CW ON AN ICOM 706MKIIG

kd7mgq writes "Recently I purchased a brand-spanking-new ICOM706MKIIG. I was thinking it would be the perfect rig to have while I was working away from home. I was right, the rig works superbly, after you figure out all the menus. I then decided to try some CW work from my 4th floor apartment. I purchased a Bencher paddle. Wired it to the plug supplied from Icom. Plugged it into the key jack on the rear of the radio. Set the menus for the paddle, and cycled the mode switch to CW. The paddle and the internal keyer worked fine----but wait, it wasn't keying the radio. What's wrong ??




I called ICOM and the support person more or less told me I was stupid! Didn't I read the manual?
The manual says (on page 32) that to operate CW you need to connect 2 pins together on the accessory socket using a "FOOT-SWITCH" I couldn't believe what I was reading!! Now I have to go out and purchase a FOOT-SWITCH to make my $1000 plus radio work on CW? Could they (ICOM) not have accomplished this relatively simple task of tying 2 pins together with software? Especially after the third revision of the product!


I realize that CW is probably on the way out but I've been licensed since 1956 and got my ticket the hard way. I like CW operation and intend to keep using it until I'm a SK. I have read a few reviews of this radio and have never heard of any complaints about CW operation.
Perhaps I'm expecting too much. Am I the only HAM that thinks this is absurd??? KD7MGQ"