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

[Courtney Judd]

hey Mike and All, I use two keyboards just for one radio (ft5000) and it 
works out quite well. Both keyboards are the small versions: first one 
is USB wireless with trackball/scroll wheel going to computer... 
controls the focus (entry, packet,etc) in Writelog or DX4win and the 
second is PS2 going to the microHam Keyer2 which allows me to send CW or 
RTTY without loosing the focus in the first board. PS2 sits right up 
front of the radio and the USB one sits on a pull out drawer that pulls 
out right in front of me. I think I could use the microHam router 
software to send SSB messages too but haven't tried that. Writelog does 
that really well and I have the Yaesu FH2 for that as well. I like the 
small wireless keyboards with trackball but Adesso  dropped theirs and 
now using Banalove . Cu all in the contests HNY 73's Cort K4WI
> Ken K6MR <mailto:k6mr at outlook.com>
> Thursday, January 14, 2021 10:15 PM
> 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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