[Elecraft] Straight key first?

[Edward R. Cole]

I learned CW in a high school night class with one of those 
paper-tape code machines.  Then I built my 3-tube receiver and 
listened to CW and practised with my Skillman Key and code oscillator 
for hours and hours before I took my Novice test in 1958.

I didn't get a paddle until a couple years ago, even though my radios 
had internal keyers.  I am finding it hard to use the paddle.  I 
guess too many years with a straight key where your hand makes each 
character.  I guess in time I will get the reflexes to use an iambic 
key.  BTW I still have my Novice straight key and send 20wpm pretty 
easy; much better than my paddle sending.

When I am involved in eme I use a keyboard program and usually have 
pre-recorded scripts which I can send with an F key.  That frees me 
from sending and allows adjusting antennas, transmitter or writing in 
the log.  One gets very busy running CW on eme.


73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
BP40IQ   500 KHz - 10-GHz   www.kl7uw.com
EME: 50-1.1kw?, 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-60w, 3400-?
DUBUS Magazine USA Rep dubususa at gmail.com
======================================