K6DGW's post answers most of your questions, but I'll add a couple more points. You have to use a stereo plug for any key plugged into an Elecraft rig. Even straight keys and bugs with only two wires.

Also, as Fred points out, you can pretty much do whatever you want and left handers often just stick with setting up paddles as righthanders to. I think it's a mistake because of the symmetry in the brain. Right hand bugs are set up with dits on the thumb and dahs on the forefinger. Righthanders do the same with paddles for electronic keyers. Sticking to this convention makes it easier to use someone elses rig or demos at ham conventions with ease as they are usually set up for righthanders.

Lefthanders can do what they want, of course, and we often do because it's our nature. But lefties should also follow the convention that the thumb is for dits and the forefinger for dahs. Remarkably, a lefthander who does this can sit down with a righthanded bug or paddle/keyer and send with very little practice. That isn't just because lefthanders are more skilled. It's that the brain easily makes the adjustment--even a righthanders brain can handle that.

Until recently, I've always used a bug or paddle righthanded and a straight key lefthanded because a straight key demands fine motor skills the others don't. As I get older, I've noticed my fine motor skills slightly degrading. So I built a lefthanded bug to see if that would help. It did. My left hand is more precise than my right, always has been. So after 40 years of using righthanded bugs and keyers, I switched to my lefthand. With an evening of practice, my speed and ability was as good as my right hand. I think my LH fist is even a little better than my RH fist ever was, but memory is the second thing to go.

Eric KE6US




On 6/26/2016 6:00 PM, Bill Ellis via Elecraft wrote:
Hi ll,
Trying to set up a single lever paddle for my K3. The more I read the more 
confused, for some reason, it gets. Can someone assist with this hook up, do  I 
use a stereo plug, and how do I set up the menu ?

Thanks/73's,
Bill, WB9CAC
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