[Elecraft] CW practice

[Dave Sergeant]

John G3JAG wrote

>The K2 built-in keyer is iambic, which I was not used to (and still
>dislike). But rather than use my other keyer which is nearly as big
>as the K2, I got used to the K2 ..... the hard way, by working folk,
>or trying to.  After over a year, I'm sort of OK with the keyer. I
>have also discovered that when you get used to it, the choice of
>paddle is not that critical either.

You can use a single paddle, ie with dot and dash contacts activated by a single bar
and where neither can be pressed simultaneously, with iambic keyers such as the K2.
My hb keyer built many years ago does this, and although it has iambic logic in it it
is never activated.  I also detest iambic mode!  I may try and make a similar paddle
to drive my K2 in due course.  In the meantime my present keyer drives it just fine
in external mode.

For keying interface I use a small package power mosfet - ZVN something of other -
this will drive most positive keying lines and can be driven directly from CMOS -
gate to drive, source to ground, open drain to keying line, nothing else required.
Works great with the K2.

I would not condone your practice of 'testing' on top of a pile up, surely the
intention should be to actually work them. In fact the techniques of breaking pile
ups are the most important skill you can learn in cw, far better than rag chews. If
you want to try you skill off air try the PED contest simulator
(http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/softped.htm#PED) which is great fun, or RUFZ
(http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/softrufz.htm).  The latter increases speed each time you
copy correctly - I tend to get unstuck when it gets to around 40wpm...  PED is
somewhat better on machines without a sound card where it defaults to a single
station - the multi signals options it does via the sound card can be somewhat
confusing...

73s Dave G3YMC
K2 #2498 in build
dsergeant@iee.org
dsergeant@btinternet.com
http://www.dsergeant.btinternet.co.uk