After more than 50 years "pounding brass", mostly with either a bug (semi-automatic) key or paddles I still make time for practice sessions - especially if I've been off the air for a while. My favorite is to send names, addresses and numbers from a telephone book (they are getting rare, but still around) with the goal of getting through one full page without a flub.
73, Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dave Sublette Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2017 9:43 AM To: kd8...@aol.com Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net; jso...@comcast.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] kxpd3 question Jerry, Don’t obsess over which paddle is best for you. Which ever system you choose, it will take hours and hours of off the air practice before you "should” put it on the air. Which ever system you start with, you will learn to love and prefer — if you get that far. I use iambic B and a dual paddle, but don’t often use the squeeze feature. If you start with this, as others have pointed out, you don’t have to squeeze. My opinion is (and it is just an opinion) by starting with the dual paddle, Iambic B, you give yourself the most options to expand or change methods. It is mostly timing and getting your internal “clock” to a place where you make proper, readable communication using Morse. An automatic keyer doesn’t do this for you. I hear plenty of people using keys who don’t send code that is comfortable to copy. Pick something and start practicing. You will never master it until you start. 73, Dave, K4TO > On Nov 9, 2017, at 11:36 AM, Mike via Elecraft <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> > wrote: > > Hi Jerry, > > I made the decision to use a single lever paddle and not learn the > "squeeze" technique needed to run a dual lever paddle. Several reasons: > > The truly high speed guys use single lever paddles--they feel they > make fewer mistakes with the single lever. > > If you learn the single lever technique you can use a dual lever > paddle and just not "squeeze" > > The dual lever technique doesn't save that much time. > > I think that a lot of the impetus to a dual lever is "CQ", both > letters are "squeeze" letters and if you are sending it a lot it is > easier to send repeated CQ's with a dual lever paddle. > > I think regular practice is needed with both single an dual lever paddles. > > I am fond of my Begali Sculpture single lever, along with my Tony > Baleno single lever. > > If you go single lever, if you occasionally use a dual lever paddle > you will be happier with minimal space between the paddles; it's > closer to the distance your fingers need to move for the single lever. > Begali's Magnum has > a very narrow space and I use it as well as my Sculpture single lever. > Tony Baleno of N3ZN keys will make a dual lever with what ever spacing > between the paddles you want. > > Hope this helps. > > 73 > > Mike KD8RQE > > > In a message dated 11/9/2017 9:31:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, > jso...@comcast.net writes: > > Hello, > > > I'm a "no-code-ham" determined to become a "know-code-ham" and so > have signed up to a course by CWops. > > They require a paddle for sending practice since lessons will be done > at 20-wpm. > > > Having researched the topic of 'paddles' and from that effort, I > think that a single paddle might work best for me. > > Here are the negative items which helped form that opinion: > > 1. a comment that regular practice is needed to maintain competence > with a dual-paddle, > > 2. iambic-a or iambic-b just seem physically complicated. > > > In reading my KX3-manual and Fred-KE7X's book, it seems to me that > the > KXPD3 is capable of only dual-paddle operating. Or have I missed something? > > > I understand that my KX3 has a second port for an external key (I > presume a single-paddle). > > In the past, I recall seeing photos of hams working KX3-portable with > a straight-key but, at those times, I did not pay attention if any had a > paddle. > > > TIA for any reply. > > 73 Jerry KM3K > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 Message delivered to > kd8...@aol.com > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 Message delivered to > k...@arrl.net ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to r...@elecraft.com ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
