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

[David Cutter]

David

That's something I can't understand.  How do you make the upper arm vertical 
(in both views) with the elbow on the table?  The table would have to be 
very low or your chair very high and your stomach right up (and over) the 
edge of the table.  Do you sit square to the table or at an angle?  A 
picture would paint a thousand words.

73

David
G3UNA
ps a friend has suggested that you sit that way to send American Morse 
whereas we sit our way to send International Morse.  Phew, I can feel the 
flames licking around me already ; - ]



> Hi All,
>
> May I offer another suggestion?  First of all, I tend to agree with those 
> who say the forearm should be supported by the table, with the upper arm 
> vertical.  Seems to me that not supporting the arm with the table would 
> substantially add to the probability of fatigue.
>
> Anyway, my suggestion is this--relax!  Seriously, I think a substantial 
> contributor to fatigue and "glass arm" is tension.  The wrist and hand 
> cannot really perform effectively when tension is permitted.  Under 
> tension, the muscles soon tire.  I like to compare this to a golf swing, 
> in that nothing will defeat a golf swing more than tension.  There is 
> absolutely no way you can properly execute a golf swing if your arms are 
> locked and tense. I think the same principal applies here.
>
> I taught CW for a while when I was in the Army.  I probably didn't have 
> command of all the appropriate techniques, but when I saw a student (most 
> of them actually) with a "death grip" on his key, I knew the output was 
> going to be pretty stinko--at least after a short while.  By just getting 
> them to relax their forearm and wrist, the improvement was really quite 
> dramatic. It sometimes took a while to adjust their rhythm to a "proper" 
> and relaxed rocking motion of the wrist, but it usually worked.
>
> There's a lot more to good technique than just what I have described.  I 
> think folks like Ron, KU7Y, (he wrote a booklet on this sort of stuff), 
> and others, could add a great deal.  I'm pretty sure my overall technique 
> was lacking in many ways, but there are some folks out there who can make 
> a hand key sing!
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
>