Topband: Paddle keying

[Gary Smith]

Along that line and the one Mike, W0BTU 
suggested with the solenoid, here's an 
idea, cheap!

My mother was deaf and my dad, W1BML 
wanted her to become a ham. She had the 
problem of not hearing CW and when she 
would try to copy CW, she felt it via 
vibrations on the table the speaker was 
on.

Dad got the idea to take one of the carbon 
microphones for the 50's telephone and 
wire it to the headphone out that so it 
would vibrate against her forearm with CW 
and was held against her forearm by 
sliding her arm a sock with the tip cut 
off. It worked perfectly though she never 
learned the theory, she did learn CW.

He also experimented with speaker coils 
but found the mic element the most 
comfortable. Those aren't easy to find 
today but that moving coil did work.

With this arrangement you can get instant 
biofeedback to your keying.

73,

Gary
KA1J


> Hi John,
> 
> I know it is an old joke but...
> 
> You might consider learning to use a key with either of your feet. I
> once met an attorney with no arms. He was born that way. He did
> everything with his feet and was completely independent!
> 
> I had a CW QSO years ago with a ham in Pennsylvania and 45 minutes
> into the ragchew he told me he is completely deaf. He built what
> sounds like a Rube Goldberg device to feel the morse code instead of
> hearing it. Adapt and overcome:)
> 
> Good luck to you with your 'wars'. We each have our own wars :)
> 
> 73,
> 
> Bill  KU8H
> 
> On 10/28/2018 04:16 AM, John Randall via Topband wrote:
> > Hi Hank and all,
> >
> > Thanks for the replies. Mine is the pain afterwards and although I
> > have some issue chasing a nut across my desk to pick it up, I also
> > lose the ability to press hard enough on the keypad as I type this.
> > I usually just send it off without cheking spelling and its
> > sometimes messed up. I wonder if me using my left hand on the paddle
> > is a result of changes to my brain. I get shingles as well on a
> > regular basis so am always in the wars...hi When I got this Kent
> > paddle, I wanted to use my right hand, but it felt arkward and
> > unreal and then switched to my left hand and it felt natural as if I
> > had been using it for years. Strange what illnesses can do to one's
> > immune system and then affect the brain.I was told not to havethe
> > operation as if it goes wrong one is up the creak without any oares
> > to get back, so I am shying away from that.Touch paddles may not
> > work for me due to problems with lack of touch sensitivity
> >
> > 73John
> >
> >
> > Digitally signed mail - John  M0ELS
> >
> > "The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate
> > those who speak it." George Orwell
> >
> >
> >     On Sunday, 28 October 2018, 01:17:50 BST, HP <pfizenmayer at q.com>
> >     wrote:
> >
> >  Hi John -- I have pretty bad carpal tunnel as well  - some days
> >  worse than others -
> >
> > For holding the key down - I use double sided tape - works well.
> >
> > As far as sending - on days when its really bad  I describe it as
> > its like sending using a clothespin to move the paddle - but ontose
> > days the movement sort of moves to te wrist if its working for you
> > ..
> >
> > I have looked at using left hand - the hints I have been given are 
> > to NOT reverse the paddles - I am told its since our bodies are
> > mirror images -- I have practiced a bit but am a long way from using
> > it on the air !!!!
> >
> > I have been told I need to get the carpal surgery but I worry about
> > how much it helps at my age (84) - from what I read there is no
> > guarantee  . MIne is not all that painful - just numb - very hard to
> > pick up nuts and bolts - very frustrating . 73 Hank K7HP
> >
> > _________________
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> >
> 
> -- 
> bark less - wag more
> _________________
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