The normal way is to use Manchester coding, and send packets of data.
A scheme using variable bit widths is what Sony SIRC does, and it will work just as well for RF as for IR - however, it's relatively slow, and it's important not to rely on accurate pulse widths (as neither radio nor IR give those).
Your right there I tried the keying a 10mS on 10mS off you can tell how long it is first time it gets the rising edge fine but say you use that to start a led blinking it gets out of sync and takes a long time to catch the edge.
I got these with the decoder too but it's fun using the ones with out it. I think a dollar more for decoder was well spent. After all the playing LOL