[CW] Re: nonIambic keyer option

[Mike Hyder -N4NT-]

----- N1EA's Message ----- 

Fred,

I couldn't agree with you more about getting on the air with CW.  It is a
great mode.

But I am constantly interested in different modes and keying types.

I have been interested in the Kitano type of key for 25 years since I saw
one of the finest CW operators that I've known use TWO J38 type keys next to
each other.  One key was hooked to "dots" one was hooked to "dashes".  The
man, Barney Norris, W4MTE was absolutely flawless:  by this I mean that I've
listened to him for 8 hours of sending and he corrected himself about four
times on average.  One day he never corrected himself at all - because all
his sending was perfect!

I searched the net for Barney's presence and I found the Laurel, MD club
http://larcmd.org/ which proudly says they test for hams and DO NOT charge
anything.

What a great idea!

Barney was one of several operators that I knew that were exceptional.  Was
the use of his two keys just window dressing?  Or was it what enabled him to
send for 8 hours continuously without an error?

Now, I know that what he did with a keyer could be done "by all" with a
keyboard - but I think there is something about doing it by hand.

I know I was a Ludditte (from those who revolted and destroyed automated
textile machines) about CW but I did find extra accuracy in iambic for a
reason not given in Marshall Emm's writing about iambic keying:   fatigue.

There is more finger fatigue in sending a period (didahdidahdidah) than an
"E".  With an iambic keyer while you are sending a period, you actually get
a rest.

I also was a Luddite when it came to "code readers" until I discovered that
by using one, that I could make my Vibroplex bug able to be read - which
meant it was closer to "pure code" than what I was sending.

I used to "hate" to admit that I used a code reader to improve my bug
sending - but I did.  I was able to HEAR my errors with the bug - subtle
errors not exactly easy to hear - but they were there.

I know that keyboards and Wheatstone perforator sending is perfect (or the
later types of teletype Baudot to morse converters) but what I'm interested
in is an efficient means of sending as error free as possible with the hand.

I am so happy about your single lever key - but I got an offer for a nice
keyer that I've been dreaming about buying - so I am equally excited.  With
this keyer, I'll be able to try the different modes.  The default mode of
the keyer the maker says is the "best" even better than Curtis Mode A -
which I have found to be the best.

73

David N1EA
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Gosh, David, what you need is to add a speech synthesizer to your code
reader so you could just listen to the speech.  While you are at it, get
speech recognition software so you could just speak into a microphone and
your computer would convert your speech to Morse.

73, Mike N4NT
_______________________________________________

David, now that I think more about it, why do you bother with the morse part 
at all?

73, Mike N4NT