[Elecraft] Learning CW

[r miles]

Just my opinion guys....... Most radios have  an electronic keyer built 
in . My K3 does & I use it. So it's straight key [ UGH] or electronic 
key. If you want to send the letter A. It's DIT DAH. With a keyer it's 
tap one side then the other. The keyer sends DIT with the proper spacing 
& then DAH. With a straight key anyone sending especially if they're 
just learning will send five As & every one will have different spacing 
& DAHs of a different time length. Why not just start with electronic 
keying. You can even use the keyboard to send. Receiving or copying code 
is the real job.
I've been on CW  55 yr.s. I can still 'head copy' 45 WPM but so what. A 
person  making a contact with another CW stn. at 10 WPM is having just 
as much pleasure as a contact at 40 WPM. I speak a little Spanish. Very 
little. But I speak another language. CW. From the time I was 13 yr.s 
old I've felt I speak  a language other than English. Sense of pride in 
that.
If you want to use machines to work CW that's how you see it. Like JT65 
or RTTY. Machines doing the work. Nothing wrong with that. If you want 
to actually send CW why waste yr.s on an old way of sending when the 
modern way is easier & easier on the ears of those copying your CW.
In my opinion if you really want to learn to send get an electronic key 
& use the keyer built into your radio. You can practice off air. If you 
want to  later try nostaligic straight keys at least you will know what 
letters should sound like on CW. You can match your straight key sending 
to what you know the CW should sound like. My opinion.

K9IL