[Elecraft] Kent Single Lever Paddles

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

You just answered my question of long ago, Don, when I asked why it was so
hard for some to use a single lever key. 

In half a century of bug operation, I *never* touch both paddles of the bug
as the same time! 

There is a space between the side of my forefinger that contacts the paddles
to make a dash and thumb which makes dots and I roll my hand from side to
side to operate the paddles. 

My fingers never move. My whole hand does, rolling to bring either my thumb
or forefinger in contact with the bug paddles. 

I adjust the space between dits and dahs by changing the distance between my
thumb and the side of my forefinger. The farther apart, the greater the time
spacing between dits and dahs to match the dit speed I have set with the
pendulum weight. 

When I learned Iambic keying I had to *break* that habit so I could squeeze.
And I found Iambic keying very natural, smooth and efficient.

When I went back to a bug I had to relearn the "roll the hand" technique. 

Personally, I doubt if I ever could send text at 15 or 20 WPM for half an
hour by moving my fingers, which I had to do a *lot* when sending traffic.

I wonder how many CW operators who worked "commercial" circuits (I was Army)
use their fingers instead of rolling their fists. I can understand Hams
learning to do that. After all, we don't usually send nonstop for more than
a few minutes. Indeed, if I was in a long-winded rag chew I'd notice myself
getting stiff using an Iambic key, even though the paddle pressure was very
light and the contact spacing very small. But I can still sit down and send
a whole page from the phone book, names, addresses and phone numbers of
perhaps 150 people on the bug rolling my fist as if it were nothing. 

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----

Nick,

I don't know about any of the others who have trouble with dual lever 
paddles except myself, but I developed a habit a long time ago that I 
just can't shake - with dual levers I end up squeezing when I should 
not, so I get dot insertions in a string of dashes.
The habit comes from using a bug - Both the thumb and finger are in 
contact with the paddles until the character is ended - it works fine 
with a single lever or an Ultimatic mode keyer, but just will not send 
correct code from dual paddles with any Iambic keyer - mode A or mode B, 
but mode B is worse.  Despite endless periods of practice I have not 
been able to change.  My taste for CW has diminished a lot because of 
the non-availability of Ultimatic mode on internal keyers.

73,
Don W3FPR