[Elecraft] proper use of straight keys

[Ian Stirling]

On Saturday 24 December 2005 01:45, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> I've wondered about the same things that Jessie has. I was taught to send
> using my whole forearm. That is, with my elbow is resting on the table and
> all of the muscles in my arm are involved in operating the straight key.

  I hold the key with two fingers on top and the
thumb underneath and have no contact anywhere else.
  Someone in a club station commented on my sending
with a straight key for hours with no support and
not tiring.  This was just a week after I received
my first licence, G4ICV in 1979.
  I had played the piano for hours a day, sometimes
eight at weekends, during the previous twelve years
 - excellent and incidental training for using a
Morse Key.

  I had to laugh earlier.
Someone (I won't give the callsign, but it was a 2x1)
was calling CQ FISB on 20m.

Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962
--