Hi Kevin,
A number of years ago I was experiencing some problems with my right hand and decided that I would try to relieve some of it’s stress by learning to work my paddles with my left hand. Before I describe my experience I should say that I am so dominantly right-handed that even seeing a baseball batter bat left-handed “feels” awkward in my brain!
I switched the keyer to “reverse” so that dahs are activated by my left index finger and dits with my left thumb. I did this because I thought that there was a possibility that my thumb’s motion on the paddle might be a little bit smoother and faster than the somewhat sideways index finger motion. I don’t know if that is actually the case. I then practiced, practiced, practiced off the air. It took me a long time, but I eventually got the hang of it and was able to build up to a comfortable sending speed. For me that’s a maximum of about 25 wpm.
I am now somewhat of a switch hitter with my CW. At home I always work my paddles as described above with my non-dominte left hand, often holding a pencil in my right. But I work a bug or straight key with my right hand. (I don’t use a bug very often but I do use a straight key a lot.) Oddly enough, I also sometimes work a paddle with my right hand because when I operate portable I usually hold my Palm mini-paddle in my left hand and work it with my right with the keyer in “normal” mode. Switching hands and the keyer setting doesn’t seem to bother me at all in this situation. (I often do not have a table to place the paddle on when I am portable.)
I haven’t worked a straight key with my left hand. Just before typing this email I tried a little left-handed straight key and it wasn’t very good. I guess that the coordination in my left finger muscles is a lot different from the wrist and forearm muscles that are used for a straight key. With practice I might be able to do it but that awkward left-handed batter feeling was very big in my brain!
So the bottom line is that with enough practice you should be able to switch your sending. Good luck!
73,
Paul - N8XMS
NAQCC President
NAQCC #0675
http://www.naqcc.info/ <
http://www.naqcc.info/>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home:
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp:
http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: mailto:
[hidden email]
This list hosted by:
http://www.qsl.netPlease help support this email list:
http://www.qsl.net/donate.htmlMessage delivered to
[hidden email]
Locked
