[CW] Sideswiper or Cootie key

[KD5NWA]

I met a guy  at a hamfest that hooks up his cootie to a IAmbic keyer, he 
doesn't like using two paddles. He hooks up one side to the dit input and 
the other to the dash side, he is very happy with it.


At 09:34 AM 8/27/2004, Sherrill Watkins wrote:
>Dear Pedro: If you are unable to find the article in the 1960 QST magazine
>about the Sideswiper (Cootie)key, and are still interested, please get back
>in contact with me. However, first check with your local library and if they
>do not have it ask if they can obtain it through "Interlibrary Loan". If you
>still have no luck on that approach, My local Richmond, Virginia Public
>Library has QST Magazine going as far back as 1939, I think? I will check-out
>the July, 1960 issue and photocopy the article on the homebuilt Sideswiper
>(Cootie key) and mail it to your address. Then you can decide if you would
>like to persue building the key. Also, there is a very slight chance that I
>may know of someone who may have one in his collection and may be willing to
>sell it to you? I will ask him about that. HOWEVER; before we do all this,
>are you aware the "Sideswiper/Cootie key" is a totally NON-electronic key and
>everything is performed by hand manual labor?? -73- Sherrill W. k4own.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Pedro J. Santa [mailto:pjs123 at attglobal.net]
>Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 8:27 PM
>To: Sherrill Watkins; cw at mailman.qth.net
>Cc: pjs123 at attglobal.net
>Subject: Re: [CW] What is the best telegraph key??
>
>
>Thanks Sherrill.
>
>I understant that the QST collection is available in CD ROM format but I
>don't know if it allows for term/word/phrase searches.
>
>I recently trashed pounds upon pounds of QST issues spanning about ten years
>due to storage difficulties in my "QTH".  Your comment kind of tempts me to
>recover all those QSTs (and more) through the simple step of buying them all
>in that convenient digital format.  However, I would only consider that
>option if the ARRL disks do allow for full and effective "boolean" searches.
>
>Can someone enlighten the group on the subject?  I just don't have the time
>(nor the mood, to be frank with you all) to check this out directly with the
>fellows at Newington (given the things those guys did and/or failed to do
>regarding the Morse Code issue).
>
>73 Pedro KP3X..
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sherrill Watkins" <SEWATKINS at dgs.state.va.us>
>To: <cw at mailman.qth.net>
>Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 11:02 AM
>Subject: RE: [CW] What is the best telegraph key??
>
>
>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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Cecil Bayona
KD5NWA