[CW] Positioning of any side to side key device and speed/fatigue during sending

[Richard Knoppow]

      I am not sure what you are asking but here goes.
    Straight keys were often screwed down to the operating desk 
or table generally in line with the table. Bugs were never 
supplied by commercial stations but were the personal property of 
the operators. They were sometimes fastened to the operating 
surface but often just sat free. A straight key would be used in 
whatever position it was fixed but a bug could be moved around to 
wherever was comfortable or convenient. I find I often place it 
at an angle so my arm faces inward but not always. Where I have a 
movable straight key I often place it about the same way, maybe 
10 o'clock. Its a matter of muscle tension. Also, in my old 
station I had the straight key mounted on a fairly large sheet of 
Bakelite and that taped to the desk top facing the front of the 
desk but I often swiveled my chair to get my arm at an angle. If 
you sit at a table and put your arms on it with your elbows on 
the table your forearms will tend to rest inward at an angle 
where the muscles are relaxed. I think many put the key in line 
with that. As far as historical practice I don't know and have 
only pictures to go by.


On 8/18/2020 1:20 PM, Bill Lanahan wrote:
> GM
>
> I certainly might be wrong here but the vast majority of 
> photos, videos, or seeing people send in person - my 
> observation is whether straight key or not,
> the key placement is pretty much at what I'd call 12:00 
> position, like a handshake - true?
>
> The reason I ask is I saw a video a ways back with very young 
> kids (old soveit bloc) sending so fast I could barely tell a 
> dit from a dah (again I'm not a great judge)
> but I noticed the paddle was at about 10:00 on the arc as if 
> the palm was used to push it from 12:00 to 10:00. (assuming 
> right-hand-sender)
>
> I was wondering if this was how they could send so fast? My 
> experiment without a device, is to place your sending arm at 
> 12:00, then put your non-sending hand cupped over the deltoid 
> of the sending shoulder. For ME, even at 12:00 there is a fair 
> amount of deltoid tension. Going further toward 1:00 it goes up 
> dramatically.
> Conversely sweeping down to about 30 degrees or 10:00 (again 
> assuming right handed)  - there is almost no tension.
>
> From some old martials arts days - no tension means faster 
> muscle movement and less fatigue.
>
> Any truth for telegraphy? I don't ever expect to be a spend 
> demon, but would like to start out with the best habits.
>
> Tnx, 73
> wa2nfn - Bill
>
>
>
>
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> =30=

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL