"Frank" wrote in message
news:01c40ffe$0c71f040$0125250a@ccfwnwpijdsqhiow.. .
Rick Nevill ...

^ I set up an MFJ-564 paddle into an MFJ-464 Keyer/Reader ...

I'm not familiar with the equipment so I can't comment here.



^ It sounds like the "Iambic" function must be in the keyer/reader
^ and not in the paddle hardware ...

True. There are two devices: the key and the keyer. At one time the key
was
simply a mechanical switch that turned on the transmitter. The keyer was
later added between the two to give it more versatility.

I prefer a straight key but I understand that there are in general three
types of keys:

straight - the traditional type.
paddle - push one way for a DAH and the other way for a DIT.
double paddle - Touch one for DAH and the other for DIT.

The paddles require an electronic keyer to handle the timing and
switching. A
straight key can also be used with the keyer or it can be wired directly
to
the radio.

In your case you can probably use any type of keyer and it is the actual
key
that you need to customize.

The radio might have a built-in keyer -- mine does, the Yaesu FT-897 -- so
check the operating manual for it. In my case I need only plug a key into
the
radio. The miniature phono plug has either two wires for a straight key or
three for a paddle.

Frank


Somewhere in a older QST I saw some articles about using touch keying. It
is a device that detects the human finger. Forget the name it was called,
but it is a capacitive effect system.

Perhaps that would work ??

Dan/W4NTI