[CQ-Contest] The (physical) Mechanics of 2 KB SO2R

[Ken K6MR]

For me it depends on the mode.  On RTTY you rarely have to type a call, so one hand per keyboard works fine.  And even if you do have to type a call, things happen so slowly it is not a problem to do it with one hand.

On CW (and the little phone I do) I don’t have the movement problem because I use small keyboards, the ones without the number pad and such.  The two of them are not a whole lot bigger than a full sized keyboard.  I angle them a bit to face me, and my chair swivels.  But I really don’t move all that much to get both hands on either keyboard.  I can’t say I’ve ever noticed any pain from what little moving I do.

Ken K6MR

From: Mike Smith VE9AA<mailto:ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca>
Sent: Thursday, January 14, 2021 17:34
To: cq-contest at contesting.com<mailto:cq-contest at contesting.com>
Subject: [CQ-Contest] The (physical) Mechanics of 2 KB SO2R

Those of you doing SO2R with TWO Keyboards.

Are you typing on the left keyboard only with one hand (the left, obviously)

and on the right keyboard with only one hand (the right)



or



are you swiveling your chair just a little each time you move to the other
keyboard (and using both hands)



or



are you twisting your body slightly to be able to reach all keys on
whichever KB (and using both hands)



or



Something I haven't thought of.



I can't get to a level of comfort on any of the 3 above..I can type one
keyboard/one hand and it's semi-comfortable

as my torso remains mostly upright/facing forward, but it's not fast enough
to keep up, whereas I can keep up no problem swiveling or twisting but
muscles ache and pain after an hour or two and I have to stop.



Case in point..I put in only 6hrs and 11 mins in last w/e's NAQP CW (and
that's with a 2 hour break midway and I made 20.5% extra Q's on the 2nd
radio, but on Sunday I felt like I had been twisted like a pretzel by Lou
Ferrigno or something.



Maybe that says more about my lack of a slender physique these days than my
technique.



I dunno.



Any ideas?  I use full size keyboards (a 17" and an 18").and a mouse +
paddles up on top of a radio I try to avoid.

Not sure if going to mini keyboards (about 12" wide) is the answer or
something else I haven't thought of.



I don't really want to go back to one keyboard, as 2 is so intuitive..and my
mistakes have been greatly reduced.



Tnx !



Mike VE9AA



Mike, Coreen & Corey

Keswick Ridge, NB



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