[TenTec] Keyer Info

[ve1bn at ns.sympatico.ca]

Hello Hank - K7HP,

Could not send to you direct as can't find your email address in QRZ.com or 
in buckmasters.

I guess you would not have a problem with your CMOS4.  It is an iambic keyer 
which means if you had a dual paddle key and squeezed both paddles 
together, it would send .-.-.-.-.-    With your single lever Vibroplex you are 
unable to do a squeeze, so you have no problem.  Ultimatic (squeeze keying)  
with a dual lever paddle, the first contact made, either a dit or a dah, would 
continue as either a stream of dahs or dits.

Because my paddle is a dual lever and the CMOS3 is iambic, I made a little 
board with a couple of ICs to transform it into a squeeze keyer.

Personally I find less paddle motion needed with squeeze keying.
For instance, let any op use an iambic keyer and try to send "Z" by holding 
the dah lever closed for two dahs and then squeeze the thumb lever long 
enough for two dits.  Can't be done with iambic. One must release the 
finger pressure first.  Requires some practice for iambic ops to change over, 
but it a lot easier in the long run. Other characters are similar, for instance 
"B,C,D,F" and so on.

Hope this explains what I meant by Ultimatic versus Iambic.  I have spent 
40 years using a Zephyr Vibroplex bug and 20 with electronic keyers. 

CW Forever, Hank!

73 -  Don,  VE1BN