The only problem with leaving the elbow on the desk is that is the area where the ulnar nerve lives.  Piss that sucker off an you have big problems.  Furthermore, if you don't send just right with a straight key, you can anger the median nerve at the wrist, and presto, carpal tunnel syndrome, not to mention tendinitis, which is a real pain in the back side. 

We all have anxiety when we start.  Just consider it a fact!  Practice receiving and sending off the air.  Listen to QSOs and be patient.  Nothing worth having happens overnight!  I'm dyslexic and have a high frequency loss but can now send and recdeive 40+wpm.  It didn't happen overnight.  It has to be a long term project.  You must be patient and persistent.  There is no other way.  Good luck!

A friend let me use his 718 for a month or so, and it's a nice little radio.  You can find them used for a decent price.  Get one with the DSP module, and for sure add the SSB and CW filter particulary.  I'm all CW, and without the CW filter you will be very frustrated.  You might now do CW now, but it will be a blessing in the future.  It's a fun little radio.

Most folks talk about Ten Tec as CW rigs.  Not so.  They work just fine on SSB.  Yeah, they are kind of industrial looking, but that can be misleading.  You can always get a used VI+ for under 1500.00, even with filters.  Two days ago I saw an Omni V, full of filters for 650.00.  I would love to have it, and you'd have some money left for a used beam.  My present rigs are the IC-7600, and Orion, and an Omni VI+, all connected to a TA-33, so I'm not radio poor.  Go to the Sherwood website and take a look at the receiver numbers.  It will be an education for you.  You're a newbie and will learn and gain experience as you go along.  About any choice you make will be a good one.

Yes, I seemed to skip category 3...

3.  Yaesu FT-1000MP, 2000D, Mark V Field, IC Pro II, ProIII, TS 950S, Loaded Omni VI+,
     
flex 2000...I'm sure there are more I missed...there are tons of choices.

Jim, don't worry one bit about it my friend.  I think it is a great question, even if it is really about opinions.  There are plenty of opinions running around here and nobody seems to have a problem about giving theirs'.  The way I read your question, the first two categories are going to be used radios. 


1. TS 830S,  Omni D, Icom 751-A

2.  K-2, Omni V or VI

3.  IC-7600, 7700, 7800, Yaesu FTX 5000, FTX-9000, Orion or Orion II, K-3/100 with panadapter

You can go all kinds of ways here...all must have at least one CW filter.  Of course, DSP goes with all of the last category. 

So now I'm gonna have to buy 500 acres and a cyclotron?  I can't afford my summer electric bill as it is.  I don't think you can store neutrinos either.  We'd better get 'em on the first call, hi...Is it gonna take a 0.00000001 Hz filter?

John, there is good advice in all of the above, but I want to mention a few things that helped me along the way.When you get the letters and mumbers down, don't forget to learn the Q signals as well.  They are a big part of what makes up the elements of a QSO.  You also need to learn the format of what a QSO consists of, a general order of things that makes up the basic QSO for someone just learning how to communicate via CW.

Firstly come callsigns
names, signal strenghts (RST)
locations (QTH)...when you hear RST, know that 3 numbers will be coming next
When you hear QTH, know that a city and state will appear next.  Each of these will be given twice so to give you a second chance to copy this info in case you miss part of it the first time.

At this point, turn it back to the other op via your call de his call, and then BK, or back to you.  On the next exchange you will send and receive weather (WX), such as conditions and temp.  There is no real specificied order to how these things get sent, just look for these specific things.  Give your age, how long you've been a Ham, mention your rig, power, and antenna and turn it back over to the other guy.  At this point if the QSO continues, you can start a little ragchewing, but that will come later after you get more experienced and more comfortable.  At the end of the QSO, thank the other Ham, wish them well, give his call de your call, and you're done.  At first I would write these items down on index cards so I wouldn't forget anything.  You're developing a method this way.  Rick

I've gotta go with the Array Solutions Power Master.  Although pricey, it a beautifully made first class piece of equipment.

Jim, I agree with you on the C2.  The OP had a comment about the Gentleman wanting a "big-old" radio, and I wanted to mention a few without going back to the early 60s  Great rigs then, but there are some real nice ones out there that have some nice features and performance (I love the C2 and would take another on right now), but there are a lotta nice things available, such as an S-Line, or even a Drake TR7.  A TT Omni V with filters is hard to beat. 

TS 530SP
TS 830S Gold
FT 101ZD
FT 102
OMNI D SeriesC

The only thing I see that might be not so good is that at your young age in CW it makes sense to send all the characters because you need the practice in sending them.  Generally it's the vowels that are left out, so maybe it's ok for you to do that.  I've worked very experienced ops who abbreviate a lot, but I don't think I've worked anyone who abbreviates everything, as in your example.

In my mind it's best to start off wth a straight key.  Why do I feel that way?  It forces you to make the characters properly or else you sound like dog doo-doo.  Work hard to have good spacing between characters and between words.  1 space between characters and 3 spaces between words.  It will sound  funny at first, but as you gain speed and control you will understand.  Work on it every day and be patient and persistent.  It takes time to get good at anything.  Welcome back!

Just keep working, you'll get there!

BLAH, what makes you think your drivel is any less feces than anyone else's here?  I read some good practical suggestions, and sir, I'll stack my CW up against yours ANY day.  Sounds to me like you need a laxative.