Hi, Will -- "Q" was probably not the best choice I could have used to distinguish between the two modes.
My biggest problem with Iambic and a dual-lever paddle is the number "2", which I do have to send occasionally....:-) It typically comes out as dit-dit-dah-dit-dah. For me, at least, I think the crux of the difference between the two algorithms is that I can be "sloppier" about when I get my thumb or fingers off the first lever squeezed on a large number of characters, such as the A, W, J, 1 and N, D, B, 6 families. This timing becomes increasingly critical as sending speed increases. For instance, I can send a "2" quite consistently using dual-lever Iambic at slow speeds. I freely admit that my difficulties with Iambic may be influenced by the characteristics of keyers I first used, prior to introduction of the Iambic algorithm. In other words, if your first electronic keyer was Iambic, you may not have as much trouble as I with it. An aside: One of those early keyers I loved, the POO-keyer from K2POO, was a (vacuum tube!) "dash priority" or "dash override" design -- not so much by deliberate design, perhaps, as by the reaction of the analog circuit to having dot and dash contacts simultaneously closed. Ultimately (get that?), I think the answer is this: If you're perfectly happy with the Iambic algorithm in conjunction with a dual-lever paddle, and it's making good characters for you, or if you use only a single-lever paddle, stick with the Iambic. If it's giving you "fits", however, an Ultimatic keyer might be just the ticket for you. Bud, W2RU On Aug 10, 2012, at 6:13 PM, Mercury <[email protected]> wrote: > Maybe I'm missing something, Bud, but I send the letter Q the same way with > Iambic B keying. Hold the dah paddle for the duration of the letter and tap > the dit at the appropriate place. No need to let up on the dah paddle. Is > there some other characteristic that distinguishes Ulimatic from Iambic B? > I've never used Ultimatic keying but hear a lot of folks rave about it. I do > just fine with Iambic B but mess up big time with Iambic A. To each his own. > > 73 - Will, AI4VE > > Sent from my iPad > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
