[Elecraft] Ultimatic keying

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

To answer your question, after 20 years of using a straight key and bug, I
built a discrete-component CMOS iambic keyer in the 1970's. 

I did start out slow but speed came quickly, IIRC, as my fingers learned the
correct pattern of movements for each character. But I had to do the same
thing when I learned to use a bug in the 1950's. Knowing Morse doesn't mean
one's body knows how to operate a particular key to generate it. That takes
practice. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the iambic keyer built into the K2
and K3 was as comfortable to use as my old homebrew keyer. 

Unfortunately, I found that I could -not- use a bug and the iambic keyer (in
iambic mode) interchangeably. My "muscle memory" was too strong and I found
myself squeezing the bug paddle. Also my timing on the bug was lousy since
the keyer did all the timing and spacing for me. So, after about 25 years on
the iambic keyer, my bug won out after another re-training period -- at
least as long as I enjoy sending CW with it. However, I have gone back to
the iambic keyer from time to time to load CW memories, etc., and iambic
fingering comes back in a few seconds.

But I enjoy learning physical skills like that. It's part of the fun of Ham
radio for me. Otherwise I'd not have bothered switching to an iambic keyer
and then back to the bug. I don't think I'm part of a silent "majority".
Most likely I'm part of a substantial "minority" - either on an iambic keyer
or on a bug. 

73, Ron AC7AC


-----Original Message-----

3.  How many operators can truly say that they make use of iambic features?
Could a poll be conducted? I think to learn iambic, one would have to start
using it at very slow speeds to begin with, and unless one did this at the
start of one's ham career, who goes back to slow speeds just to learn
iambic? Silent majority?

 

73,

Erik K7TV