Second "paddle" on a bug

[WA2WMR]

I saw this video on YouTube. The bug has an extra paddle that seems to move the DAH contact and is activated by the back of the index finger. Anyone have any idea of what's going on here? (The bug is the third key used in the video)

 

[K3MRI]

ABSOLUTELY no idea what's going on?????? Never seen one of these before.

[WA2WMR]

I asked Vibroplex about it and all they said was that it was a Russian thing.

I just checked the video where I asked about it and UA3AMY replied "The purpose of this is to form the correct pause between dashes and dots". I then asked if there was any instruction available about how to use this. Awaiting a reply.

 

[K3MRI]

All I can say is: weird!

[WA2WMR]

Got a reply from the fellow who posted that video and he sent me a link to another video that gives a better view of what's going on. It's a second paddle for forming dahs. (the main paddle can also form dahs in the normal manner)

 

 

[K3MRI]

Insanely cool but still wondering: why? Having two accelerators in the car... not sure! Having two forks, why? Hmm...

[WA2WMR]

In the description by the original poster on YouTube, it was to get the dit to dah timing correct. A long time ago, I read that you can always tell when someone is using a bug because a relatively large contact spacing on the dit side in order to get the pendulum action going. This means when going from a dit to a dah, (or vice versa, I guess) ther tends to be a time gap which doesn't exist with a straight key or a paddle where contact spacing can be much closer.