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

[Tom Wylie]

I guess I'm not very proficient at CW at all and getting worse as the years 
go by.   I used to contest all the time using the Bencher with various 
keyers, home made and purchased over the years.   Having been a plod, 
rozzer, bissy, fuzz, copper, pig for 32 years I am a self taught typist all 
be it with 1.5 fingers per hand.

When CT came out I felt I had to join the jet age and learn to send CW by 
keyboard.   I probably took the wrong approach and confined my trusty 
bencher to the bin.   For years I have struggled with the keyboard and I 
guess have managed to be as proficient as the next guy.

I disagree that 33-35 is a good sending contest speed, but I suppose it 
depends on the contest.  No point in sending at 35s if the guy on the 
receiving end cant copy.

I agree with all the points made about
replying to questions ---
sending non standard reports 559 etc
pressing the send key when the op has replied to somebody else
editing a qso both by sending the correct info and trying at the same time 
to edit the qso on screen

however, having made the transformation I find it equally hard to go 
backwards - though last week I did resurrect my trusty bencher and plug it 
into the microkeyer.  Sending CW was easier and a joy again (D'oh).

I didnt take my bencher to Gibraltar this year so anybody who worked me 
worked my keyboard.   Now, thats where my problems start at the moment. 
Thye old grey matter is getting denser with age - and whilst I copy the 
callsigns perfectly, sometimes the message gets screwed up by the time it 
reaches my fingertips, or on the odd occasion doesn't even reach my 
fingertips.

Its easier to correct mistakes by the hand than on the keyboard - but hey - 
isnt this supposed to be a hobby of self training.   So why is ut all the 
best ops - still send by hand......

Still learing

Tom
GM4FDM
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cooper, Stewart" <coopers at odl.co.uk>
To: "UK Contest Reflector" <uk-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 10:01 AM
Subject: Re: [UK-CONTEST] Keyer or Keyboard? (Longish)


>
> I use the keyboard as my primary input tool and hit the keyer when I want 
> to send a name, or "QSY been hr for 2 hrs", or something similar. The 
> keyer is connected to the so2r controller, so is effectively in parallel 
> with the PC. Last weekend in NFD the PC wasn't connected to the keying 
> line so it was all done on the keyer. I found this ergonomically 
> difficult, having to use the keyboard with only one hand most of the time. 
> Nevertheless, it is possible to enter text with the left hand whilst 
> sending with the right (or vice versa) - probably something that would 
> improve with practice. But then, I am sending with both hands if I'm using 
> the keyboard and I'm entering data in the log too so why use a manual key 
> at all?! I realise that keyboard skills and keying skills are significant. 
> I am happy using a keyboard, but can't touch type. This is something which 
> would make a vast difference to ease of operating and has been on my 
> wish-list for years. In fact I have started a course,
> but still a hvae long wau to og.
> There is an issue here - if you have a keyer connected directly to a radio 
> in an SO2R situation it is possible to key radio 2 whilst the PC works 
> someone on radio 1, which is contrary to the rules.
>
> Stewart
> GM4AFF
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com
> [mailto:uk-contest-bounces at contesting.com]On Behalf Of G3SJJ
> Sent: 08 June 2005 22:45
> To: UK Contest Reflector
> Subject: [UK-CONTEST] Keyer or Keyboard? (Longish)
>
>
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