Sending Morse code with essential tremor

In early 2026 I had a student who suffered essential tremors. It’s not something I had encountered before so I raised a query with my fellow CW Academy Advisors. I received a few responses, but Dick, N9EEE provided a thorough assessment of his own experience and how he has applied it in class. I hope this account from Dick might help those suffering this disorder. With thanks to Dick for allowing me to publish this article.

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I have a moderate case of Essential Tremor (ET) and can offer both personal insight and what I feel is practical guidance on how to support students who are affected by it. I’ve lived with ET for most of my adult life, and as it has worsened, I’ve learned how to manage it effectively—both for myself and for the students I’ve coached who also struggle with ET. If you have any students dealing with tremors, feel free to send them my way; I’m always glad to help them navigate it.

Before anyone steps in to assist a student with ET, it’s important to understand the underlying factors that can dramatically amplify tremors. I call them the “As of ET”. While most sufferers of ET have continual effects, they will amplify when any one of these three situations occur:

• Anticipation
• Adrenalin
• Anxiety

These can surface in many common situations. : group practice sessions, being on the air, responding under pressure, or simply having an off day.

The “As of ET”:

• Anticipation builds when a student knows their turn to send is coming up, in practice sessions or on the air.
• Adrenalin spikes when they make a mistake and struggle to recover, or when they need to respond quickly, such as the back and forth of a QSO.
• Anxiety often follows imperfect sending or repeated corrections.

Any one of these “As” can significantly amplify the effects of Essential Tremor and render keying extremely difficult.

ET isn’t curable, and it isn’t something that can be overcome. It’s managed. Sometimes a shift in focus will reduce the intensity of the tremor. Other times, taking a long pause or stepping away helps calm the nervous system.

What can you do to support these students? There’s no single formula, but here’s what has worked well in my experience and for my Beginner-Level students with ET:

• They benefit from practice sessions structured to reduce pressure and build comfort.
• They respond well to guidance about the mindset needed to send with a key while managing ET. (Focus, stress reduction, recovery, etc)
• They appreciate instruction on paddle setup and hand technique, which often differs from typical approaches. They often need a stronger pressure on the paddle. Placement of the hand (side of hand, not heel) and position of the fingers (thumb and knuckle instead of fingertips) provides the stability necessary for maintaining the correct “posture” while addressing the key. Be flexible as this may vary.
• A note about keys: I have no conclusive proof that a dual-lever is better or worse than a single-lever. I’m not a squeeze keyer, so I’m curious enough to obtain a quality single-lever paddle to find out myself. Intuitively, I would think narrowing the thumb-to-index finger spacing would pose an issue if it felt unnatural and thereby causing stress and increasing tremors. The choice may simply be a preference, as it is for everyone.
• The sending drill (AAAAA, BBBBB, etc) is excellent method for loosening up and building confidence prior to any practice session. It’s also valuable for times when one feels caught in a whirlpool – pause, recover, and return.
• If you have a student with ET who’s having a hard time in class, you might encourage them to talk with me or another Advisor who also has ET, since we can relate to their experience and help them address their challenges. Another option is to reassign them to an Advisor with ET who can guide them more closely throughout the sessions. Building confidence is just as important as managing the “A’s of ET” and come out stronger on the other side.

Does any of this make a difference? In my last two Beginner‑Level classes, each included a student with ET. Both were the first in their groups to get on the air and complete their first CW QSO. I’m very proud of their accomplishments.

Dick N9EEE