[CW] "In Praise of the Hand Key" - by Dr. Gary Bold, ZL1AN

[David Ring]

IN PRAISE OF THE HAND-KEY
by Dr Gary Bold ZL1AN
(From Morsum Magnificat Nr 55, Christmas 1997)

I want to remind you that the venerable hand-key is still a potent and
respectable weapon. In the last few evenings I've heard several
measured, interesting QSOs conducted by traditional vertical switches
at both ends, wielded by skilled practitioners who were a delight to
listen to. I also have several friends who usually use bugs or keyers,
but who occasionally revert to a hand-key just for the joy of using
it.

"Acceptable" hand-key sending isn't difficult to attain, but you have
to start off right. On several occasions learners have visited my
basement classroom for advice. Typically, using my practice software,
they have learned to read Morse pretty well, and have dutifully
followed my recommendation not to commence sending until they have the
correct sounds embedded in the brain.

But when they start pounding the key, nothing seems to go right. Their
arms get tired, their Morse "sounds wrong", and my Morse reading
software can't make sense of their fists at all. They know that
something is wrong, but they have never seen correct sending, so they
have no idea what.

Faults Eradicated

When I watch them send for only 10 seconds, I can always see what is
wrong. All the classical faults are often present. The wrong grip;
"finger sending" with a tense, stiff arm; characters running together;
choppy dits and dahs of almost the same length; attempting to send too
fast. Fortunately, these learners usually come to me early, before
these faults have become deeply embedded in the brain. I can
demonstrate how to eradicate them in one 20-30 minute session.

I correct the grip. I show how to relax the arm, to pump the wrist, to
slow down. I recommended exercises to get the dit/dah ratio right. I
correct the pause between characters. (In severe cases, I recommend
removing the hand from the key completely between characters or
words.)

They retire to re-group. After only a week of remedial practice, their
sending is often completely transformed. Some get so excited "my
computer can read me now!" that they call me up and send Morse to me
over the phone! Sometimes, even I can hardly believe the difference.

Good Advice from 1924

A good, description of the mechanics of "how to do it", is contained
in the following extract from advice given by H. M. Lewis, on both
'American' and 'European' sending, from QST 1924. In particular, for
'European' sending, note the advice to "sharply drop the wrist" to
form each element. When you start, the wrist should move down 2 - 3
cm. This will decrease as you gain speed and experience.

"There are two major patterns of Morse key in use today. One is the
light, springy, steel-lever type American key. The other is the rigid,
heavy 'chunk of brass' European key, typified by the British Postal
Telegraph key. Some French and German keys are even heavier and
clumsier. These two fundamental types require two entirely different
methods of handling. The consensus of opinion of experienced
operators, and also by the various committees set up by Telegraph
administrations to study the cause of 'Telegrapher's cramps', is that
the two types should be operated as follows:

AMERICAN KEY - fixed with knob 15 to 18 inches back from the edge of
the table, two or three fingers lightly on the knob towards the back,
and thumb touching the edge. Movement must be from the wrist and
forearm, not the finger joints, and the elbow should not 'walk' around
the table. Generally the fingers should not leave the knob during the
transmission of a word, and don't attempt that 'nerve-sending' stuff:
It is certain to ruin your style, and if persisted in for long periods
results in the affliction known as 'telegrapher's cramp' (glass arm).

EUROPEAN KEY - fixed at edge of table, a little to the right of the
operator's normal sitting position. Two fingers hooked over the top of
the knob, thumb just under its head, and third and fourth fingers
hanging free. The wrist should be about level with the key knob, and
the forearm absolutely horizontal, the elbow quite a few inches away
from the body. In operating, the wrist should drop sharply with every
signal, but the elbow should be almost stationary in space. The light
grip on the knob may be completely released at the termination of each
complete letter. This assists in the formation of good spacing. This
type of key is generally used with a stronger type spring and a larger
gap than than the American type, but on any key most Amateurs attempt
to send with far too small a gap and too light a spring."

Helpful Exercise

I described the "element ratio-correcting" exercise I recommend in a
previous 'Morseman' column. This has been so successful that I'll
repeat it here:

"Often, during the day (but furtively, so that those around you don't
think you're losing your marbles) play this exercise on whatever table
you're sitting at: Wrist-pump out a continuous sequence of 4 dits and
2 dahs, " di di di di dah... dah... di di di di dah... dah... ".

Tap your foot regularly on the accented elements, about 1 beat per
second - the 4 dits and two dahs should take exactly the same time
(the element lengths are 1:3, but there's a ditspace between each one,
so the total durations are 2:4). This gets the relative lengths of the
elements right."

Attaining acceptable hand-key sending is not hard. Many learners I
know who start off right can do 12 wpm after a week. I taught my son,
ZL1WGB, to send to Novice standard, from scratch, in one hour - but he
is an accomplished musician with excellent co-ordination, timing, and
listening skills.

Try It Just Once!

You can do it too. You don't have to be a virtuoso sender or reader to
try CW. There are a couple of QSOs going on right now at less than 12
wpm in the long grass at the bottom of 80.

If you've passed the test recently, but never operated CW, do this for
me. Try it just once. Read my article on "The first CW QSO" in the
Callbook (reprinted above from MM. Ed) and do what it says.

I don't care if you never do it again. But now you will be able to say
that, just once, you have experienced a part of communication history.
You will have communicated with another human using just your muscles
and your ears and your brain, in words that went straight between
minds.

It can be an eerie feeling. That first CW QSO always gives people a
buzz! Always!

(Extracted and adapted for MM from Gary Bold's 'The Morseman' column
in 'Break-in', journal of NZART, November 1995)

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