[Elecraft] iambic modes

[Mike Morrow]

Don wrote:

>The fact that mode B can send a dit just by holding the dah paddle a bit
>longer has always boggled my mind - if I want a dit, I feel I should tap the
>dit paddle!!!  Mode B can drive me nuts.

Tom wrote:

>> When I let go of the paddle I want the dit or dah that I am hearing to be
>> the last thing sent...Mode A.

The only thing that really matters is what you *learned* on.  There's no speed advantage or reduction in paddle manipulation advantage in one mode or the other.

Mode B timing IS much more critical than mode A because if you hold the dit paddle just a tiny little bit too long in an iambic dah-dit string, you'll get an unwanted dah, and if you hold the dah paddle just a tiny little bit too long in an iambic dit-dah string, you'll get an unwanted dit.

With mode A, you only get a dit or dah if you've pushed the dit or dah paddle for it.  To me, that just seems the logical way for a keyer to work.  Given that there is no discernable advantage to mode B, why anyone would want a keyer to send a character element for which no paddle was depressed has always baffled me.  Historically, mode B arose from a logic flaw in an early electronic keyer that eventually got advertised as a "feature."

But...If one is just learning iambic keying, I would recommend learning mode B rather than mode A.  Some ham rig manufacturers don't give you the option of choosing the logical system, and provide mode B only (like Yaesu and Small Wonder Labs).  My SWL DSW units gave me fits because they had only mode B keying (until Jackson Harbor produced a full-featured keyer with mode A option as a replacement for the stock PIC in the DSW).

As much as I love my K1, I'd never buy one if Elecraft had not supplied a mode A keyer option.  Yes, it's *that* important!

Mike / KK5F