Some of you make me drool with envy. I used to have what I thought was a
decent fist, but then I switched to squeeze keying. That was 25 years ago
and my fist has never been as good since. It happened when I discovered
squeeze paddles and iambic keyers.
Wish I could switch back and unlearn 25 years worth. Maybe I could have a
fist to be proud of again. Cannot tell you how many times I have tried, and
that includes using the "other" hand, without success to switch back to non
squeeze keying. Is there a secret I have missed along the way? And no, it
is not because of A vs B curtis chips. I am a B user, cause I cannot make
the letter C consistently with A keying.
I went the total route; pump to bug to the original TO keyer ( I built one)
to the Original Curtis chip Lil Bugger to an Accu-Memory Keyer ( I built
one) to the K3 and Orion internal today. All are/were excellent and equally
better than I was. By the way my straight key must have a navy knob on it.
I have several Benchers and one Shurr Proffi paddle. Both are fine
instruments.
I look longingly at a chrome Vibroplex Original made the same year I was and
a blue racer that is a bit younger than I am. I cannot use either. Nor can
I use the Lionel bug my dad was issued while in Burma during WWII and
subsequently used to work 300+ countries and who knows how many radiograms
while not on duty again during Korean action. If that one could talk, the
stories it would tell.
My alltime favorite is a beautiful Autronic non squeeze paddle. Weighs
enuff to stay put and has a feel that I have not seen duplicated. But, I
never had an original FYO. I do have a March on order.
This thread has convinced me to hook up the Autronic and try it again. I am
with the crowd that believes iambic keying has been a bane to sending good
cw. For some of us who may be anal retentive going back seems impossible,
and as I age my timing ain't sharp enuff to send good cw at 35+ by
squeezing, even if I only do it on some of the characters. I teach cw to
new hams and force myself to use a keyboard so at least they can hear
perfect cw while learning. But, keyboard cw is not the same when on the air
to me. Just not fun.
I chase dx and contest mostly with the keyboard now. Sometimes I use the
paddles, but do not do it well. I would love to un-learn squeeze keying so
I can comfortably rag chew again.
My hat is off to those of you who can switch back and forth and do it well.
73 bob de w9ge
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