[TenTec] Best Straight Key
Michael O. Hyder
N4NT@wireco.net
Mon, 20 Dec 1999 14:18:19 -0500
Iambic keyers are popular because people don't know any better! They sent
CQ at a hamfest on one and it was SOOOOO easy they fell for the bait. They
wanted their 'paddles.' What bullhockey! Geez, John, I thought I taught
you better than this.
Mike N4NT@wireco.net PS: Merry Christmas
----- Original Message -----
From: John/K4WJ <k4wj@att.net>
To: John - G3JAG <patents@dx0man.prestel.co.uk>; Paul Plasters
<peplasters@rockford.com>
Cc: <tentec@contesting.com>; Kathleen and Ari Avraham <avraham@cruzio.com>
Sent: Monday, December 20, 1999 12:44 PM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Best Straight Key
>
> At 10:12 PM 12/19/99 +0000, John - G3JAG wrote:
>
> >IAMBIC - UGH !@! I am convinced that the so-called iambic keyer owes
> >its design entirely to sloppy, corner-cutting programming. It can
> >only have been developed by a phone man. Very few useful code
> >combinations can be sent using it. Far more useful is the "ultimatic"
> >logic of yesteryear. For those unfamiliar with it, squeeze both paddles
> >and the last to close takes control, no mindless alternation between
> >dots and dashes. So a single squeeze can be a W, G, J, 7 or a 3 etc.
> >just by working the English on the timing of the second closure (whilst
> >hanging onto the first one, no need to let go). Much more user-friendly
> >than just squeezing an A,C, N, or a period.
>
> If the Ultimatic is so good, why aren't people clamoring for it? Why is
the
> Iambic keyer so popular and not many folks know what an Ultimatic keyer
is?
> You have to send the same dots and dashes to form a character that I do,
as
> we are both using the same code. Why is it "mindless" to form those
> characters when I use my iambic keyer but not mindless when you do it
using
> your Ultimatic?
>
> >Years ago I built the 12 tube Ultimatic keyer from QST; now I use the
> >most recent solid state version (hardly recent; its from the same
> >QST as contained the first review of the Drake TR-7 !!). Since then,
> >iambic has become fashionable, but it remains pretty useless. If only
> >the programmers of the beautiful Super CMOS III would see the light and
> >substitute Ultimatic logic for just one of those awful tedious
> >emulations !! Yes, I also have a Super CMOS III and yes, I did phone
> >the designers, but no joy.
> >
> >Once you have tried it you will not go iambic again out of choice. I do
> >have the option, but I never use it. Auto-character space on the other
> >hand is never turned off.
> >
> >John G3JAG - Over 40 years on CW, but now heading for my bomb shelter.
>
> The war has been over for more than 50 years. You've probably been
spending
> too much time in the bomb shelter and that is why your a lil behind the
> times..hi..hi..I couldn't resist this one. Iambic is a very good way to
> send CW. At least for me this is true. I would suspect that if the
> Ultimatic method was better the folks that created the CMOS II and III
> would have designed it to work like the Ultimatic.
>
> But then I always thought Beta was a better format for video tape and look
> what happened to it. Same with UNIX. I always thought it was a better
> operating system than Microsoft DOS and look what is happening to UNIX. I
> lost my Beta and Unix crusades and I think your going to lose your
> Ultimatic crusade.
>
> 73 and Iambic forever,
>
> John/K4WJ
>
>
> >
>
> 73..de John/K4WJ
> ***********************************************************
> John/K4WJ in Pembroke Pines, FL
> QTH 26 00 51 N
> 80 16 16 W
>
> K8PXG from 18 Jun 59 to 11 Feb 97
> K8WJ from 12 Feb 97 to 07 Apr 97
> ZF2HZ from 17 May 84 to 31 Dec 84
> ***********************************************************
>
>
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