The point in the third party rule is "control of the station," not how 
the station gets identified. If station identification were the focus, 
the synthetic speech ID circuits, including voice keyers used in 
contests, would be illegal.

How many times have you heard one voice calling CQ in a contest, and 
be answered by a completely different voice when you replied to the 
call?

Furthermore, are "Big Brother" and Aunt Laura really smart enough to 
know when it is really my hand on the key for a CW ID? I don't think 
so. Also, they would have to come to town and hang out for a day or 
two to determine whether or not it was really my true voice 
identifying, even if it was only me making the transmission in the 
first place.

So, Rick, as long as you are within grabbing distance of the 
microphone, and/or the off button for the radio or power supply, my 
non-lawyer opinion is that you are covered.

If you get challenged by a self appointed radio cop, just send him a 
picture of your wife holding the microphone while your hand is on the 
"big switch."

Now, here is the story of my first and only transmissions as a 
non-licensed third party.

When I was studying for my Novice license in 1969, the rule, as 
written at that time, basically stated that third party transmissions 
were allowed only on phone, or via RTTY, as long as the licensee was 
present, and had a means of immediately disabling the transmitter.

The implied assumption was that a third party person would not know 
CW.

My folks bought my first transmitter, a Johnson Viking Ranger, about 2 
months before I took my Novice exam. My dad and I took it to a family 
friend who also had a Novice license at the time. After my friend 
plugged in a crystal for 7175, and tuned up the transmitter, he slid 
his key over to me, and said "let fly with a CQ."

So, for the next half hour, WN5WXO had a QSO with someone in Dallas 
whose call has long escaped my brain. The real WN5WXO, whose code 
speed was already up to 25 WPM, made the log entry, then watched me 
have the full QSO with his hands in his pockets. He was impressed that 
he didn't have to interpret anything the guy sent to me.

When the QSO ended, he turned to my dad and said, "Well, it looks like 
you're about to learn how to build a 40 meter dipole."

Regrettably, that friend, who is now in his mid 70s, and who still 
lives in my home town, never went for his General after his Novice 
ticket expired. He still has his NC300 receiver, and the last time I 
ran into him, he could still copy CW.

Mike Duke, K5XU