Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Bill W5WVO wrote: I got used to this feature on the TS-2000. You can set "dash/dot ratio" to a number less than or greater than 3.0 (where 3.0 is the default standard -- i.e., the dash is three times the length of the dot). After experimenting, I set mine to 3.7, which gave the transmitted CW a nice little bug-like "swing". At first, I thought this was what the K3's "CW weight" parameter was for, but I immediately discovered that wasn't the case. Would any of you other CW guys out there use such an adjustment in the K3 if it were implemented? I find that's how I naturally want to send, probably a holdover from my bug days years ago. An electronic keyer with an incorrect dot-dash ratio does not sound like a bug. It sounds like a misadjusted keyer! I wouldn't use this. The Weight adjustment in the K2, by the way, is dot-space ratio. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Well, gee, I can get those effects on my K3, even long telegraphic dashes for zeros! I just use my Bug to key the rig! Any time we turn over to machines or "technology" the chore of doing something, we are subservient to a fierce dictator of our own making. The machine will always do what it does and never quite what we'd like it to do. Our best hope is that it we like the advantages enough to offset the inherent problems. Even my Bug. But I can always disassemble and clean it to give myself the illusion that I am in charge, after all. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- Bill W5WVO wrote: > I got used to this feature on the TS-2000. You can set "dash/dot > ratio" to a number less than or greater than 3.0 (where 3.0 is the > default standard -- i.e., the dash is three times the length of the > dot). After experimenting, I set mine to 3.7, which gave the > transmitted CW a nice little bug-like "swing". At first, I thought > this was what the K3's "CW weight" parameter was for, but I > immediately discovered that wasn't the case. Would any of you other CW > guys out there use such an adjustment in the K3 if it were > implemented? I find that's how I naturally want to send, probably a > holdover from my bug days years ago. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Ron, I have paralleled both an N3ZN and Begali signature to key my K2's. I bit expensive for keying SSB transmit, but I think very impressive if not overkill. Can't wait to do the same for the K3 on the order list. Maybe I'll use just one. And move the only the Begali to the K3?! A bit obsessive, except that I actually operate C.W. here and there. :-) 72, Bill K9YEQ K2 #35, K2 # 5279, KX1 #35, Mini Modules, etc. -Original Message- I just use my Bug to key the rig! ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:34:23 -0600, "Bill W5WVO" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >I got used to this feature on the TS-2000. You can set "dash/dot ratio" to a >number less than or greater than 3.0 (where 3.0 is the default standard -- >i.e., the dash is three times the length of the dot). After experimenting, I >set mine to 3.7, which gave the transmitted CW a nice little bug-like "swing". >At first, I thought this was what the K3's "CW weight" parameter was for, but >I immediately discovered that wasn't the case. Would any of you other CW guys >out there use such an adjustment in the K3 if it were implemented? I find >that's how I naturally want to send, probably a holdover from my bug days >years ago. > >Bill W5WVO [snip] I would never use it. Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" An excerpt from a letter written in 1755 from the Assembly to the Governor of Pennsylvania. Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like. http://www.n5ge.com http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
In my view, the so called "bug swing" is anything but "nice"! Why anyone would try to send anything but correctly formed code characters is beyond me! Dave W7AQK - Original Message - From: "Tom Childers, N5GE" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "[Elecraft]" Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 7:10 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:34:23 -0600, "Bill W5WVO" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I got used to this feature on the TS-2000. You can set "dash/dot ratio" to a number less than or greater than 3.0 (where 3.0 is the default standard -- i.e., the dash is three times the length of the dot). After experimenting, I set mine to 3.7, which gave the transmitted CW a nice little bug-like "swing". At first, I thought this was what the K3's "CW weight" parameter was for, but I immediately discovered that wasn't the case. Would any of you other CW guys out there use such an adjustment in the K3 if it were implemented? I find that's how I naturally want to send, probably a holdover from my bug days years ago. Bill W5WVO [snip] I would never use it. Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" An excerpt from a letter written in 1755 from the Assembly to the Governor of Pennsylvania. Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like. http://www.n5ge.com http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Well, lots of replies, both public and private. By overwhelming preponderance, the opinion of the Elecraft community is... AAAGGG! (retch, heave) Just forget I brought it, please... ;-) Bill W5WVO David Yarnes wrote: > In my view, the so called "bug swing" is anything but > "nice"! Why anyone would try to send anything but correctly > formed code characters is beyond me! > > Dave W7AQK > > - Original Message - > From: "Tom Childers, N5GE" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "[Elecraft]" > Sent: Friday, June 27, 2008 7:10 PM > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? > > > On Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:34:23 -0600, "Bill W5WVO" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> I got used to this feature on the TS-2000. You can set >> "dash/dot ratio" to a number less than or greater than 3.0 >> (where 3.0 is the default standard -- i.e., the dash is >> three times the length of the dot). After experimenting, I >> set mine to 3.7, which gave the transmitted CW a nice >> little bug-like "swing". At first, I thought this was what >> the K3's "CW weight" parameter was for, but I immediately >> discovered that wasn't the case. Would any of you other CW >> guys out there use such an adjustment in the K3 if it were >> implemented? I find that's how I naturally want to send, >> probably a holdover from my bug days years ago. >> >> Bill W5WVO > [snip] > > I would never use it. > > Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq > > "Those who would give up > Essential Liberty to > purchase a little Temporary > Safety deserve neither > Liberty nor Safety" > > An excerpt from a letter > written in 1755 from the > Assembly to the Governor > of Pennsylvania. > > Support the entire Constitution, not > just the parts you like. > > http://www.n5ge.com > http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE > > ___ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > ___ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
You'll find lots of support too, Bill. Just not so vocal here, I guess. A long time ago I suggested a "bug mode" in the Elecraft keyers. That would provide automatic dits like a bug but manual dashes: as long as the dash paddle was closed the rig would be keyed. I wanted it not so much to alter the timing (although I use the telegraph long dash for a zero which can't be done correctly on a keyer) but I find my bug timing suffers if I use a keyer. I quickly "forget" how to time CW properly if the keyer does it for me. Actually, that can be achieved on the K2 with some diodes to fool the keyer into thinking a straight key is connected to the input when the dash lever is pressed. But I was looking for a method that didn't involve outboard parts. I enjoy the sound of a straight key, either a hand pump or a bug. I liken a swing to an "accent". Sometimes a little swing provides character to the sound that I find delightful to hear. But such a swing is not consistent, any more than a speaker with an accent pronounces a syllable consistently in every word. Just tuning across the bands, I have noticed that the most pleasant sounding (to me) fists usually turn out to be bugs or straight keys. But there are many Hams who have a very difficult time copying CW that isn't "machine perfect". For them, any swing or variation in timing seems to be frustrating beyond words. I'm sure there are many who are unhappy with my "fist". We Hams are a disparate bunch. Let the good times roll... Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill W5WVO Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 8:19 AM To: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? Well, lots of replies, both public and private. By overwhelming preponderance, the opinion of the Elecraft community is... AAAGGG! (retch, heave) Just forget I brought it, please... ;-) Bill W5WVO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
I'm a fan of GHD bugs (currently using a dual lever GN107WS), and recently noticed that they offer an electronic keyer with what they call "E-Bug" mode. I wasn't sure what to make of it but the ablility to record even straight key messages seemed interesting. I must confess that I don't mind hearing a wee bit of swing in a signal myself, but do strive to send as correctly as I can. Bob NW8L On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 10:20 AM, Ron D'Eau Claire <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > You'll find lots of support too, Bill. Just not so vocal here, I guess. > > A long time ago I suggested a "bug mode" in the Elecraft keyers. That would > provide automatic dits like a bug but manual dashes: as long as the dash > paddle was closed the rig would be keyed. I wanted it not so much to alter > the timing (although I use the telegraph long dash for a zero which can't be > done correctly on a keyer) but I find my bug timing suffers if I use a > keyer. I quickly "forget" how to time CW properly if the keyer does it for > me. > ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Ron and All, Ron, you must be from south Louisiana! Hard to get that zydeco (spelling?) rhythm out of your soul! Hi. Laissez les bon temps rouler! Dave W7AQK - Original Message - From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'[Elecraft]'" Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 9:20 AM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? You'll find lots of support too, Bill. Just not so vocal here, I guess. A long time ago I suggested a "bug mode" in the Elecraft keyers. That would provide automatic dits like a bug but manual dashes: as long as the dash paddle was closed the rig would be keyed. I wanted it not so much to alter the timing (although I use the telegraph long dash for a zero which can't be done correctly on a keyer) but I find my bug timing suffers if I use a keyer. I quickly "forget" how to time CW properly if the keyer does it for me. Actually, that can be achieved on the K2 with some diodes to fool the keyer into thinking a straight key is connected to the input when the dash lever is pressed. But I was looking for a method that didn't involve outboard parts. I enjoy the sound of a straight key, either a hand pump or a bug. I liken a swing to an "accent". Sometimes a little swing provides character to the sound that I find delightful to hear. But such a swing is not consistent, any more than a speaker with an accent pronounces a syllable consistently in every word. Just tuning across the bands, I have noticed that the most pleasant sounding (to me) fists usually turn out to be bugs or straight keys. But there are many Hams who have a very difficult time copying CW that isn't "machine perfect". For them, any swing or variation in timing seems to be frustrating beyond words. I'm sure there are many who are unhappy with my "fist". We Hams are a disparate bunch. Let the good times roll... Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bill W5WVO Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 8:19 AM To: [Elecraft] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? Well, lots of replies, both public and private. By overwhelming preponderance, the opinion of the Elecraft community is... AAAGGG! (retch, heave) Just forget I brought it, please... ;-) Bill W5WVO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
The K1EL WinKey keyers (and I presume the K-series stand alone keyers) offer "Vibroplex" mode that make automatic dits and manual dahs. 73, ... Joe, W4TV > -Original Message- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bob Cunnings > Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 1:28 PM > To: [Elecraft] > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? > > > I'm a fan of GHD bugs (currently using a dual lever GN107WS), > and recently noticed that they offer an electronic keyer with > what they call "E-Bug" mode. I wasn't sure what to make of it > but the ablility to record even straight key messages seemed > interesting. > > I must confess that I don't mind hearing a wee bit of swing > in a signal myself, but do strive to send as correctly as I can. > > Bob NW8L > > On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 10:20 AM, Ron D'Eau Claire > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > You'll find lots of support too, Bill. Just not so vocal here, I > > guess. > > > > A long time ago I suggested a "bug mode" in the Elecraft > keyers. That > > would provide automatic dits like a bug but manual dashes: > as long as > > the dash paddle was closed the rig would be keyed. I wanted > it not so > > much to alter the timing (although I use the telegraph long > dash for a > > zero which can't be done correctly on a keyer) but I find my bug > > timing suffers if I use a keyer. I quickly "forget" how to time CW > > properly if the keyer does it for me. > > ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
-Original Message- In my view, the so called "bug swing" is anything but "nice"! Why anyone would try to send anything but correctly formed code characters is beyond me! Dave W7AQK Imagine a world where nobody spoke into the mic. Instead, rigs had computer voice generation inside. What came out were your words, but spoken by a robotic artificial voice with perfect pronunciation at just the right speed with just the right tone to cut through and improve communications. Keyers have served to make CW nice & uniform but have also taken much of the life out of the mode for me. I much prefer to work someone who is using a straight key or bug and is sending good code that still has a bit of human flavor to it. Having said that, I agree with you regarding intentional bug swing. If the OP is trying to swing, intentionally messing up the code because it sounds "cool" then that is a bad thing. NNMA instead of CQ is a sign of a poor operator who hasn't mastered the bug. - Keith N1AS - - K3 711 - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
CW-swing is related to music. Timing is so important. Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are still famous for their timing. A 1-2-3-4 march has a steady beat. But have you ever heard the Saint Louis Blues March? Lots of examples... 73 Arie PA3A ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:02:38 +0200, "Arie Kleingeld PA3A" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >CW-swing is related to music. No it isn't. It's related a person with a poor fist that cannot control the length of the dashes to match the dots they are sending. It has nothing to do with music; It has to do with reliable communication. I believe most bug users who tout the Mississippi Swing should QLF. > Timing is so important. That is correct. A Dash has three times the length of three dots, no more, no less. Even Beethoven knew that, as shown in his fifth symphony. > >Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are still famous for their timing. >A 1-2-3-4 march has a steady beat. But have you ever heard the Saint >Louis Blues March? >Lots of examples... None of your examples were CW operators and probably didn't even know what it was... [snip] Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety deserve neither Liberty nor Safety" An excerpt from a letter written in 1755 from the Assembly to the Governor of Pennsylvania. Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like. http://www.n5ge.com http://www.eQSL.cc/Member.cfm?N5GE ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Well, Arni, this is a case where mileages *do* vary. I, for one, find a reasonable amount of "swing" improves copy and reduces fatigue. But, then, I've been listening to it from both commercial and amateur operators for over half a century now... An awful to of good traffic was handled long before "keyers" came on the scene. I recognize that a lot of today's Hams, experienced only with machine-perfect code with a pure sine wave sidetone, have trouble copying anything else. I was much the same back about the time I took my code test. One doesn't progress beyond that point without the same effort it took to learn CW in the first place: practice. With keyers and keyboards so common today, that's not as easy to find as we did. That's why I strive to hold the best spacing I can on my bug when working someone using a keyer, but I have no illusions that I'll ever match the machine perfect timing of a keyer. The "music" argument makes sense to me but I'm no musician, just a commercial and amateur CW operator with a *lot* of CW traffic behind me sent by ops on bugs that were a joy to copy, and some who weren't. (Some things never change ;-) Ron AC7AC -Original Message- On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:02:38 +0200, "Arie Kleingeld PA3A" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >CW-swing is related to music. No it isn't. It's related a person with a poor fist that cannot control the length of the dashes to match the dots they are sending. It has nothing to do with music; It has to do with reliable communication. I believe most bug users who tout the Mississippi Swing should QLF. > Timing is so important. That is correct. A Dash has three times the length of three dots, no more, no less. Even Beethoven knew that, as shown in his fifth symphony. > >Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are still famous for their timing. A >1-2-3-4 march has a steady beat. But have you ever heard the Saint >Louis Blues March? Lots of examples... None of your examples were CW operators and probably didn't even know what it was... [snip] Tom, N5GE - SWOT 3537 - Grid EM12jq ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
At 11:16 PM 06/30/08, Tom Childers, N5GE wrote: >CW-swing is related to music. No it isn't. It's related a person with a poor fist that cannot control the length of the dashes to match the dots they are sending. It has nothing to do with music; It has to do with reliable communication. I believe most bug users who tout the Mississippi Swing should QLF. Perhaps it's also valid to say that folks who can't copy machine-perfect cw should also QLF. I'm really happy that attitudes like the one you have stated weren't popular when I startedthey would have driven a lot of old timers with more cw and telegraph experience that most off the air and certainly discouraged new folks. Hard to imagine telling my Elmer that his cw was bad 'cause it didn't like a machine. Hard to imagine that when I hung out at a coast station and the ops let me hear the day-to-day communnications that I would tell them their cw was bad. I suspect that folks that are tone-deaf may not understand some of the more subtile points of cadence and spacing. 73, Thom k3hrn ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing?
Ron and All, Yep, I think you are right. Mileages do probably vary because we all hear things just a tad bit different. I think perhaps there is some difference in perception here as to just how much "swing" we are talking about. I would think we all are averse to some of the stuff we hear, but what some folks deem to be" pleasant" is not so pronounced that it borders on confusion. I think I can adapt to a person's "fist" as readily as the next guy. And there is "personality" to it, as has been pointed out. Personally, I don't prefer it, but it doesn't really cause much, if any, concern so long as the characters are distinguishable, etc. But some folks with "swing" tinker with character length and spacing to the point where confusion starts to creep in. A "B" can start sounding like "TS", or a "W" can start sounding like "AM", etc. Where it really gets dicey is when they send a "TS" just like they send a "B", or "AM" just like they send "W". These may not be the people you are thinking about, but they are, in large part, the ones I have been referring to. I don't know about swing making copy less fatiguing, but if it works for you that's great. And I can understand how that might be the case. There was a time when I had to copy CW 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, and it did get pretty boring and tiring. And I well remember the days when poorly regulated transmitters made a lot of CW sound almost like FSK. That was Fun! Personally, I find it much less fatiguing the closer it gets to "machine" quality. That may mean I'm just getting old and lazy. I copy mostly in my head anyway, and I can copy near machine quality code at a much higher speed than code that has a swing to it. But, in truth, you don't really hear much swing from the higher speed types. For example, when I'm talking with some of the group that hangs around 7020 in the early mornings, it's usually pretty straight stuff. But some of them are probably using keyboards anyway. It's the under 30 wpm folks that tend to have swing, and the slower they go, the more swing you hear. A few of us were trading emails off the reflector after the "music" metaphor was offered. My comment basically was that even though music has well defined notes and rhythm, it still has room for interpretation as to emphasis, etc. That's why there are conductors. But even so, I strongly suspect that when Beethoven wrote his 5th Symphony, he had very specific ideas in mind, even as to emphasis. I'm no musician either, but I believe that the "emphasis" that is put down on a sheet of music ("legato", or whatever) is defined, but not so narrowly as to not leave room for interpretation. CW, on the other hand, has well defined characters and well defined spacing by design. There's not much left to the imagination in the design at least. It's still possible to inject interpretation into CW (as swing does), but you are actually changing the "rules" to do it. You must change either the defined character length, or the defined spacing, or both, in order to create swing. But you won't go to jail for doing so, and as long as it's relatively subtle, it very well may sound pleasant to some. To me the "music" in CW is achieving near machine quality. But that's just me perhaps. When I used a "bug" I wanted others to think I was using a keyer, and with a keyer and paddle I want others to think I'm using a keyboard. Obviously that's not everyone's cup of tea, but I take great comfort in knowing that at least my K3's decoder agrees with me! Hi. I think I'll go grab a dose of Benny Goodman! Now there's some swing with which I can really relax! Dave W7AQK - Original Message - From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'[Elecraft]'" Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 9:46 PM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] [K3] CW feature: Swing? Well, Arni, this is a case where mileages *do* vary. I, for one, find a reasonable amount of "swing" improves copy and reduces fatigue. But, then, I've been listening to it from both commercial and amateur operators for over half a century now... An awful to of good traffic was handled long before "keyers" came on the scene. I recognize that a lot of today's Hams, experienced only with machine-perfect code with a pure sine wave sidetone, have trouble copying anything else. I was much the same back about the time I took my code test. One doesn't progress beyond that point without the same effort it took to learn CW in the first place: practice. With keyers and keyboards so