I know the feeling, Don. As an ex radio op, it's very frustrating to have
difficulty controlling the key. I can, with effort, produce reasonable CW
on a straight key at about 20wpm but it's become a strain. I used to use a
mechanical bug quite happily at decent cruising speeds, but these days with
finger joints that lock up without warning, my CW from bug or paddle is not
something to inflict on the rest of the world HI!.
I didn't want software to do my receiving (at least the ears and brain still
work well enough to cope with that) but wanted a keyboard (which I find
fairly forgiving of my finger lockups) to generate the code.
I've built an Alspaugh keyboard and am very pleased with it. No noisy
computer anywhere near the rig, just a computer keyboard and a small PCB,
see here.
http://www.mtechnologies.com/alspaugh/
(Milestone's Marshall Emm was most helpful, too. A real "good guy".)
Like Elecraft's mini-modules, it's not been designed with DIY casing in
mind, but after some critical surgery, it's in a neat box and now works very
well indeed after hanging a load of filter toroids on the lead from the
keyboard, as RF in the shack drove it crazy. I've painted out the unused
keys on my keyboard with modellers' enamel paint and have added the special
symbols, AR, BK, SK etc. using rub-down lettering, before applying several
sealing coats of transparent enamel gloss.
The PCB quality is sound, but not in the same class as those from Elecraft,
so don't "overcook" any of the pads while soldering.
HTH. Vy 73 (& Season's Greetings to all Elecrafters too! )
Dave L G3TJP
Quote:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Donald R. McGregor
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 4:17 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Elecraft] This old dog has a new trick(Ellecraft)
I'm 81 and have the shakes in both hands and I just finished K2 Ser. #
5745. It's on the air but with the shakes I have not been able to send
CW for along time now. Maybe this will inspire me to get a keyboard. I
am very impressed with the rig.
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