean code up to my limit of just over 30 wpm and is perfect for a beginner or anyone who wants a robust, inexpensive key for portable use.
NEW!! UMPP-ASK.
Price:
UK: £65 including first class shipping within the UK
EU: March 2025: Sales to the EU are temporarily suspended due to tax and regulatory barriers. I hope this will be resolved soon.
US: USD 90 including shipping
Please enquire about other destinations. I use a tracked and signed-for service for international shipping.
To order please contact by email.
Paypal and BACS transfer accepted
The UMPP-ASK stands for Activator's Straight Key. I designed it over Christmas 2024 because I wasn't completely happy with any of the tiny straight keys on the market and thought surely I could do better.
I've actually thought I could do better for a couple of years and made some previous attempts that really weren't very good and were never released.
The ASK is an outstanding key. After a few tests and QSOs, I used it all weekend in a SKCC WES event and I knew I'd cracked it. The ASK is not only a fantastic field key, its good enough for main station use too.
Its tiny, with a footprint of just 50mm x 25mm (2" by 1"). The plastic parts are printed from PLA Plus- a plant based thermoplastic that is robust in use and has a higher transition temperature than standard PLA making it a bit more resistant to every day warm situations. The key has a non-slip magnetic base. The same Japanese EZO precision bearings that I use in the paddles, but because there are two bearings on the axel there is virtually no lateral float. The action is magnetic so it is a smooth and precise key and the gap is adjustable and lockable.
The ASK is prewired with approx. 50cm professional microphone cable terminated in a high quality (RS Pro or equivalent) 3.5mm jack plug wired to the tip and screen. The ring is ignored. Most radios will recognise it as a straight key but if you have any doubt please email me and I can wire it to suit.
Currently available colours are blue, orange, grey or black