Rick - Jim - Jerome - and the rest ... THANKS FOR THE "STRAIGHT" KEY
advice.
I have a cheap Chinese straight key, and an old Nye Viking key I
collected up over the past few years when I was just a mere SWL and l
planned for retirement and ham radio. I also have a Black Widow paddle
kit I made, and I have Ser. No. 006 of the Ten-Tec 40th Anniv Bencher BY
key - but I have not had it out of the box for fear I will destroy its
collector value (if any...) using it before I know how. I use the
straight key as a PTT switch. . . it is SUPPOSED to remind me to
practice every day.
The difficulty was ... what to use or try first... and you have solved that.
I am not asking for any other advice... because I know I will get ten
answers from the next nine hams I ask ! So I will just trust this
is correct. ;-)
Oh... yeah... I also have an old toy key thing from when my father was
a kid, and that was featured in an article by Dave Ingram, in CQ
Magazine, in June or July 2007. That was fun getting my name in print
in such a serious ham publication. Dave has published a series of
books on keys and paddles, etc.
So... I will start out shooting "straight" and move to a paddle. I
will check out the Vibroplex line as Scott Robbins was VERY nice to me
when he as at TT and I would like to return the favor and buy something
from his new venture.
Frankly, the single paddle with two finger pieces appeals to my inner
logic (or more likely ill-logic) but the whole notion seems most
straightforward to me. It appears a dual paddle is very close to that
in operation.
Thanks, again, ... now I just need to establish a regular training regimen.
SIDEBAR -- As for music, I think I like the key of G... as it seems
easiest to fashion Bluegrass licks and bass runs in that key. ;-)
===================== JHR ==================================
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