I came across a sideswiper on a Russian-built ship in the 70s. Transition from a straight key was a few minutes, as I had never used a bug. They were very handy for OBS msgs (number-coded weather reports). Much less likely to get CTS/glass arm/w@nkers cramp, and much clearer and faster than the Marconi key. I liberated it, and have it now in a transport museum, where I volunteer. Funny thing is, in 3 years in Radio college, it never got a mention. I had often wondered why the russian operators were so much better than us. Sideswiper explained it. 73.
It's my understanding that sideswiper is different than a bug. A bug has a swing arm on a spring with a weight that will cause a continuous stream of dits when you swing it in that direction. A cootie key or sideswiper is like a straight key on its side with the same contact in both directions. So you need to hold it for the dashes and tap it for the dits, but there's no automatic generation of dits.
@@loughkb Correct. Speed adjustment and dot/dash formation are entirely down to the operator. You don't lose the rhythm of the straight key, but it is much easier on the wrist. I cannot understand why the straight key was favoured over the sideswiper.
I’m delighted! Someone FINALLY talks to the ‘Sideswiper’! Some time back, I acquired a key array from an old merchant marine radio operator. It thought it nice…it was self contained in a home brew box. When I got it home and opened the top of the box, there were two keys. One a straight key and one strange lookin’ thing that turned out to be the original…as you pictured. It took some getting used to but I really prefer it to paddles or a bug! I am, by no means a high-speed sender…just enjoy occasional CW contacts. Thanks for sharing this. Glad to know I have a COOTIE! (Never heard it called that before…been a ham since ‘77) Again, thanks and 73!
Since I learned cootie I rarely pound brass and never use paddles any more. I like total control of speed and spacing. Also they are easy to make and can be elegant or sinfully ugly-both can work well. I have magnetic springing in mine (a handmade that I've reworked a bit-it came with coil springs).
Tanks for the video and for the model. Here is a little fun fact: in Russian language this type of key is known as "a saw" (пила), because it works kind of like a two-man saw. 73 de R2AUK
BTW, I appreciate your history of the sideswiper. I had thought it was a Russian idea, as I encountered it on Russian-built ships. I also came across bubble sextants there, and our navigation officers didn't know what they were for. Makes you wonder.
Great video....and clever 3D Cootie! I was a ham 35 years before reading about Sideswipers in QST magazine....I built one with a hacksaw blade...learned it over a few days to a week. Love it. BTW...Kent makes a commercially available Cootie key....I bought one....very good quality. Now...I'm looking for the holy grail....that original 1900"s Bunnell one! Every cw loving ham should learn to use a Cootie!
Thanks Kevin ..... I was planning on making a key and this way I can still have a fist after the Carpel Tunnel issues .... good key for having and thanks for the 3D printing files and your hard work =)
CW Morse makes and sells them these days. If you want to try before you buy, you can also use a single lever paddle with your radio in straight key mode and it acts like a cootie.
It's easy to convert your paddle to a cootie key. All you need is a stereo jack and a mono plug. Combine the Tip & Ring to the Tip of the mono plug. The sleeve is the same for both. Now you can use a single or double lever paddle as a cootie key. It is easy to make a adapter cable for this and not have to rewire the paddle.
Thank you for a very clear explanation and demonstration of the Cootie Key. Now, I know what it is and how it works.... and that I don't want one. (LOL!). 😁🤣
Side swiper key, UGH! Something else that I have lost over many moves through the years... "Cootie" key is new term to me. Facinating video. I'm going to have to learn more about these 3-D printers. Do you have any tutorial videos on these? Many thanks and 73... de K4WRF
Hi Kevin.. I made one of your Arduino keyers, which works well….until I fire up the TX..then the keyer has a mind of its own😩..Despite my efforts to suppress the RF in the shack, I still haven’t been able to stabilise it..So, inspired by your video about Sideswipers, I put one together in a few minutes..and your comment..”Kinda sloppy”, doesn’t come close to describing my first efforts at sending intelligible Morse😩..However, I will practice, and I will succeed…maybe..but as we say in the UK..it’s difficult teaching an old dog new tricks..😊 73s Kevin ..and many thanks for your many videos.. John..G4EIJ..Bristol..UK
Hi John, you must be getting a lot of RF in the shack if it's crashing the arduino. Put a choke on the keying line going to the radio and the line going to your paddles and ground the metal case the keyer is in. (unless it's not metal, in that case put it in a metal box.) Common causes of RF in the shack. Antenna is too close. If the antenna is an ed fed wire, put a common mode choke on the coax at the feed point and make sure you have a counterpoise wire on the ground side of the feed point.
Many thanks for the advice, Kevin.. I’ll try and sort it.. The arduino doesn’t stall, but it just adds random extra dots or dashes to the characters😟.. I thought it was my keying at first but it only happens when the RF is fired up.. 73..John
@@johnrees44..G4EIJ That's probably RF coming in on the key line. It goes directly to the arduino. I'd add a choke to that line and maybe 0.01 uf caps to ground on those wires just inside the case, at the connector. Caps won't interfere with the keying, just bleeds of RF coming in on those wires. (if there is a noticable delay, the caps could be reduced to 0.001uf and probably work)
Simply rewire your paddle/s to one contact and turn off the keyer. Bammo you too can SideSwipe! The original is a beauty! Also it's a big help to read the old-school proper way to swipe it. Yes side to side always and always starting on the same side, some characters actually don't change. www.mtechnologies.com/cootie.htm (as I see you linked) and sideswipernet.org/articles/n1ea-sending.php It's a real joy to hear a great fist on a swiper (or a straight key) in a world of lop-sided bugs.
Impressive stuff. I've been using 'side-swipers' and twin paddle (Iambic) keys for many years and it's definitely the way to go if you are interested in CW, particularly if you are a 'rag-chewer' :-) All the side-swipers I've used have been connected to an Iambic keying unit and you can really send fast and furious and with little effort (less chance of getting that glass wrist ;-) ) . Holding down one side gives you the dits and the other side the dah's ... takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you have, you can start to fly :-) . Twin paddle Iambic keying is definitely the best/fastest/easiest way of sending CW and recommended, again, for 'rag-chewing' mode. Great design for your key... I wonder if you can hook it up to an Iambic keying unit and have the traditional, iambic side-swiper experience? 73
Kevin, just found your channel thru one of your 3D printer videos. Do you have a playlist for your printer and cad design videos? I'm trying to find anything you posted that is related to printing or cad design. Thanks for sharing! Jim
Begali makes a couple of commercial cooties. I don’t have one, but do have one of their straight keys and it is far and away the best key I have used. They are pricey, but you do get a great product that will last a lifetime.
Kevin. While I enjoy and learn a lot from watching your videos I would like to remind you that WE don't send or receive Dots and Dashes. They're known as Dits and Days.
Obviously. There are options though. Many libraries have 3D printer labs, hacker spaces have popped up in many cities. And there's online resources where prints can be ordered.
Why if in the 1880s wrist injury was an issue did the straight key not die off to be replaced with side swiped. More importantly if Morse was so widely used in world war two. Why was all the Morse keys I see sold now are all straight and not side?
The side swiper was mostly replaced by the bug back then, so you should be asking why everyone wasn't using vibroplex bugs. You'll have to go back in time and ask some telegraph operators. None of them bothered to write down why.
Easy. Money. I interviewed several WWII radiomen for QST in the 90s, and they commonly made themselves a sideswiper when they graduated from signal school. Couldn't afford a bug yet.
I came across a sideswiper on a Russian-built ship in the 70s. Transition from a straight key was a few minutes, as I had never used a bug. They were very handy for OBS msgs (number-coded weather reports). Much less likely to get CTS/glass arm/w@nkers cramp, and much clearer and faster than the Marconi key. I liberated it, and have it now in a transport museum, where I volunteer. Funny thing is, in 3 years in Radio college, it never got a mention. I had often wondered why the russian operators were so much better than us. Sideswiper explained it. 73.
It's my understanding that sideswiper is different than a bug. A bug has a swing arm on a spring with a weight that will cause a continuous stream of dits when you swing it in that direction.
A cootie key or sideswiper is like a straight key on its side with the same contact in both directions. So you need to hold it for the dashes and tap it for the dits, but there's no automatic generation of dits.
@@loughkb Correct. Speed adjustment and dot/dash formation are entirely down to the operator. You don't lose the rhythm of the straight key, but it is much easier on the wrist. I cannot understand why the straight key was favoured over the sideswiper.
I’m delighted! Someone FINALLY talks to the ‘Sideswiper’! Some time back, I acquired a key array from an old merchant marine radio operator. It thought it nice…it was self contained in a home brew box. When I got it home and opened the top of the box, there were two keys. One a straight key and one strange lookin’ thing that turned out to be the original…as you pictured. It took some getting used to but I really prefer it to paddles or a bug! I am, by no means a high-speed sender…just enjoy occasional CW contacts. Thanks for sharing this. Glad to know I have a COOTIE! (Never heard it called that before…been a ham since ‘77) Again, thanks and 73!
Since I learned cootie I rarely pound brass and never use paddles any more. I like total control of speed and spacing. Also they are easy to make and can be elegant or sinfully ugly-both can work well. I have magnetic springing in mine (a handmade that I've reworked a bit-it came with coil springs).
3d printed cootie key. The definition of old tech vs new tech. Great video.
Tanks for the video and for the model. Here is a little fun fact: in Russian language this type of key is known as "a saw" (пила), because it works kind of like a two-man saw. 73 de R2AUK
BTW, I appreciate your history of the sideswiper. I had thought it was a Russian idea, as I encountered it on Russian-built ships. I also came across bubble sextants there, and our navigation officers didn't know what they were for. Makes you wonder.
Great video....and clever 3D Cootie! I was a ham 35 years before reading about Sideswipers in QST magazine....I built one with a hacksaw blade...learned it over a few days to a week. Love it. BTW...Kent makes a commercially available Cootie key....I bought one....very good quality. Now...I'm looking for the holy grail....that original 1900"s Bunnell one! Every cw loving ham should learn to use a Cootie!
Thanks Kevin ..... I was planning on making a key and this way I can still have a fist after the Carpel Tunnel issues .... good key for having and thanks for the 3D printing files and your hard work =)
That's just plain cool!
CW Morse makes and sells them these days. If you want to try before you buy, you can also use a single lever paddle with your radio in straight key mode and it acts like a cootie.
The kg6mn GE plant in Ontario Calif where they made ions the hams used to get regects and made the side swipers kg6mn
It's easy to convert your paddle to a cootie key. All you need is a stereo jack and a mono plug. Combine the Tip & Ring to the Tip of the mono plug. The sleeve is the same for both. Now you can use a single or double lever paddle as a cootie key. It is easy to make a adapter cable for this and not have to rewire the paddle.
Now I know what a cootie key is, thanks!
Neat and Interesting history too.
Very clever design !! Thanks for sharing. -Joe N3HEE
Thank's Kevin, very well explained.
totally interesting video thanks for for the super videos
Another great video Kevin - Thanks :)
Thank you for a very clear explanation and demonstration of the Cootie Key.
Now, I know what it is and how it works.... and that I don't want one. (LOL!). 😁🤣
Side swiper key, UGH! Something else that I have lost over many moves through the years... "Cootie" key is new term to me. Facinating video. I'm going to have to learn more about these 3-D printers. Do you have any tutorial videos on these?
Many thanks and 73...
de K4WRF
Yes, I have several videos. Browse back to my videos and you'll find a series starting with the printer and then the various software to be used.
Hi Kevin.. I made one of your Arduino keyers, which works well….until I fire up the TX..then the keyer has a mind of its own😩..Despite my efforts to suppress the RF in the shack, I still haven’t been able to stabilise it..So, inspired by your video about Sideswipers, I put one together in a few minutes..and your comment..”Kinda sloppy”, doesn’t come close to describing my first efforts at sending intelligible Morse😩..However, I will practice, and I will succeed…maybe..but as we say in the UK..it’s difficult teaching an old dog new tricks..😊
73s Kevin ..and many thanks for your many videos..
John..G4EIJ..Bristol..UK
Hi John, you must be getting a lot of RF in the shack if it's crashing the arduino. Put a choke on the keying line going to the radio and the line going to your paddles and ground the metal case the keyer is in. (unless it's not metal, in that case put it in a metal box.)
Common causes of RF in the shack. Antenna is too close. If the antenna is an ed fed wire, put a common mode choke on the coax at the feed point and make sure you have a counterpoise wire on the ground side of the feed point.
Many thanks for the advice, Kevin.. I’ll try and sort it.. The arduino doesn’t stall, but it just adds random extra dots or dashes to the characters😟..
I thought it was my keying at first but it only happens when the RF is fired up..
73..John
@@johnrees44..G4EIJ That's probably RF coming in on the key line. It goes directly to the arduino.
I'd add a choke to that line and maybe 0.01 uf caps to ground on those wires just inside the case, at the connector.
Caps won't interfere with the keying, just bleeds of RF coming in on those wires.
(if there is a noticable delay, the caps could be reduced to 0.001uf and probably work)
@@loughkb Thank you..J
Simply rewire your paddle/s to one contact and turn off the keyer. Bammo you too can SideSwipe! The original is a beauty!
Also it's a big help to read the old-school proper way to swipe it. Yes side to side always and always starting on the same side, some characters actually don't change. www.mtechnologies.com/cootie.htm (as I see you linked) and sideswipernet.org/articles/n1ea-sending.php
It's a real joy to hear a great fist on a swiper (or a straight key) in a world of lop-sided bugs.
Impressive stuff. I've been using 'side-swipers' and twin paddle (Iambic) keys for many years and it's definitely the way to go if you are interested in CW, particularly if you are a 'rag-chewer' :-)
All the side-swipers I've used have been connected to an Iambic keying unit and you can really send fast and furious and with little effort (less chance of getting that glass wrist ;-) ) . Holding down one side gives you the dits and the other side the dah's ... takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you have, you can start to fly :-) . Twin paddle Iambic keying is definitely the best/fastest/easiest way of sending CW and recommended, again, for 'rag-chewing' mode.
Great design for your key... I wonder if you can hook it up to an Iambic keying unit and have the traditional, iambic side-swiper experience? 73
Kevin, just found your channel thru one of your 3D printer videos. Do you have a playlist for your printer and cad design videos? I'm trying to find anything you posted that is related to printing or cad design. Thanks for sharing! Jim
Sorry Jim, I don't have a playlist. But if you search youtube for my ham call sign and 3D, you should find them all. Search for KB9RLW 3D.
Nice job 😂😂
Wow has it been 2 years kg6mn
Begali makes a couple of commercial cooties. I don’t have one, but do have one of their straight keys and it is far and away the best key I have used. They are pricey, but you do get a great product that will last a lifetime.
Kevin. While I enjoy and learn a lot from watching your videos I would like to remind you that WE don't send or receive Dots and Dashes. They're known as Dits and Days.
Hey Kevin,
Not everyone has a 3D printer...Tnx...Bill, WB9CAC
Obviously. There are options though. Many libraries have 3D printer labs, hacker spaces have popped up in many cities. And there's online resources where prints can be ordered.
Why if in the 1880s wrist injury was an issue did the straight key not die off to be replaced with side swiped. More importantly if Morse was so widely used in world war two. Why was all the Morse keys I see sold now are all straight and not side?
The side swiper was mostly replaced by the bug back then, so you should be asking why everyone wasn't using vibroplex bugs. You'll have to go back in time and ask some telegraph operators. None of them bothered to write down why.
Easy. Money. I interviewed several WWII radiomen for QST in the 90s, and they commonly made themselves a sideswiper when they graduated from signal school. Couldn't afford a bug yet.