Monday, September 14, 2009

A Paddle is Not a Key (even if you turn it on its side)

a quick post-script to my post of earlier this afternoon...  i walked past my K3 and turned it on and spun down to the CW end of the 40m band and heard NI1I calling CQ fairly slowly and thought, "oh heck... i can probably carry on a QSO for the first time in over 30 years with no preparation...  its just like falling off a bicycle"...  and it was...  skinned knees and bloody elbows and all...  and multitudinous blessings on the head of Jim, NI1I from Fairchance, PA (the only parts of the actual QSO i was actually able to put on paper), for his patience.

(did you know that under 'pressure' the brain can forget which of only -two- fingers controls the dit's and which controls the dah's and, instead, simply and convulsively squeeze both paddles at the same time, something not possible with a straight key, sending out random groups of tones that sound like letters but don't actually form any words?...  neither did i!)

anyway, i now have a complete CW QSO under my belt.  things can only dit better! (ha ha ha ha ha)

ow

73
de Robin (W6RDG)

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