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

[Jim Dunstan]

At 06:06 PM 6/28/2011 -0700, you 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. 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.

Hi

I worked in Commercial CW communications at the tail-end of the era in the 
50's and early 60's.
At one point while in the Arctic we communicated with 2 stations in the 
south, Winnipeg and
Ottawa.  Between the 2 stations there would be 8 to 10 different 
operators.  I could tell
immediately who was on shift by the sound of the 'fist'.  Almost all of the 
operators used a
bug (each carried his in it's own case ... like professional pool players).

A new man was immediately recognized ... and the usual response was to 
speed up hi.
Personal communications was frowned upon.  However on a night shift there 
would be
a lot of banter ... (you would think we had QSK hi)  You had to be careful 
though .. in those
days we actually had Radio Monitoring Stations.  It was possible to 
actually get a ticket for
illegal traffic hi hi.  The person giving the citation had to be a CW op as 
well and vy mean.

I agree that certain kinds of "swing" with faster dots than dashes makes 
copying easier.
Perfect  CW ... as generated by a computer I find becomes harder to copy 
once the
speed goes up beyond 20 WPM.

I like an electronic keyer setup to simulate a bug (old habits I guess) 
with electronic dits and
manual dashes.  I can use a squeeze type setup ... but find I have to shift 
to the bug style
in order to be more comfortable .... and to get into the 'swing' of things hi.

As far as the straight key .... I don't know of anyone who continued to use 
one once
they moved out of Radio School.  Strange thing though .... in Radio School 
all CW reception
was recorded with pencil and paper.  The really good ops made the 
transition to the
typewriter ... since all messages must be as received ... es not 
paraphrased hi hi.

As mentioned my experience is at the tail end of the era.  Some of the old 
hands (really old hands)
talked about how they were sometime forbidden to use a bug as 
communications was considered
to be more accurate with a straight key.  Most of these experiences were 
railroad telegraphers
and marine operators .

The transmitter we used in the Arctic was a 300 watt Collins with full AM 
modulation.  It was
strictly forbidden to use AM. Although I recall using it on a few occasions 
hi hi.  (where did the
microphone come from ?)

Sorry for rambling on.  I was very fortunate to have learned CW and how to 
type (in a girls class in High School).
I don't know one CW op with Alzheimers hi hi   It is great for the grey matter.

73

Jim, VE3CI