Hello Garique, Dale, Frank, Michael and Gary,

I appreciate the ideas. I am not sure how to interpret some of the answers,
so let me give more details. I set up an MFJ-564 paddle into an MFJ-464
Keyer/Reader which converts the Morse into visible letters, and then feeding
that into a PC running HyperTerminal to display larger text.

I'll really show my ignorance here - It sounds like the "Iambic" function
must be in the keyer/reader and not in the paddle hardware (I didn't even
look for an IC chip on the MFJ-564 paddle)? So that means any pair of
switches I use will properly feed the keyer/reader? Then I just need to
find a switch that she can reliably press and release. Do I have it right
now?

And yes, I checked out the eye reading software and the prices were high, up
to $30,000. The above hardware was only about $300. If it works that will
be great.

Thanks to all :-)

-Rick
WD5FRZ

"garigue" wrote in message
news:rdO6c.46868$po.386960@attbi_s52...

"Rick Nevill" wrote in message
...
Hello!

I would like to to make a custom iambic keyer for a person with
quadraplegia. She mainly has use of only her index and ring finger.
She
can only flex her thumb and cannot release the thumb pressure at will.

Does anyone know of an iambic keyer kit or inexpensive keyer that I
could
dis-assemble to build a keyer with side-by-side rather than opposing
paddles? That way she could use her ring finger for the dashes and her
index finger for the dots (or visa-versa) . She cannot move her arm at
all,
so I will have to make a splint that can hold the keyer and her hand in
the
correct position.

The closest I have found is this site that lists alot of keyers:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/16 and the MFJ-561K Minature
Iambic
keyer kit.

BTW, she cannot use a straw, so I cannot build her the keyer that was in
QST
last month!

Thanks for any help I can get!

73,
Rick
WD5FRZ

Hello Rick .... I have made some call buzzers for my patients over the
years utilizing mercury switches. They are cheap, easy to mount on Velcro
and can be made to respond with minimal motion. Perhaps using two beads
either side of a pivot would work as I do not know of a double throw
single
pole Hg switch. Radio Shack had them in the past ...not sure now.
Please
feel free to e-mail me from QRZ.com. to discuss this or give me your phone
number.

God Bless KI3R Tom Popovic Belle Vernon Pa.

ps ..there are systems out there that utilize eye movement for
communication
...maybe modification is possible from that aspect ....