iambic keying is clever, and fun, but of very little practical value.
True. Also, amateur radio is clever, and fun, but of very little practical value. I've been a ham for almost 30 years. I like to compare it to sailing. If your goal is to get some place fast, you should choose just about any other conveyance besides a sailboat. Messing about with radios is loads of fun, but practicality is rarely a major consideration.