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

[stan levandowski]

There is a product called the "CW Machine" invented by Ulrich Steinberg 
N2DE/DJ8GO and marketed by Begali which has vast capabilities beyond a 
standard keyer.  One of the things it can do is analyze one's keying and 
provide feedback regarding spacing, etc.  It appears to be a fabulous 
investment for the dedicated CW OP who is serious about mastering the 
art. Works with paddles, straight keys, bugs, 'swipers.   Price seems 
reasonable by today's standards.  Number of reviews at eHam are 
sufficiently high to lend creedance to the 5/5 rating it has achieved. 
More info available at www.i2rtf.com for interested listers.

I have never seen one, much less operated one, but I was sufficiently 
intrigued by its potential that I purchased one.  I take delivery on 
Thursday afternoon.  The fellow who invented it is coming over to my 
shack to hook it up and get me started.

I operate 100% CW.  Paddles are wonderful--everyone sounds the same. 
And everyone makes the same mistakes.  Straight keys are nostalgic, 
perhaps, but still worthy of learning to operate properly if no reason 
other than that 'they exist and they are part of our heritage'. 
Sideswipers are the least used and least understood of the keys but 
nonetheless worthy of the effort required to learn for the same reasons 
as previously mentioned.  The bug is my favorite key because it's really 
difficult to do it correctly.   I'm still trying to improve my dit to 
dah transitions after 51 years.  I am hopeful that the CW Machine will 
help me achieve my personal goal of achieving the best 'fist' I can with 
each of the tools of the trade.

That's the nice thing about ham radio -- so very many little niches to 
explore.


73, Stan WB2LQF
KX1 #2411    K1#2994    K2# 6980    K3#5244     K9 #1 (Cocoa the 
Chihuahua)
Everything is QRP, even the dog.


On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 9:06 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:

> 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.