Keeping paddles in place

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Keeping paddles in place

David A. Belsley
I haven't followed this entire thread, so I may simply be repeating  
something already said --- but, if your paddles are moving while  
sending, particularly ones as heavily weighted as the HexKey, you are  
simply pressing too hard.  It takes just the very slightest of  
pressure to close the paddles, far, far less than needed to move the  
base.  And that's all the pressure that need be (and, dare I say,  
should be) used, even in the heat of battle.  It takes practice,  
patience, and a developed skill to achieve this, but it is worthwhile  
learning to keep the pressure to "just what's needed".  Now, I am not  
talking here about using paddles in an inherently unstable situation,  
like /M.  There you will need some means to anchor the paddles in  
place.  But that is simply to provide a non moving target on an  
unsteady foundation.

You will also discover that when you use just the pressure that is  
needed, your sending will become more reliable and faster.  Action  
that starts moving the key around betrays excess and uncontrolled  
nervous energy.

best wishes,

david belsley, w1euy


--------------------------------------------
david a. belsley
professor of economics
boston college




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