At 06:06 PM 6/28/2011 -0700, you wrote: >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.
Hi I worked in Commercial CW communications at the tail-end of the era in the 50's and early 60's. At one point while in the Arctic we communicated with 2 stations in the south, Winnipeg and Ottawa. Between the 2 stations there would be 8 to 10 different operators. I could tell immediately who was on shift by the sound of the 'fist'. Almost all of the operators used a bug (each carried his in it's own case ... like professional pool players). A new man was immediately recognized ... and the usual response was to speed up hi. Personal communications was frowned upon. However on a night shift there would be a lot of banter ... (you would think we had QSK hi) You had to be careful though .. in those days we actually had Radio Monitoring Stations. It was possible to actually get a ticket for illegal traffic hi hi. The person giving the citation had to be a CW op as well and vy mean. I agree that certain kinds of "swing" with faster dots than dashes makes copying easier. Perfect CW ... as generated by a computer I find becomes harder to copy once the speed goes up beyond 20 WPM. I like an electronic keyer setup to simulate a bug (old habits I guess) with electronic dits and manual dashes. I can use a squeeze type setup ... but find I have to shift to the bug style in order to be more comfortable .... and to get into the 'swing' of things hi. As far as the straight key .... I don't know of anyone who continued to use one once they moved out of Radio School. Strange thing though .... in Radio School all CW reception was recorded with pencil and paper. The really good ops made the transition to the typewriter ... since all messages must be as received ... es not paraphrased hi hi. As mentioned my experience is at the tail end of the era. Some of the old hands (really old hands) talked about how they were sometime forbidden to use a bug as communications was considered to be more accurate with a straight key. Most of these experiences were railroad telegraphers and marine operators . The transmitter we used in the Arctic was a 300 watt Collins with full AM modulation. It was strictly forbidden to use AM. Although I recall using it on a few occasions hi hi. (where did the microphone come from ?) Sorry for rambling on. I was very fortunate to have learned CW and how to type (in a girls class in High School). I don't know one CW op with Alzheimers hi hi It is great for the grey matter. 73 Jim, VE3CI ______________________________________________________________ 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
