How to operate a straight key

[@WhatNow4140]

I'm learning CW on a 1903 British Postal [straight] key. Ever since I've used his technique my error rate dropped to zero! He shows you starting at 2:15. It really works. Now I'm picking it up at a much faster pace! I'm learning from this man just watching him. He is a Master! When I get good at CW I'll buy a GHD. Right now I couldn't do it justice. Great video.

[@n9eerptr]

Your error rate decreased because you practiced as would be for any method.

[@meekhinglim4829]

I was a trained navy radio operator during the 80s when I served with Malaysian Royal Navy

[@Jabeanboy]

Mee Khing Lim ok?

[@Jabeanboy]

What’re you trying to say/mean?

[@meekhinglim4829]

@@Jabeanboy it reminded me of my days as a radio operator working in the navy and later on I was transferred to the wireless communication school as an instructor teaching tactical communication

[@Jabeanboy]

Mee Khing Lim ohhhh ok sorry

[@janetwinslow2039]

If you're using a straight key with a lovely raised knob like that one, it's much easier to use if you bring it to the front of the bench and position it directly in front of your right (or left) arm/hand.

[@magrum21]

Good information. Thank you for putting this video together. I'm new to CW, and using a Navy Flameproof straight key.

[@readmedottext]

Fascinatting technique. I wish I had learned that way on my old j38. It wouldn't help me much with my homebrew doorstop-spring key now. Great to see someone who really knows how to pound brass.

[@arizonabobusa]

This is a great instructional video for CW ops , and the man here is a master . You can tell he's been pounding brass for a lot of years . GHD sure do make beautiful keys !

[@n9eerptr]

In the video how the key is keyed and is totally wrong, one places their arm on the table with the wrist doing to the work, not the arm. Doing as in the video one will develop pain in the arm after long sending periods.

[@PaulTaylor1]

@@n9eerptr most people believe the opposite. Forearm and fingertips, no rapid flexing of the wrist as it's not built for it and you'll develop an injury.

[@n9eerptr]

@@PaulTaylor1 No most do not believe the opposite. Professionals do it with arm on the table. And the master for learning and sending the code, William G Pierpont, N0HFF (SK) who wrote The Art & Skill of Radio-Telegraphy and taught the military how to learn and send code for years teaches a totally different method. Also in the video the code being sent is lousy, timing is way off. It is also slow, try sending at 20wpm for 10 minutes with this method. And one adjust the key for ones good feel, not with paper and a weight. Different speeds require different adjustments.

[@RicktheRecorder]

@@n9eerptr I guess that you are probably American. Most operators elsewhere use the wrist and whole arm.

[@RicktheRecorder]

@@n9eerptr And at Portishead Radio, in its day the largest marine radio station in the world, all its operators used the floating arm method, as do most Europeans and Asians.

[@petrgrygar2191]

Opět jsem tu abych viděl a slyšel tu nádheru! Jsem doslova unešen tímto senzačním zařízením na nácvik telegrafie! Mít tu možnost a prachy, bez váhání bych to bral!! Japonci jsou na elektroniku fakt geniální, to se jim nedá upřít. Skvělá technika, hodná 21.století!!! CONGRATS, VY 73!!

[@b.vanc.3285]

I like this pure and manual morse method. It´s pure control and close to thinking.

[@eogg25]

good instruction, i dont have my forearm resting on the table either. i use a j45 leg key and have used cw for 40 years and still dont have carpal tunnel, u don't need to send more than 18 wpm but it can be easily done with a straight key and the majority of people i hear using bugs send lousy cw.

[@nasidoori]

電鍵の種類が、たいへん分りやすいです。 高校生だった４０余年前に戻ってしまいそうです。 年金もらえたら買って遊びたい。

[@zoolkhan]

_not_ having the ellbow rested, has its limits during long QTCs. (i speak from navy experience) However, his wrist technique is perfect and can be applied with resting ellbow as well as with floating ellbow... he is a good teacher.

[@RicktheRecorder]

You can only use the lazy arm method if you have a low-profile key, which most outside the USA are not.

[@MrSteelbeast]

Nokia message ascending tone is a morse code for CONNECTING PEOPLE.

[@eugengrzondziel1706]

I´m very impressed! Straight japanese Perfection: informative, compact and very helpfull. Domo arigato and 73!

[@petrgrygar2191]

Perfektní, opravdu vymakaný zařízení k nácviku telegrafie!! Dokonce i s poloautomatem. Vybavení opravdu na úrovni 21.století!!

[@johnkemas7344]

Great CW op! He knows his stuff for sure. Love the beat, I;'' give it a 10, but I'd only rate it at a 5 to dance to!!

[@WPF465B]

Thank you, excellent instruction.

[@eogg25]

nice demo, like the demo for the cootie key, i'll have to make one and try it.

[@Sams911]

His technique may not be the best for some, but I can tell you this much.. he makes the absolute best straight key on the planet... the GHD GT501MIL..

[@RicktheRecorder]

Doesn't it seem unlikely that someone who makes the nicest keys in the world would have a poor technique?

[@toobroke2fight]

This man is very good! Very Good! nice fist!

[@ezengondolkozom3700]

This is the jam

[@widgeteye]

WOW! Absolutely excellent fist! This guy is good. N5LLW

[@oh1fjv]

Which software is used in the video?

[@wheedler]

Zoolkhan hasn't commented lately on resting the elbow. I'm looking forward to his return!

[@ThewhiteStarline100]

hi tere people i bougth one of these and took it to my friend and he lives like 16 milles from me and it works

[@bizzimartini]

This guy sends really well!...now I know why we couldn't intercept the messege about the attack on Pearl Harbor...lol!

[@xuzx007]

great video for beginner, but i want know, what is the software at the time 5:00, who can tell me, thx

[@pjeaton58]

Does the Morse code only encrypt the Roman alphabet or do you have a version for Japanese Hiragana ?? Domo arigato !

[@harrygatto]

Google Japanese Wabun Morse Code. de JG1***

[@UpcomingJedi]

Does anyone know what software is he using?

[@OttoKopeczky]

ソフトウェアの名前は何ですか？ どこでそれを得ることができますか？

[@9w2pju]

yes, what is the software please ?

[@bingyao]

Where can I get the software?

[@brucemorris1418]

I disagree - that is far too large a gap and too much tension. You would not be able to send for very long without getting "glass arm" now termed RSI. His grip on the key is absolutely perfect and I always recommend one with a skirt. = DE GW4XXF +

[@starinthe]

Software's name? Im gonna learn CW i would use that software to fix my timing! :-)

[@SkyWire88]

I would LIKE to see this video presented by an English speaking operator.

[@VulcanOnWheels]

I think you wanted to reply to Chris Ould. If you had posted this as a reply to his message, you would have had a greater chance of Chris seeing it.

[@typoon514]

역시 일본 장비가 좋네요 지금은 오리지날 일본 장비가 없어 아쉽지요

[@claudem.p.7969]

very good

[@sv2clj]

Excellent Job! thanks de Thomas SV2CLJ

[@zoolkhan]

ellbow should rest. if you do longer QTCs with floating ellbow you will get a sloppy rhytm (QSD) as you tire much faster. Aside from that... domo arrigatou

[@RicktheRecorder]

That's the US technique. No much used elsewhere.

[@zoolkhan]

lol, software? for what?

[@davekloet5252]

software name and download site please

[@mubmik]

I also wonder it.

[@un7tae153]

+Dave Kloet The program has a name Win CW, but it's in Japanese. I have this program.

[@nw7us]

Very good video instruction. Thank you. 73 de NW7US dit dit

[@littleoutlaw4224]

$550 GHD Keys GT501A Finest Straight Key GT501A

[@JustWickedSwede]

Tell me.. when you are not transmitting, are you a drummer? // sm6yzc

[@zoolkhan]

it would be even better with a resting ellbow.

[@notforchat]

You don't find many ops in the USA sending with their wrist off the table like that. Most Americans prefer to use a bent lever to keep their arm down on the table. Seems like too much work to lift your arm the way he does. GHD also sells the straight keys with the bent lever for the USA. They're a FB key for sure...

[@DataID]

Very good!! 73's de SV2BWM...

[@TheMCzorro]

Kamaete TONTONTON :)

[@riottaba]

huge gap

[@DavyTop]

Sorry OM but you should be talking about three sounds. dah di dah dit dah dah di dah. (CQ)

[@Capecodham]

next how to talk?

[@tonyhii76]

Amazing And Awesome.wish i could be like him. 9w8hkt.

[@Ram-ox4eg]

THNX 73 DE VU2MXM

[@brian.7966]

using a key is a personal thing, so long as it's comfortable for you, then it's the right way, there is no right or wrong way to use one.

[@RicktheRecorder]

Not really. There are better ways and worse ways, just as in golf.

[@petchharrison]

nice keys look well made...jeff m6glh

[@zoolkhan]

another video on how professionals operate a straight key, with subtitles: /watch?v=x6ggckXtZjs

[@astrosimone]

Improper form? Nevermind .... go to school and learn ;-) (never heard about English-type sending?)

[@iz7geg]

yes for sure , it is very improper way, i learned cw on r/o shipsboard school, ant that not professional manipolation

[@n9eerptr]

And using his wrist to make the characters, should be using only his hand. No not a good way to send CW.

[@RicktheRecorder]

You keep repeating this myth.

[@n9eerptr]

@@RicktheRecorder This myth as you say is supported by William G Pierpont, the writer of "The Art & Skill of Radio-Telegraphy". He was well known for teaching the sending and receiving of CW and was long time advisor to the military. Alai dor about every type of key used for CW, bug or electronic, a side to side stroke with arm and hand on the table is used and for good reason. Take it from someone who had to send CW for hours at a time. But to each their own, main thing is to get the timing for sending correct.

[@RicktheRecorder]

@@n9eerptr i've dealt with Mr Pierpont in other comments I have made on this video, which no doubt you can find.

[@jamilsouzagodoisouzagodoy1099]

Bosta!!!

[@Chris-Ould]

improper form using the straight key ...his arm will tire out very fast . He should have his forearm resting on the table. 73 de ve3rkp

[@RicktheRecorder]

Sorry, nonsense. Three quarters of the world's professional operators use this style.

[@n9eerptr]

No not the way. With the arm and fist up high one will get a tired fist and arm when sending long messages. Proper way is first the knob it too high and second need to position so arm is lying on the table, like one writing with a pin, how many write with their arm or hand up off the surface, same with key. Nice looking key, but not the best design. Look at the way the Navy use to do it when they used CW. They had like J38s with knob down and low so op could rest low on the table. Yes the op has good fist, but how long before his arm gets tired.

[@outdoorbeginners2068]

All european keys have hight knob. The technique of this OM is perfect but in the italian navy they were used to put the elbow on the table. But the technique of moving the wrist is better prevent pain in the wrist because you actually use the forearm to transmit. There's no force applied by the wrist that naturally follow the forearm. All of European professional cw operator worked for a lot of hour on ship using this technique. Search for I4CQO.

[@n9eerptr]

@@outdoorbeginners2068 Yes many that have taught sending with straight key do say rest arm on the table. The way it is done in the video one will get pain in the arm after long periods of time. And what about using a bug or a electronic keyer, does one hold their arm off the table, heck no. As was written in "The Art& Skill of Radio Telegraphy" by William Pierpont who gave instruction to the US Navy on learning to receive and send the code saying "The key should be located far enough back from the edge of the operating table, about 18 inches, that the elbow is just off the edge of the table. The operator's arm rests lightly on the table with the wrist off the table" The wrist, not the fingers or the whole arm, does the work as the key goes down and up. Keep the wrist off the table." I when learning and using the code as a Novice and sending for longer periods rest my arm on the table for having off the table did develop pain and had much less control of the key.

[@RicktheRecorder]

@@n9eerptr One just loves the self-confidence of Americans. Just because one William Pierpont taught a particular method suitable for a specific low-profile design of key, doesn't mean its more right or better than other methods. "The way it is done in the video one will get pain in the arm after long periods of time." is obviously nonsense if three-quarters of the world's professional operators use that method. It plainly doesn't cause injury.

[@n9eerptr]

@@outdoorbeginners2068 I think you hit it, most European keys are made with high knob, where most US keys like Vibroplex and old keys like the famous J38 have the forward shaft coming down and knob very low. So how one sends probably depends on where the knob is. But I do see having low and arm on the table makes it more confrontable. Try just holding your arm out in front of you for 5 minutes like the sending in the video vs resting on a table. One would not normally write on paper with arm high, same with sending. Just makes sense to me. But I use a electronic keyer. Use to be good with straight key, used ole $2.95 key from ARRL as Novice and took my 20 wpm Extra in front of FCC with I think they gave me a J38, passed with no issues. But after getting off CW for 20 years when returned was so bad had to use electronic keyer. Still have couple J38s, but too lazy to relearn it, hi.