so ive been trying to get into CW for about 3 months now and i finally feel like im at a point where im not completely embarrassed to call CQ but my timing is still all over the place. im using a Bencher BY-1 paddle hooked up to my IC-7300's internal keyer and sometimes the dits and dahs just kind of mush together especially when i try to speed up past like 15 wpm.

i've been practicing with the Koch method on lcwo.net which has been really helpful for receiving but when it comes to actually sending on the paddle i think my squeeze technique is wrong or something. like i'll be sending a letter and my thumb will barely touch the dit paddle and i get like 3 extra dits. i have the tension set pretty light because i read somewhere that was better but maybe thats the problem?

also unrelated but does anyone else find it way easier to copy CW in their head vs writing it down? im trying to get away from writing every letter and just listening but i'm not sure if thats a good idea at this stage. anyway any advice appreciated, this community has been super helpful when i was studying for my general.

The tension thing is real — most beginners set it way too light thinking it'll be easier and then you end up with exactly what you're describing, accidental contacts everywhere. I'd tighten it up a bit until you feel a definite click when you close each paddle. Not stiff, just... deliberate. You should have to mean it when you touch that paddle.

Also for the squeeze keying, dont try to do it until your individual dit and dah timing is solid. A lot of people jump into iambic mode before they're ready and it just adds confusion. Try switching your keyer to mode A if it isnt already, some people find that a little more forgiving when they're learning. The 7300 keyer is decent, you can play with the weight setting too which adjusts the ratio of dit to dah length — sometimes even a small tweak there makes a big difference in how things feel.

And yes, head copy is absolutely the goal. Writing it down is fine for now but you want to get to the point where you're a word or two behind what you're hearing, not a letter at a time. Just takes time honestly, dont stress it.

i had the same issue with my BY-1 when i first got it! ended up watching a youtube video of someone adjusting their gap — apparently the gap between the paddle and the contact point matters a ton and mine was way too wide out of the box. took maybe 5 minutes to adjust and it honestly felt like a completely different paddle after that.

also +1 on head copy, my elmer told me to stop writing stuff down pretty early and it felt impossible at first but after a few weeks something kind of clicked. pun intended i guess