I learned CW back in 1961 as a "Morse Intercept Operator" in the Army
Security Agency. They didn't teach us to send, other than after we
passed 18 groups (yes, 5 leter/number groups, not English words) per
minute copying on a "Mill" they gave us a 4 hour class on sending with a
hand key. To pass that class we had to send a paragraph of text which
was recorded in the morning and then in the afternoon we had to copy
back the text we sent and get 75 percent perfect copy to pass. THAT is
extremely difficult when you learned to copy 5 letter/number groups and
then the sending test was a paragraph of English and your own sending to
boot!
I taught myself higher speed sending using a TO keyer and a Vibroplex
single lever paddle (Iambic keying hadn't been invented at that time).
I didn't get to where I could get my ham license until I got to Japan in
1963 and took the old "Conditional" test. Once I had my license I
bought a Vibroplex bug and again taught myself to use it. I do roll my
wrist slightly, and for me that is very comfortable. I also taught
myself (took a couple years to master) to switch back and forthe between
paddles and the bug, a skill I maintain to this day and I'm turning 78
in a few days. I can still copy 60 wpm or so in my head but with the
bug or paddles, my comfortable sending speed is between 25 and 30.
My pet peeve these days with the newer ops that actually can send CW is
they call CQ and then end the CQ sequence with "KN" and then wonder why
nobody answers them - LOL.
Jim, W0EB
------ Original Message ------
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: 3/29/2020 3:24:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Not moving your wrist sending CW ?
On 2020-03-29 2:01 PM, EricJ wrote:
The bug was developed to minimize destructive wrist action. Operators
learned to roll their wrist, but not really flex it in any way. I've
noticed most of the high speed ops on youtube demonstrating Begali
(what else?) keys use two fingers and thumb with no wrist movement.
The only place I know that Morse was sent using "fingers only" was with
iambic/squeeze keying using an electronic keyer.
I learned on a straight key 50+ years ago where I was taught to use the
entire forearm. I moved to a bug where I was taught to roll the forearm
(confirmed after the fact by my wife's grandfather who was a long time
Western Electric landline operator/station manager) to a single paddle
TO keyer and eventually to a dual paddle keyer. I still roll my wrist
and use very little finger movement (obviously I don't "squeeze").
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 2020-03-29 2:01 PM, EricJ wrote:
Sending Morse by foot isn't so rare. It's common enough that a Q-code was
developed especially for it.
Most of us started on a straight key (62 years) where wrist action is more
important. The bug was developed to minimize destructive wrist action.
Operators learned to roll their wrist, but not really flex it in any way. I've
noticed most of the high speed ops on youtube demonstrating Begali (what else?)
keys use two fingers and thumb with no wrist movement. I've only seen it on
youtube as nobody I've known since the Army ever sent that fast!
Eric KE6US
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