[Elecraft] Straight key first? (was: Re: K3 in the Media)

[Vic K2VCO]

The hardest CW to copy (for me anyway) has insufficient spacing between letters or words. 
This is exactly what a keyer does NOT help you with! The operator has to learn to 
recognize what good CW sounds like. Does sending with a straight key help with that? 
Maybe, but I doubt it.

Many of you have heard old-timers with bugs sending with the "banana-boat swing" (dits way 
too fast for the dahs) or the "Lake Erie swing" (think about sending from a rolling ship). 
These are generally considered 'bad CW', but they aren't difficult to copy.

The techniques of sending with an iambic paddle, a bug and a straight key are very 
different. I don't think learning one helps you with the others.

On 6/28/2011 4:07 PM, Al Gulseth wrote:
> Al,
>
> The issue isn't "nostalgia" - it's technique and timing. Paddles cover a
> multitude of sins: as long as you're hitting the paddles somewere close to
> the right point you'll get nice even CW. With a straight key any technique or
> timing issues are immediately obvious.
>
> The "old timer" WWII radio ops that I've known (in particular my dad) always
> stressed mastering the straight key before ever trying to use paddles. And if
> you've heard those OTs on the air, a large percentage of them illustrate the
> wisdom of learning (and mastering) the straight key first.
>
> 73, Al
>
> On Tue June 28 2011 5:31:10 pm VE3GAM Allen McRorie wrote:
>> after having operated both a straight key and a paddle,
>> I'm not really sure that the two are comparable
>>
>> I don't think being able to send using a straight key does
>> anything to help you send better than using a paddle, but
>> using a paddle is much easier to me than using a straight key and
>> if you take nostalgia out of it, I would think starting with
>> a paddle is what I would recommend to anyone just
>> starting out. I just don't understand the fascination with
>> straight keys, they are hard to use and tiring if you don't
>> use them correctly
>>
>> anyway my .02 cents worth
>>
>> al ve3gam


-- 
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/