[High-Speed-CW] [Fwd: Iambic A vs B - Mode B loses... Mode A is the winner .....]

[Paul F. Sehorne]

Well, I'm getting disappointed. Three radios that I have tested/bought

recently that have built in keyers that only support Iambic mode B.  
None of these radio's user manual state anything about Mode A or Mode B 
at all - just that there is a built in keyer.

I had only used Mode A until the last couple of week.  Not that I have 
given Mode B some time.  I'm finding the following disadvantages over Mode A

1) Some characters that are a single 'squeeze' with Mode A require two 
separate sequential key presses / finger movements with Mode B.  The 
letter 'a' for example is a single simultaneous squeeze with Mode A but 
require separate presses of the dit and the day paddle sequentially with 
mode B.  Same goes for the letter 'n'. 
2) At high speeds the timing for pressing and releasing becomes very 
critical and in this respect Mode A is more forgiving.  I'm talking 
about speeds above 30 wpm.

Neither of these present a problem at slower speeds, but become a 
disadvantage of Mode B at the higher speeds.  Which leads me to the 
conclusion that at speeds less than about 30 wpm the two modes are 
pretty equal and just become a matter of what you have become accustomed 
to.  At the higher speeds however, the touted advantage of Mode B 
actually become disadvantages.

So, all the hype I have read about Mode B seems to be just that - hype.  
Someone is seeing the Emperor's clothes. 

Will someone with actual experience with both modes - above 30 wpm - 
care to comment?

The radio manufacturers have apparently silently chosen to support only 
Mode B.  I guess they have bought into the hype.  And thus, 
intentionally or not, are promoting Mode A over Mode B.  Reminds me of 
the win of the technically inferior VHS over the higher video quality of 
Beta back in the 80's.   My solution, of course, it to use an external 
keyer that provides the features that I want rather than the limited 
internal keyers being provided by the manufacturers..


Paul, WI5F