[SOC] Seeking suggestions for new straight key

[Bob Nielsen]

On Fri, Jan 31, 2003 at 05:29:16AM -0800, Lloyd Lachow wrote:
> 
> --- Mike Besemer <mwbesemer@cox.net> wrote:
> > Well... it *COULD* be SOC.  He never said how many
> > mistakes he made (or if
> > perhaps he was chatting with himself)!  ;-)
> > 
> > > I can chat for hours at 25 wpm
> 
> 
>    Well, of COURSE I was chatting with myself. What
> else would you use morse code for??  As for mistakes,
> I really wouldn't know, since I can only copy at,
> maybe 3-5 wpm.

The nice thing about chatting with yourself is that even when you make
a mistake, you still get perfect copy!

Back in 1952 when I was a thirteen-year-old studying for my novice
license, I visited a ham who had a bug on his CW rig and was fascinated
by it.  I knew all the letters but could only copy maybe 3 wpm at the
time.  I found that I could send much faster than this with the bug
(maybe 10 wpm without too many mistakes) so he had me make a few
contacts using his callsign.  I would send o.k. but needed to have him
tell me what the other station was sending back to me.

I've been using a keyer for several years but never have mastered the
iambic technique.  I probably would be better off with a single-lever
paddle.

72/73,
Bob, N7XY
SOC #77