[Elecraft] Off-Topic - Straight-key speed cpontrol

[Rick Dettinger]

>
> "The elbow should rest on the desk and the fingers on the key's  
> knob. "
>
> I couldn't disagree more!  I have always taught as I was taught that  
> the key
> is at the edge of the desk and no part of your body touches the  
> desk, except
> perhaps the other hand.  The forearm should be horizontal, sit up  
> straight
> and relax the shoulders.  It's very similar to typing.  The  
> telegraphers of
> old had to send for hours and this is the way they did it; I was one  
> once.
>
> 73
>
> David
> G3UNA
>>

That is the difference between the American and British systems.  As I  
understand it, the British used this method, as I do, to avoid a  
"glass arm".  The Americans invented the bug for the same reason.  I  
also use a bug.  During WW2, Australian operators, accustomed to the  
British method, were frustrated when serving on American military  
aircraft, because the key was screwed to the rear of the operating  
table.

The following is from Chapter 9, Part II of "The Art and Skill of  
Radio-Telegraphy" by William G. Pierpont, N0HFF, (SK):


As the beginners progress, they adapt their keying style to whatever  
is comfortable to them
individually. There are many variations in adjustment, depending on  
the particular key design
details and the operator's preferences. The Australians and New  
Zealanders appear to have
followed the British practice, but other European countries have not  
necessarily done so.
Australians have said they found it very hard to send properly with  
the American keys -- with
their flat topped key-knobs, located far back from the edge of the  
table -- as installed in air-
ground-air stations during WW-II. They called these keying  
arrangements "a flaming nuisance!"
In summary, with all these variations in basic and detail design, it  
seems obvious that there must
be more than one way to design a good key and use it.



This entire book is available for free download, and can be linked  
from here:

  http://www.qsl.net/n9bor/n0hff.htm

73,

Rick Dettinger    K7MW