[CW] US WW2 instructions for using a hand Morse key film

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Hello Troy,

One of the things I did when I took my first shift at WSC Tuckerton, NJ
radio was to do the entire shift with a hand key.  I'm afraid my posture
must not have been very good.  I find the straight key posture - which
included the holding of the key and the use of the arm, wrist and fingers
(which just hold the knob) to be somewhat of a ZEN affair - when you try you
cannot do it, but when you don't try and just do, it happens.

It is very difficult to break myself of the habit to use the wrist to start
the motion to press the key down - but this is what caused the pain that
required me to immerse my wrist into ice chips that night.

Later I always warmed up with a hand key and then used my Vibroplex Original
which I set to Western Union standard speed of 27 wpm.

Sending with a hand key taught me to be precise with the bug - if I was
going to use a machine, I better use it without errors.

I recommend that fellow amateurs send at least one CQ a day with a hand
key.  It does several things - it allows slower operators to comprehend us
easier, it reminds us of good procedure with the hand key and it is a good
discipline that I have found is fun as I have made many contacts that I
otherwise would not have made.

73
DR

On Thu, Jul 7, 2011 at 6:22 PM, TroyW6HV <w6hv at verizon.net> wrote:

>   Thanks for the link, DR. After the video, I checked my J-38 setting and
> they were right on the money. I only use it on SKN. Typically I use either
> my bug or paddle.
> 73,
> Troy, W6HV
>
>  *From:* D.J.J. Ring, Jr. <n1ea at arrl.net>
> *Sent:* Thursday, July 07, 2011 2:52 PM
> *To:* CW Reflector <cw at mailman.qth.net>
> *Subject:* [CW] US WW2 instructions for using a hand Morse key film
>
> Hello Group:
>
> An excellent film - quite old but still excellent - on the method of
> sending with a hand key American style.
>
> This film will show you many of the things that I have been shown by some
> of the finest Morse operators I've ever known.
>
> http://www.archive.org/details/gov.dod.dimoc.23735
>
> Excellent and highly recommended.
>
>  David J. Ring, Jr., N1EA <http://www.qsl.net/n1ea/>
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>
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