[CW] Re: cootie history

[David Toepfer]

BTW, if you think Carpal Tunnel is a modern affliction, think again.

If I recall the history correctly, the Cootie and then the Bug were invented to
alleviate carpal tunnel syndrom that professional telegraph operators were
suffering by the end of the 19th century.

dt
.

--- "David J. Ring, Jr." <n1ea at arrl.net> wrote:
> The cootie and side swiper are both names for keys that are descended from
> the Bunnell Double Speed Key.
> 
> J. H. Bunnell Co. made a key with a round lollipop finger piece a stiff
> armature which was slotted near the far end and a piece of spring steel was
> afixed the other end was affixed to a anchoring rectangle of brass mounted
> to the key base (similar to their hand keys).  Bunnell called this key a
> "Double Speed Key" because they advertised it to be able to send twice as
> fast as a up and down hand key.
> 
> This key was quite popular, but amateurs discovered they could duplicate the
> action by making the entire armature out of spring steel, or out of a
> hacksaw blade.
> 
> Names for this type of key include:  Sideswiper, cootie, double speed key,
> bodeplex, maniflex, and hacksaw key.
> 
> 73
> 
> David Ring, N1EA
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bob Wilder" <bwild at earthlink.net>
> To: "Gene Buckle" <geneb at deltasoft.com>; "Roy Koeppe" <royanjoy at ncn.net>
> Cc: "CW Reflector" <cw at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 10:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [CW] Re: cootie
> 
> 
> Unless I missed something about "cootie" keys, the photo looks like
> something
> I remember as a "side swiper" when I was coming up in ham radio some 55
> years ago.
> Are they one and the same and if not what is the difference?
> 
> Bob. AF2HD
> 
> 
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