[CW] High speed sending...

[Mike Hyder -N4NT-]

You know, I feel like I'm talking to the fenceposts.  I say one thing very
darned clearly and people misinterpret it and then argue.  It is just
amazing.

Mike

----- Original Message -----
From: "George, W5YR" <w5yr@att.net>
To: "Mike Hyder -N4NT-" <N4NT@charter.net>
Cc: <ka4inm@tampabay.rr.com>; "cw" <cw@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, August 07, 2002 12:25 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] High speed sending...


> Folks, it just doesn't matter, now, does it?
>
> Each person has his own style of keying based upon his key, his keyer if
> any, his experience, his goals, etc.
>
> Detailed analyses of two "opposing" schools of thought on paddles is
> pointless unless that is your interest in CW. If so, more power to you,
but
> don't end up like the centipede who found that he could no longer walk
once
> he stopped to think about how he did it . . .
>
> If your CW sending is at the stage where you are consciously having to
> think about what to do with your hands and fingers to send each character
> of each word, then you have a long way to go. The worst thing that I can
> imagine is to learn sending by defining a specific set of hand/finger
> motions for each character. They just aren't that different. It sounds
> almost like you would do better on a keyboard where there is a single
> specific hand/finger motion for each character.
>
> But, I surely don't find any keyer that I have ever used to require
> learning specific motions for each character and having to think about
that
> while sending.
>
> And, by the way, let's all agree that a double-paddle keyer does NOT
> require iambic or squeeze keying. I use a double-key paddle and never
> consciously think about which paddle to press first, how long to hold it,
> when to release, and all that. Perhaps some do, and derive great pleasure
> and beautiful efficient code in the process. But it is not necessary. Most
> of the discussion I have seen here seems to imply that a double-paddle key
> must be used iambically - not so!
>
> Another point that I do not understand is the insistance that dot and dash
> memories add latency such that one is not hearing in real time what is
> being sent . . . I have watched my keying (sidetone and r-f output
> envelope) by the hour on a scope and cannot observe any discernible lag
> between pressing a key and hearing the sidetone. Perhaps there is a keyer
> or rig problem that is involved there?
>
> Sending must be natural - a matter of muscle memory and a well-learned and
> developed groove between your brain and your hand and finger muscles. You
> think "the" and the word comes out without conscious thought because you
> are busy thinking of the next word or sentence or even the next topic that
> you want to cover. That is what makes good CW so demanding: multi-tasking
> between the semi-automatic task of forming the characters of each word
> while simultaneously lining up the next word, sentence, etc. and figuring
> out how to spell each one when its time comes. Really a remarkable
> achievement for anyone who can carry on a QSO at 25-35 wpm . . .
>
> Concentrating on exact finger motion sequences for each character is the
> best way I know to hold down your sending speed.
>
> If you really want to make the conversation interesting, lets toss in the
> differences and pros and cons between Mode A and Mode B keyers as used
with
> double- and single-paddle keys!   <:}
>
> 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:
> >
> > Letter Iambic keyer motions                              Single lever
> > motions
> >
> > A  dot, dash, release dot release dash (4)       dot, dash, release dash
(3)
> > C  dash, dot release dash release dot (4)        dash, dot, dash, dot,
> > release (5)
> > K  dash, dot, release dot, release dash (4)       dash, dot, dash,
release
> > (4)
> > N  dash, dot, release dash release dot (4)       dash, dot, release (3)
> > R  dot, dash, release dash, release dot (4)      dot, dash, dot, release
(4)
> > AR dot, dash, release dash release dot (4)     dot, dash, dot, dash,
dot,
> > release (6)
> >
> > If you go through the alphabet with this analysis, you'll see that total
> > movements are fewer with the single-lever because pushing it one way
clears
> > the opposite contact.
> >
> > If the characters a, c, k, n, r, and + (/ar) are all the identical
motions
> > iambicly (and I'll concede they probably are), then it is no wonder my
brain
> > gets confused.  Each letter ought to be a discrete set of motions,
shouldn't
> > it?  I'd not only have to remember those identical motions, but I'd also
> > have to be very precise in my timing and I wouldn't have a sidetone to
help
> > me because my motions are required to be ahead of the sidetone -- that's
> > sending blind???
> >
> > No, I do not see that the iambic keyer is doing a lot of the work for
us.
> >
> > About sending periods. . .  People who do that are one of my pet peeves.
> > Most of the folks I talk with just pause a second if they want to pause.
> > They send neither a period nor a BT.  But if they need to say "uh" then
they
> > might send BT.