[Elecraft] Getting Started With CW

[Don Wilhelm]

There are alternatives to Iambic keying.
One way is to use a single lever paddle which makes it impossible to 
send those alternating dit/dah sequences that I cannot work with 
correctly due to some 'finger habits' that I learned when using a bug.

Another way is to get a K1EL keyer (or Winkeyer) and try out the various 
modes he has built in.
They do have a bug mode, but I have trouble with that one because there 
is no control between the string of dits and the timing of the manual 
dashes, when used with dual lever paddles.  It would probably be OK with 
a single lever paddle, but I have not tried it that way.

With dual lever paddles, I prefer Ultimatic mode.  That mode sends a 
string of the last paddle closed, which means you can use dit or dah 
insertion as well.

If you are just starting out, you may want to learn to send with dual 
lever paddles in Iambic (A or B your choice) and learn the squeeze 
sequences as well.  That should help you when you get up to speeds above 
30 wpm.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 12/1/2014 3:17 AM, Edward R Cole wrote:
>
> Many years later I bought a Bencher-2 but never got very good results 
> as the K3 keyer only does Iambic.  I guess I am too set in my ways 
> wanting to control the dots and dashes to get hang of Iambic.  I 
> should say I was off CW for decades so having to get back into it.  My 
> straight keying is a little rusty and not as smooth as I used to do, 
> but In time it'll come back.  I wonder if there are any keyers that 
> just work like a bug but using a paddle?
>