On Thu, 1 Apr 2010 20:41:54 EDT, notbob wrote:

I'm a retired geezer studying for my technical license. I fully
intend to learn morse code and not at a mere 5wpm. I figure one is
not truly a ham until one can cw, so I'm hot on it, listening to the
Koch method to learn code. I'm also looking for a GOOD straight key.

I want to invest in quality, but am not wealthy. I was gonna buy a
Vibroplex Know Code key, but the reviews are less than heartening.
So, I talked to Al at Milestone Technologies and he said something that
kinda set me back on my heels. He claimed a straight key is not much
good for anything over 15 wpm. Yikes!

Am I unnecessarily knocking myself out trying to learn code at Just
Learn Code's default 20wpm? Dropping down to 15wpm sure would speed
up the learning curve. If I want to eventually make 20wpm and faster,
would I be better off with a less expensive straight key in the
beginning and later investing the money in a quality bug? I want
to go bug before paddles and keyers. I guess the bottom line is, do I
want to graduate to a bug as soon as possible and maybe lower my
initial goals for a straight key. IOW, just get on the air?

Any advice is appreciated.

nb

First, I recommend the Farnsworth method. In Farnsworth, the
individual characters are sent at high speed but are spaced out to
slow down the overall speed. I learned with the characters being sent
at 28 WPM but the overall speed at 15 WPM. That way, I learned to
recognize the characters at 26 and was able to speed up without
difficulty.

Regardless of the method you use, you are to be congratulated for
committing to learn the code at a decent speed.

Listen to code on the air in addition to your practice. There's lots
of CW on 40. Don't worry if it's too fast for you -- listen and copy,
even though you may get only 1 out of 5 characters -- it'll come to
you.

Don't get too cranked up about speed. I can copy around 26 WPM but
most of my CW is ragchewing on 40 at 18 WPM; rarely up to 20. In
fact, I recall reading somewhere recently that most CW operation is
around 18 WPM.

I use a keyer but from time to time switch to my straight key. I can
rattle off 20 WPM on a straight key and may be able to go higher than
that. I have never heard that 15 WPM was about all you can get out of
a straight key.

Listen on 40 -- at the low end you'll find DX and speed demons. Above
about 7030 you'll find normal people who work between 15 and 20 WPM.

If you really want to operate CW, you'll want a keyer with paddle,
and, a straight key.

The bug is a fine device, lots of people still use them, but a bug is
difficult to adjust and it has a steep learning curve. Get a straight
key and learn the code. That way, you are learning only one thing at
a time -- the code -- then, you can switch to a bug later on if you
really want to.

Another option is to get a keyer that has built-in code practice. The
better keyers will have practice routines that allow you to set the
character speed and the overall speed. You can then use the keyer
after you get on the air.

For many years, the old military J-38 was pretty much the standard
straight key. If you can find one, go for it.
http://k6ix.net/J38Keys.html

Check out the Bencher RJ-1.
http://www.morsex.com/bencher/index.htm

The Nye Classic Oval Speed-X is a fine key. It's a copy of the J-38.
http://www.morsex.com/nye/index.htm

Friend of mine has one of these and loves it:
http://www.kent-engineers.com/HANDkeyINFO.htm

Some folks swear by the Russian Cherkassy keys. Note this guy's
comment that he sends 25 WPM on a Cherkassy
http://www.aa5tb.com/keys.html

Whatever key you get, you'll want to mount it on a thin piece of
something -- wood, plexiglas, etc. I have a Nye Classic Oval that I
mounted on a 10-inch x 10-inch piece of plexiglass -- mount the key
along the center of one edge so your wrist and forearm are resting on
the plexiglas when you are sending.

If you look at the photos of the J-38 you'll see that the key has a
small base. When you press down on the key, it wants to tip up --
that's why you want to mount it on a long base so the key remains
stable.

Go to this website and scroll down to the photos of the J-37 -- note
the long base that extends beyond the knob -- this keeps the key from
tipping toward you when you are really pounding brass.
http://www.k5prt.com/equipment_keys.html

Here's one guy's collection:
http://sites.google.com/site/wb9lpu/straightkeynight


I recommend the Nye Oval Speed-X -- order it with the "Navy knob."

You may find these helpful:

http://www.morsecode.nl/index2.html

http://www.fists.org/

http://home.windstream.net/yoel/