Jim Sheldon wrote:
I learned on a bug first back in 1961, before I even got my ham license
(Army radio operator) and when Hallicrafters came out with the HA-1 keyer, I
bought one and didn't look back for several years.
I got my license in '61 and used a straight key (surplus J-38) for a
couple of years, and then got one of those Japanese bugs that Lafayette
Radio sold in those days - wow, what a difference! I got pretty good
with it, and used the bug for several years. Then I built a homebrew
version of the TO keyer, and was converted instantly - never went back
to the bug. Now I've got a good-sized collection of paddles and keyers.
Last year I dug the bug out of storage and decided to give it a try
again - after all, I was OK with it in the '60s. I almost got to the
point where I'd be willing to go on the air with it, but after 40 years
I've definitely lost the knack.
The other thing I did last year was set up a straight key for SKN -
eeek. I never was very good with a straight key, and after all these
years of non-straight-key-use, I've lost nearly all traces of that
particular skill.
Thank heaven for keyers.
I used to worry that we'd all wind up sounding the same, what with the
near-perfect code you can send with a keyer, but there are still enough
little differences in fists even with keyers that you can recognize many
individuals after listening for a few seconds.
/Paul
W3PH
--
/Paul Heller
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.his.com
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