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

Tue Aug 18 19:08:50 EDT 2020

Semi-automatic keys (bugs) were never fastened to the operating desk
in commercial wire or wireless stations.  These type keys were the
property of the (radio-)telegraphist and were kept when not in use in
an employer provided cubby hole where he would also keep (for
radiotelegraphy) any personal headphones he preferred.

Semi-automatic keys were equipped with either a cord with a phone jack
to plug into an employer furnished jack to the line/keyline, or a cord
and wedge to insert into the station key.  Some common telegraph keys
had a "wedge slot" on the left hand side that were designed for this
purpose, if the key lacked this, it often had a shorting switch where
there was something similar to the wedge slot, where the wedge could
be inserted.

I hesitate to include "double speed keys" like those made by J.H.
Bunnell, or imitators  along with my remarks about semi-automatic keys
because although Bunnell sold bases for his DSK's so few have
survived, and Bunnell sold the DSK without the base, unlike the
Vibroplex (and other) keys which always had a base. If many bases
were still available, I'd say that most were used with bases, but since
those bases are extremely rare, I don't know if I can use that as an
indication of how these keys were used.  I have seen the Bunnell Spark
Double Speed Key bolted down to a operating desk and the Bunnell
keys all came with holes to bolt (or screw) the keys down with the
exception of their semi-automatic keys which were furnished with a
base, as were all the other semi-automatic keys ever made. None of
those were screwed down and none have holes to screw them down.

In Wire Telegraph stations, such as train depots, and Western Union
offices, I've nearly always seen the key attached to the operating desk,
however with wireless telegraph stations - even from the beginning the
keys were not attached.  The Olympia class ships (Olympia, Titanic,
Brittannic) of the early 1910s all had movable keys, most of the ships
I worked on with post 1970 radio stations had movable keys, those with
1940 to 1960 radio stations often had fixed attached hand keys but all
had those with a short length of cable and a phone plug into a jack
panel which could be removed and a different key like a radio officer's
personal key inserted.  I myself kept my Vibroplex, and Trimm
Professional headset with two straight cords (rather than the station supplied
"Y" cord which connected each side to the source of energization) which
allowed me to plug one headset into one receiver (500 kHz) and the other to
a different receiver (which I tuned to receive the ship on her working frequency
thus keeping a continuous watch with one ear on 500 kHz for any calls or SOS.)

I found it easiest to send on both a hand key and a bug with my elbow
bent and my arm making about 45 to 60 degrees from straight in
front of me.  It just seemed natural.  I never tested myself to see if
I could send faster, but I knew it was more comfortable, and that's
important when you have a long message of perhaps 900 words that had
to go out by the end of mid-day watch.

73
DR
N1EA

On Tue, Aug 18, 2020 at 4:57 PM Richard Knoppow <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>       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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>
> --
> Richard Knoppow
> 1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
> WB6KBL
>
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