[CW] What is the best telegraph key??

[Sherrill Watkins]

Gentlemen: Be advised that many years ago, QST Magazine published an article
on how to home-build a "cootie key" from common items, such as a hacksaw
blade, very inexpensively. I think the article appeared sometime in the
1960's but cannot remember. Unfortunately, I do not know of an easy way to
search QST going back before the computer age. Each December issue used to
have an index of all articles for that year; I am not sure if the index still
appears? If one knew the year, the article could be found easily from the
yearly index. I also believe that the ARRL may have reprinted the article in
a book called "Hints and Kinks for the Radio Amateur". That book has been out
of print for a long time but they can be found at hamfests. I also remember
an article QST published using two J-38 keys mounted base to base(back to
back) and mounted on their side with the knobs horizontal. It was used to key
the early versions of the Hallicrafters and Hammarlund electronic keyers; the
pre-iambic type. -73- Sherrill W. k4own.

-----Original Message-----
From: Gene Buckle [mailto:geneb at deltasoft.com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 10:36 AM
To: Buck
Cc: cw at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [CW] What is the best telegraph key??



> Is this like the single electronic keyer with contacts on both sides? 
> Obviously there are no electronics so the dits and dahs are hand 
> controlled.
>
> I think I get the picture but I would love to see a picture. Buck
> N4PGW
>
Buck, the link I posted in a previous message has a nice picture of a Cootie
key.  Here it is again: http://www.mtechnologies.com/lta/index.htm

This key is hinged in the middle with the contacts in the back.  A "hacksaw"
Cootie is fixed in place in the back and the contacts are in the middle.

g.


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