[Elecraft] FD wipe-out-need advice on the Iambic key

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/28/06 3:06:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
whmoore at sympatico.ca writes:


> I am an 807 generation ham, 

I still use them!

>  Lionel
> J-38 key and polished up my rusty fist instead.
> 
> Field day arrived and I was on the air as a 1E station with my K2 set to a
> very testy 5 watts. Very quickly and much to my dismay, it was apparent that
> I was so very outclassed. Iambic keys dominated and the average CW speed of
> the contest was at least twice that of my recently regained skill of 10 wpm.
> 
> 1.  Iambic A or Iambic B?
> 2.  Proper contact spacing on the paddles?
> 3.  Paddles n or Paddles r? I am right handed.
> 4.  How to best learn the art of Iambic keying. For instance start at 20 wpm
> and work down or 10 wpm and     work up?
> 5.  Slap or caress the paddles?
> 6.  Is it just a matter of practice, practice and more practice? Kind of
> like soldering
> 7.  A reality check, maybe I am just too far gone to learn this skill. But,
> at one time,  I did have a pretty good fist     on  the J-38.
> ..............And any other tid-bits of advice

Did you ever use a bug?

For the first 7 years I was a ham, (1967-1974), all I used was a straight 
key. J-37. Could do well over 20 per on it - that's how I passed the Extra 
sending test.

When I got to college in 1972, there was a Vibrokeyer paddle and Autronic 
keyer (remember those?) but I could not get the hang of electronic keying.

In 1974 I got a Vibroplex Original Standard for Christmas. It was a match 
made in heaven. Still using that key, although I now have three other bugs and 
the old J-37. 

Some folks take a dim view of bugs but I have found that nobody knows I am 
using one until I tell them. I have observed that the problems others have with 
bugs come from two basic sources:

1) Not knowing how to properly adjust the key

2) Not having enough straight key experience before trying the bug.

With your straight key experience, you may find it easier to adjust to a bug.

73 de Jim, N2EY