To: <Fists@mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [Fists] Sideswipers
Date: Saturday, September 07, 2002 9:34 AM

I use a side swiper, and think it's great,

1. You can send good cw without a side tone (I use boat anchors and home 
   brews, which don't have side tones.)  Try that with a bug or keyer.

2.  You can change speeds instantly, with no adjustments.

3.  You can send a long dash for zero, and hold the key down for test or 
    tuning.  (Try that with a keyer.)

4.  It's not nearly as fatiguing, and you can send faster, than you can 
    with a straight key.

5.  Here's the biggie: you get only as many dots as you want.  How many
    times do you hear 5 for H, H for S, L for R, etc.?

6.  It gives you something to talk about in QSO, after you've done RST, 
    QTH, name, wx, rig, and age.

My side swiper is a Vibroplex paddle with the dot and dash sides wired 
in parallel.  Simplest thing in the world!

Dan K8JWR
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