[CW] A viewpoint about CW "writing pens"

Mon, 20 Oct 2003 22:29:40 -0300

Hi all:=20

I respect the question about "pens" and the suggestion in response as =
reflecting legitimate areas of conversation among Morse Code operators.  =
However, I must note that this colloquy about which "ink pens" are best =
for writing "fast" when copying "fast" CW only adds fuel to the motor of =
our detractors, and really smacks off dinosaur-emitted shrieks in an era =
that seems will be increasingly controlled by "mammals". =20

Well,  I, for one,  took my 20 WPM Morse test with a pencil; spent one =
or two years "copying" on paper and wasting notebooks using whatever =
writing instrument I found at my reach in the shack (the rollerballs =
seemed perfect for that stage of the Morse operation) but eventually =
ended up writing down only name, call, and those other few words that =
would allow me to recapture a relevant link in the QSO--the main part of =
"copying" eventually staying inside the brain.  Be that as it may, I =
hope that this inquiry about "ink pens" does not refer to  those =
"fountain pens" (of which I am very fond --to the point I keep a modest =
fountain pen collection) and I always use to sign final papers in my =
job.  As much as I love those, they can't substitute rollerballs nor =
even pencils when it comes to fast, unreliable jotting down of notes in =
your Morse Code notebook.

Devoting dialogues ad nauseam to "technical" minutiae dealing with how =
mechanical crutches help us with Morse Code copy only serves to prove =
the point of those coveting our annihilation as radio operators, the =
demise of our favorite mode, and the elimination of our assigned band =
segments.  I recognize that romance remains  part and parcel of the =
passion of those who cherish the past, but I propose that modern and =
eternal Morse operation does not need to rely on crutches (such as pens, =
ballpoints, pencils, notebooks, erasers etc...) which, albeit  =
"classical",  "romantic", and very relevant today for many,  are really =
antiquated, obsolete and exposed to legitimate deprecation by our strong =
detractors worldwide--including those at "home".

73 Pedro KP3X..

----- Original Message -----=20
From: "David J. Ring, Jr." <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2003 12:34 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] writing pens

> I did a comparison 20 years ago when I needed to take my 25 wpm code =
test in
> front of the FCC in Boston for my 1st class telegraph license.
>=20
> I actually timed myself and found out which pen I could copy 25 wpm =
with -
> the winner:  Write Bros. pen.
>=20
> I also found the "other" test.
>=20
> To write fast, a pen (or pencil) must write a solid line under its own
> weight.  That is by taking the top of the pen in your fingers and =
draging it
> across a piece of paper.  NO pressure is on the pen other than its own
> weight.
>=20
> Pens that do this are:  Uniball roller writers and Standford roller =
writers.
>=20
> TRY before you buy - you will immediately see the difference.
>=20
> 73
>=20
> DR
>=20
> David J. Ring, Jr., N1EA
>=20
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <[email protected]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Cc: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 10:55 PM
> Subject: [CW] writing pens
>=20
>=20
> > At one time here on this cw site! There were some comments on the =
best ink
> > pens for coping fast code. That were better that most, for having =
very
> little
> > drag. Can't remember the name. One may have been (write bros) ? =
Couldn't
> find on
> > Archives. Anyone know ? Thanks.  Very good site for us who love CW. =
For
> those
> > that don't like CW. Don't be knocking CW here. Stay on the phone =
bands.
> >
> >
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>=20
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