[UK-CONTEST] Keyer or Keyboard? (Longish)

[G3SJJ]

Just reflecting on my experiences during NFD over last weekend and wondered
if I could illicit some from differing schools of thought on CW contesting.

I was recently looking at a photograph of myself operating NFD around 1970
using an ETM2 transistorised keyer, I recall using one of the first logic
designs in the late 70s and then G3RVM's Ultimatic, moving to the N0II, on
to the ETM90 and finally the microHam Keyer using WinKey, (Curtis A, Auto
Character Spacing.)  Throughout all this I have been an active contester
moving from paper logging to computer logging about 16 years ago. For me,
operating technique consists of two important aspects:

Ergonomics, positioning of main and peripheral equipment. Keyer paddle just
to the right of the keyboard and keyer speed controls towards the left.

Marketing, how I come across to potential punters, how to complete the
exchange to the satisfaction of both parties and possibly to get them to
call me on another band/mode.

I use a combo of Keyer and semi-keyboard (ie F Keys/Insert/+). When the rate
is high I am happy to conduct all sending on the keyer, with my left hand
doing hunt and peck on the keyboard to enter info. I tend to use the F-keys
when things slow down.

Until the last year or so I have assumed that similar styles or variations
where the norm. I have detected the odd inference that a different style was
becoming more prevalent, which leads me to my 2 NFD experiences. The control
system we used could not cope with any external keying and so all sending
was done using semi or full keyboard mode. Very difficult for me as I was
severely limited in my marketing technique, other than suing ALT K and doing
hunting and peck. EG, I wanted to move G3GRS/P: ALT K, t r y  4 0 m. Reply
was Why?  !!  ALT K, Q S O, Reply was QRG?  ALT K,  7   0   3   0. (Even
longer gaps because I was hunting along the top number row, since I have Num
Lock on. What a bl--dy shambles. I really did feel so embarrassed and to top
it all didn't get the move.

The other 3 ops had no problem since they were keyboard proficient and
obviously used to this style of operating. Which leads me to me to my
thoughts about the alternative style. It seems to me there is a newer
generation of operators, who are firstly keyboard proficient, having learnt
computer skills BEFORE they came in to contesting. to them, sending data out
is no different to recording data in. Don't misunderstand me, I am not
decrying this. I perceive there is a growth in this aspect of operating. It
would be interesting to get a feel for the extent and to hear views on both
aspects.

Chris G3SJJ (op at G3NKC/P)
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