[CW] Morse Code Timing (LONG)

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

Dennis,

I agree with you 100% except for two points.

You disagree with telling novice telegraphers to NOT use a straight key.

I strongly agree with this - for two reasons.

First, simply it is a key that is most likely to be found at "any" station.

Secondly - and most important - it gives the student the opportunity to
"feel" the code in a way that can't be felt on a keyer.  I tell people that
a keyer in the hands of someone that has no timing, no rhythm is like a
novice running a rotary floor buffing machine.  The machine is going to spin
all over the place, hitting walls, chairs, you name it.

The student must pay attention to "What he sends" and "What he does NOT
send" - namely spacing.

There is a melody in the dots, dashes and spaces.  You don't feel it with a
keyer.

It is something that you FEEL in your hands like a musician.

You feel the start of the DASH, and you feel the holding of the DASH, then
you feel the release of the DASH with a straight key.

You don't feel this with a keyer - you "hear" it but you don't feel it.

You feel the "tap" of the start of the DASH, and then the keyer
self-completes the dash so you "feel" nothing.

Many of the commercial operators who did not learn to send on a hand key -
even though they could copy - like intercept operators for the Armed Forces
(and others) in order to be a Radio Operator had to buy a keyboard.

I wouldn't want to be handicapped that way.

I can send on a hand key, a cootie, a semi-automatic, single lever paddle
and keyer, and dual paddle iambic keyer.  Frequently, I use them all during
one QSO.

I use a hand key for speeds up to about 18 wpm, then I shift to the cootie
until about 25 wpm, then go to the bug (I have two bugs - one set up for 28
wpm and the other for 33 wpm), for above 35 wpm or so, I use a keyer and
dual lever paddles.  Above 45 wpm, I use a keyboard.

I copy up to 25 wpm on paper, and go to a MILL around 25 wpm and up.  If it
is an informal QSO (not traffic handling) I operate with a pad and ballpoint
pen and write down the difficult words, or at least the "long" ones - or the
ones I know are going to be meaningful.

Like when someone sends: QTH HR, I will just write QTH and whatever follows,
then give my fingers a rest.  I knew someone who could copy 50 wpm with a
pencil, but I cannot.  I bottom out around 25 wpm.

73

David Ring, N1EA