This Portable Morse Code Keyer Transformed My Portable Ham Radio Station
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- I found this CW Keyer on Amazon for under $35 and I absolutely love what I can do with it. Not only can it be used for practicing Morse code, but it is also a very useful addition to my portable ham radio station. I can quickly and easily program Morse code into the keyer to send over the airwaves with the push of a button. I can also adjust my CW speed with the turn of a dial.
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#HamRadio #SOTA #CW ##Keyer #MorseCode #PortableRadio - Розваги
I bought one of those Ultra PicoKeyers 18 months ago and forgot. Found it in the shack last week and this video made me pull it out an build it and learn how to use it. WOW, it’s got lots of features for such a simple little box. It’s also a cinch to build. It’s a great tool for a learning CW operator.
Hi David - very nice! Of course I purchased this one assembled but after pulling it out to remove the jumper and turn of the sound to it I had a look at the board. It does look like a fun build. And yes! It's a very useful tool for learning and for ops in the field. Thanks.
It's a good hobby .
It is. Thanks
Thanks Charlie and Malen - enjoyed it as always 73
Thx Brian
Beautiful part of the world your in there
Hi Matthew - thanks I have grown to love the scenery but at first all I could see is the ugly - I'm a transplant from the Rocky Mountains.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for visiting my channel!
Amazing Keyer 👌👌 and CW operation
Indeed! Thanks!
Thanks Charlie 73
Hi Alvaro and thank you!
Nice work Charlie! I dig that CW keyer. 73!
Thanks.... I'll be trying out a few others, too. This one is great though.
Thanks Charlie for this posts. Likewise this is work well with my FT 817. I've been looking for one that was a little less expensive. And this price WOW!
Hi Jim and thank you. It's a great price for a finished product, I agree. Of course we could go a bit cheaper with a kits, but out of the box it's great! Thanks for all you support for the channel my friend.
I see my true shape is properly represented on video... FOG (Fat old guy) LOL. Great day with a nice rocky hike finished with a burger and pop.
You looked good, props to you for getting out, exercising, enjoying the scenery and having fun!
Haha we never like the way we look on video. I think you were great! Thanks for the fantastic company!
I added a 3V DC reed relay to mine, so it can key my Collins 32S-3 which used grid block keying, about -170VDC; this would have blown the NPN output transistor on the keyer. I cut the trace from the collector of the transistor to the transmitter output jack, wired in the reed switch across the jack (traces are easy to get to on the top of the PCB), and connected the coil to the +3V of the battery and the collector of the transistor (again, traces are easy to get to. The reed relay is the SIL03-1A72-71D that I bought from Digikey for about $5; it is rated for 200VDC switching. Works great!
Wow Ken! That's some homebrew ingenuity, buddy. Great!
mk.@kenwing6196 In the mid 1970's, my first HF station was a surplus #19 Mk. III set on 80 and 40M, and I came up against the grid block keying problem. The 19 set as supplied had an 'odd' straight key - all working parts were housed in a grounded metal shell. The key knob was hardwood attached to a hardwood sleeve that fit closely through a slot in the metal shell. (The key also had canvas thigh straps, for mobile use). I had just purchased a beautiful straight key from the UK; and had an unfinished Heathkit keyer - a flea market find). I wired my new straight key onto #19 set cable, and the first QSO was 'hair-raising!' I used 6 VDC reed relays with both the straight key and the Heathkit keyer (the main power for the 19 set was two big 6V batteries in series). Thank you for the Digikey part number. I still hope to add a Collins rig to my shack someday.
If you want to go for something smaller and more lightweight there is the ultra pico keyer. It has the speed knob too but has 4 memory slots. The other advantage being you get a lot more options such as disabling the buzzer.
I bought one specifically for my 818 a few months ago
Ultra PicoKeyer from hamgadgets is great...
Hi Pat! I plan to purchase one! Thanks for the second affirmation on this recommendation!
Hi Jonathan - I looked it up and it is on my list of things to buy and try out. That super smart thinking that you bought one for your 818. I only recently put 2 and 2 together and realized I could use an external keyer - haha
@@RedSummitRF I pretty much use it with any of my rigs that lack a decent iambic mode or memory keyer. Specifically my Xiegu radios, ic-706mkii and the 818nd
@@JonathanKayne Nice! I have a few homebrew and kit built radios I could use it on as well. Very versatile, huh!
A keyer is great to have. I used one with my FT818 when it was my primary rig. The built in keyer on the MTR and X6100 get a lot of use these days. I also ran the CWT yesterday from my car in the work parking lot since I had to go into the office. Ran both 1300 and 1900 on the 891/m without touching the key. 😮
Wow Richard! That speaks to the versatility and usefulness of an external keyer! Good work on the CWT! Thanks
Check out the Ham Gadgets Ultra PicoKeyer kit. It has 8 message memories, a ton of options and a very clever speed control knob. 40 bucks.
Oh, I have to get that! I was planning on trying a few others. Great suggestion! Thanks
@@RedSummitRF It’s a super easy build also. Even for beginners.
That's the one I use with my 818. Great addition.
👍
In addition to using it with an FT-817, I also need a keyer for my MFJ Cub, MFJ 9040 as well as the HTX-100.
I'm sure you could use it with any of those! In fact I have an MFJ Cub I was planning to pair it with in a future video.
That's cool a ham radio morse code tapper
There are some really nice ones out there. Thanks!
Nice tip on using the 2M antenna hanging from a pole, I'll keep this in mind.
The other day I heard someone on 28.220 I believe it was, sending CW with multiple Ns, as if it was a heart monitor, and sometimes would send a CQ. That was very interesting. Seemed to be a way to keep something being transmitted at all times so people wouldn't miss his/her frequency when spinning the dial.
Hi Levy - haven't heard that one before (sending Ns). People do the strangest things on the air but it sounds about right.
@@RedSummitRF indeed, interesting that there seems to be plenty of space for creativity on the air.
28.220, most likely a beacon for 10 meter propagation
@@kenwing6196 oh interesting, will check it out. Thanks.
Awesome
Tnx
Great review, thanks! I like it for the same reasons, faster and easier to make speed adjustments then navigating menus and you can fire off the CQ preset quickly, but that side tone is such a high pitch it is not pleasant to listen to and is fatiguing on these old ears.
It is easy to disengage. I just haven't yet. I agree 👍
You just desolder a jumper
Malen sounded confused. He's from Canada, he should be proud to say that.
haha I think I wore him down and he felt a bit defeated after having to correct me about where he's from yet again after years knowing him. I STILL said he was from BC on the first take of that video and mentioned he was from BC earlier in the day. Poor guy probably just gave up on me, HAHA
@@RedSummitRF That's so funny! hahaha
30 bucks, just bought one. Great find! 73
HI Ken - great! Have fun with it. Thanks.
@@RedSummitRF I am going to install a 3V coil reed relay in it, so it can key my old Collins S Line or my Swan, which have no internal keyer of course..
can barely hear the guy and make out his callsign: "thank you 5/9"
lol
haha sometimes it's the band conditions and sometimes it's my amateurish abilities and gear. But we all try! thank you
Thirty two dollars American? Im buying one now.
Great price eh!
Hi Charlie, Great Video! I don't see the single paddle key your using in your Portable Morse Code Paddles Series. Are you planning on doing a review of the key ?
That's right. This activation was the last field test. I'm working on the review now. It should be out in a week or less depending on my available free time.
Can you add an external speaker
There is no jack for an external speaker. It would take a bit of simple engineering. You would have to de-solder the internal speaker and and add a jack or connect off of that line.
The keyer is not a bad idea for the 817 and the program memory is nice too. What key were you using.
Thank you. Yes that key was a little inexpensive thing I found on Amazon. Here's my review of it and I'm sure I left a link in the description of the video. ua-cam.com/video/kSiRIMk1xT4/v-deo.html
Would it also work with a G90? 73, K2LT
Hi Lee - thanks for the question. I consulted the user manual. Right under the "5.1 Set up for CW Mode" header on page 27 it says, "Operate with a hand key, paddles or an external keyer / controller device." So yes! Absolutely.
Tks i wonder how these things would work with an ic-705? Anyone have any experience? Is that high pitched cw coming from the keyer? Dont think id care for that
I would be surprised if it DIDN'T work on the 705, and yes the noise comes from the keyer, but you can easily disable that sound and just use the side tone from the 705.
What kind of radio is that I’m trying to get started on telegraphy.
There were a few different radios in this video and a keyer. You could probably learn with just the keyer. Look on Amazon for MX-K2 Morse Code Keyer
@@RedSummitRFWhat is the Mx k2 do?
The MX K2 is a keyer, which sends a dit or a dah when you press the left or right leaver on a morse code paddle. It sends an audio tone AND an output signal so you can us it with a radio, if your radio doesn't have a built-in keyer. Most radios these days come with a built in keyer, but this device can be used stand alone with out a radio to learn Morse code.
@@RedSummitRF Thank you
Is there a design purpose of the hump in the camel back key or is it for aesthetics.
I didn't know the answer so I did a quick internet search and found a website that said: "The Lever Correspondent keys used by Morse used a leaf spring to keep the key up when it did not need to be depressed. As the leaf spring did not give the best response, the aim of the hump in the Camelback was to shift the weight to the rear of the lever for easier operation. It also gave a more stylish appearance and this may have helped the sales?" So it sounds like both early on, but probably just aesthetics these days. Thanks for asking the question. It sent me on a fun search and I learned something.
@@RedSummitRF Thank for doing that. Much appreciated.
I have the MX-K2 and after leaving it for a month, the batteries were dead. Is there a power switch that I don't know about?
This is an interesting piece of information. No, there's no power switch. I think I'll do a video on modifying it with a switch for the sound buzzer. Maybe I should add a power switch too. I've had mine for two months now and have been using it quite a bit, and I'm still on the first set of batteries. Strange yours drained so quickly.
Do you know Charlie if it will interface with the IC7300 and the G90 - ive looked on line and dont see anywhere they tell what radios it will interface with - thanks 73
Brian, I'm almost certain it will. Just set up those two radios to work with a straight key. Should be a simple change in the menu. Look in the user manual for straight key settings.
@@RedSummitRF thanks Charlie
What key is that, the single lever?
Hi Steve - I picked it up on eBay. I'll be releasing the review of it early next week.