[CW] High speed sending...

[Mike Hyder -N4NT-]

Hi, George--

I don't think of anything when sending except the thought of what I'm going
to send unless I run into a word I cannot spell without giving it thought
(or cannot spell even giving it thought).

That wasn't the case when I tried a dual-lever key/iambic keyer.  I used one
for six months, trying hard to master it.  I got stuck at 30 wpm, but the
more I practiced, the worse I seemed to get.  Slowing down did not help, I
still made countless errors.  Not believing the fault was solely mine, I
began to analyze just what was going on with the keying.  For me, there were
several shortcomings.  My comments about the memories center around the fact
that they introduce a delay between pushing the paddle and hearing the
sidetone and that to use the iambic keyer correctly, one must be making
finger motions in advance of any feedback.  That gives me trouble.  It may
not give anybody else in the world trouble, but it does me.  The other
troubles were the increased number of contact states possible and the
increase in discrete movements as I defined them.

I started paying attention to some old timers on the bands who were having
trouble sending.  Some made countless errors, each of which was followed by
a slow 'dit --- dit --- dit'.  Some of the guys were lamenting that they
guessed they were over the hill.  Some said they didn't operate much anymore
because they were having trouble sending which they attributed to their
advancing years.

To some I suggested they try a single-lever key.  The reports I got back
from them that did were 100% positive.  On the other hand, some berated me
for even suggesting such a thing -- they loved their ________ (insert
Bencher, Mercury, WBL, Kent or whatever you choose).  I've run into the same
thing on this reflector.

I don't claim to have the only way of doing something.  I do, however,
believe that if a man says he is having trouble sending over 25 wpm (as did
the guy who started this thread) and asks for suggestions that I would be
remiss in not at least giving him my suggestion.  The trouble is that lots
of people have sent emails telling me how great they are with their
dual-lever keys or berating me for making the suggestion.  What they are
saying to the first fellow is: "Hell, no.  Don't listen to him, don't take
his suggestion."  Such people are not helpful to the hobby and are not
helpful to the guy asking for the suggestion in the first place.

When I use a keyer now, it is the same key and keyer that I've used for 40
years -- a Hallicrafters HA-4 and a W8FYO single-lever key.  Perhaps I just
had too much to unlearn to switch.

73, Mike N4NT

----- Original Message -----
From: "George, W5YR" <w5yr@att.net>
To: "Mike Hyder -N4NT-" <N4NT@charter.net>; "John Bohnovic"
<bohnovic@bellsouth.net>
Cc: <cw@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 3:55 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] High speed sending...


> Mike, you are nit-picking at a trivial aspect of sending code. You are
> overlooking the fact that many of those strokes you are counting result
> from merely relaxing the pressure previously placed on a paddle.Usually
> this is done with no conscious thought at all. It is just part of the
> muscle-memory involved in sending a character.
>
> >From too many years of running a bug, I use my Vibroplex Deluxe paddles
> just like a single paddle. I rock my hand on the bottom of the palm and
> lean with my thumb for a dit and rock my hand the other way to press the
> dah paddle with a finger or two.
>
> I can't think of anyone who would use a set of paddles the way you
> described unless they were committed to squeeze keyers in earnest, which I
> am very much NOT.
>
> And if you are capable of sending code at such speeds that the dot and
dash
> memory response times slow you down, you have my undying respect!   <:}
>
> Mike, it just isn't that big a deal. I used a single lever paddle for
> awhile since I was transitioning from a bug, but it just didn't feel
right.
> So I went to the dual-paddle key and found my own style.
>
> I designed and built an iambic keyer in the early 70's with RTL logic (!)
> that incorporated all the features that we have today, except for
memories.
> I found that true squeeze keying was not for me and reverted to the bug
> style that I still use. I am not a "speed op" by any means but I am
> comfortable with what I can do and most folks can understand me.
>
> My unsolicited advice is just to stop worrying about keeping up mentally
> with "four states" and concentrate more on just sending text from the
> newspaper or whatever until you find your own style. It is in there
> somewhere!   <:}
>
> And, most important of all: there is no "right" or "wrong" way to use a
> paddle as long as the right stuff comes out of the radio.
>
> 73/72/oo, George W5YR - the Yellow Rose of Texas
> Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe
> Amateur Radio W5YR, in the 56th year and it just keeps getting better!
> QRP-L 1373 NETXQRP 6 SOC 262 COG 8 FPQRP 404 TEN-X 11771 I-LINK 11735
> Icom IC-756PRO #02121  Kachina 505 DSP  #91900556  Icom IC-765 #02437
>
>
> Mike Hyder -N4NT- wrote:
> >
> > John, their proof fails.  They not only ignore the fact that with dual
> > levers you must make an independent motion to release a lever; they
> > absolutely deny that is the case.
> >
> > If I am sending the letter "A" then I make 3 motions:  push dot, push
dash,
> > release.  Pushing the dash clears the dot contact on a single-lever key.
> > With the dual-lever, I must push the dot, push the dash, release the
dot,
> > release the dash.  Call it as you will, there are more motions required
with
> > the dual-lever -- in fact I believe something like 13 of the letters
require
> > more discrete motions to send with the dual-lever than the single.  I
wrote
> > a long (7 page) dissertation on this but it has long-since vanished.
> >
> > 73, Mike
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "John Bohnovic" <bohnovic@bellsouth.net>
> > To: "Mike Hyder -N4NT-" <N4NT@charter.net>; <cw@mailman.qth.net>
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 10:58 AM
> > Subject: Re: [CW] High speed sending...
> >
> > > At 06:10 PM 8/2/02 -0400, Mike Hyder  -N4NT- wrote:
> > >
> > > >My brain is not able to handle 4 different contact states (open, dot,
> > dash,
> > > >both).  People will dispute it, but because the dual-lever paddles
> > operate
> > > >independently, there must be a motion to release a paddle which makes
the
> > > >iambic actually less efficient.  And finally, because of the delay
> > between
> > > >manipulation of the paddles and the output of the keyer (because of
dot
> > and
> > > >dash memories) my brain had trouble with speeds over 30 wpm.
> > > >
> > > >And lastly, I do not know anyone who operates over about 30 wpm who
uses
> > an
> > > >iambic keyer/key.  How fast do you operate?
> > >
> > > Mike,
> > >
> > > You know me and I use my WBL or my buddy Don's (W4WJ) Mercury at
speeds
> > > between 30 and 35 wpm. Sometimes I have to slow down because the band
> > > conditions don't permit transmissions at these speeds. You will seldom
> > hear
> > > me using my Heathkit UltraPro and when I do, It is usually set about
3-5
> > > wpm faster than the speed my keyer is set at.
> > >
> > > At least two people have posted messages to this reflector proving
that
> > > dual lever paddles, when used with an iambic keyer, are more
efficient.
> > > Either you didn't read those messages, or you read them and didn't
> > > understand them, or you are ignoring what they said. I probably have a
> > copy
> > > of them on this PC if anyone is interested I will look for them and
post
> > > them on this reflector.
> > >
> > > 73..de John/K4WJ
> >
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