The hardest CW to copy (for me anyway) has insufficient spacing between letters or words. This is exactly what a keyer does NOT help you with! The operator has to learn to recognize what good CW sounds like. Does sending with a straight key help with that? Maybe, but I doubt it.
Many of you have heard old-timers with bugs sending with the "banana-boat swing" (dits way too fast for the dahs) or the "Lake Erie swing" (think about sending from a rolling ship). These are generally considered 'bad CW', but they aren't difficult to copy. The techniques of sending with an iambic paddle, a bug and a straight key are very different. I don't think learning one helps you with the others. On 6/28/2011 4:07 PM, Al Gulseth wrote: > Al, > > The issue isn't "nostalgia" - it's technique and timing. Paddles cover a > multitude of sins: as long as you're hitting the paddles somewere close to > the right point you'll get nice even CW. With a straight key any technique or > timing issues are immediately obvious. > > The "old timer" WWII radio ops that I've known (in particular my dad) always > stressed mastering the straight key before ever trying to use paddles. And if > you've heard those OTs on the air, a large percentage of them illustrate the > wisdom of learning (and mastering) the straight key first. > > 73, Al > > On Tue June 28 2011 5:31:10 pm VE3GAM Allen McRorie wrote: >> after having operated both a straight key and a paddle, >> I'm not really sure that the two are comparable >> >> I don't think being able to send using a straight key does >> anything to help you send better than using a paddle, but >> using a paddle is much easier to me than using a straight key and >> if you take nostalgia out of it, I would think starting with >> a paddle is what I would recommend to anyone just >> starting out. I just don't understand the fascination with >> straight keys, they are hard to use and tiring if you don't >> use them correctly >> >> anyway my .02 cents worth >> >> al ve3gam -- Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
