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

[Gerard Lynch]

I can certainly do things a lot faster and more convenient on the keyboard,
as one of the generation who have been playing with computers pretty much
since they were out of nappies.

However, I never get the sort of rate from here that makes full keyboard
keying worth bothering about so I tend to send the callsign and incidental
stuff with the paddle and log with both hands during the other op's
exchange.  Somehow I can't hunt and peck instinctively, whereas with two
hands I am instinctive.  Having the serial number programmed into the
function keys in the rig saves making lots of mistakes when I'm tired,
though.

Also I tend to operate at around 30-33 wpm in contests and I ragchew a fair
bit faster outside them, which means I don't have to concentrate on sending
as it's all at a comfortable speed.  It saves a lot of mental effort and it
really is worth doing a bit of QRQ ragchewing to keep the CW skills sharp -
sending and receiving.  Also when I'm playing around with MorseRunner I do
it at speeds (50wpm+) which I'd never even dream of inflicting on people
during a contest, both from uncertainty about other people's copying skills
and my own QSD.

Obviously if I was operating from D4B, I'd have to rethink that strategy!
>From G0RTN, however, it works fine.

73

Gerry G0RTN
Vanity Page at http://www.gerrylynch.co.uk

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "G3SJJ" <g3sjj at btinternet.com>
To: "UK Contest Reflector" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 08, 2005 10:45 PM
Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Keyer or Keyboard? (Longish)


> 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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