[Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems
Guys, Out of the blue, the external keyer input to the K3 produces mushy dits at higher speeds. It seems that each dit has a tail which reduces the off time till the next. This happens in the TEST mode as well as with RF output. It is most noticable above 25 wpm on S,H,5 characters. The first dit sounds OK but it gets worse with following dits. I've tried two different keyers and now the parallel port keying is exhibiting the same. I don' think it is a keyer issue since hooking the keyers up to an audio oscillator sounds just fine. I'm using firmware V2.76. I dropped back to 2.67, where I never had observed this, and the problem is still there. The internal keyer does not have this problem. If anything the dits seem to get shorter as one goes above 30 wpm. That I'm sure is just a perception. High speed CW ops often add additional weighting to make it sound better. Any suggestions? 73 de Brian/K3KO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems
I'm confused. Which key jack are you plugging into? - Keith N1AS - - K3 711 - -Original Message- Out of the blue, the external keyer input to the K3 produces mushy dits at higher speeds. 73 de Brian/K3KO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems
KEY IN for external keyer (paddle connected to external keyer, keyer output keying FET to key in) , PADDLE connected to paddle input for internal keyer. 73 de Brian/K3KO Darwin, Keith wrote: I'm confused. Which key jack are you plugging into? - Keith N1AS - - K3 711 - -Original Message- Out of the blue, the external keyer input to the K3 produces mushy dits at higher speeds. 73 de Brian/K3KO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems
OK that's what I thought. I think about the KEY IN as the input for bugs straight keys and was slightly confused by calling it the external keyer input :-) Do you have a bug you can try on that input? - Keith N1AS - - K3 711 - -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Brian Alsop Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 8:13 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems KEY IN for external keyer (paddle connected to external keyer, keyer output keying FET to key in) , PADDLE connected to paddle input for internal keyer. 73 de Brian/K3KO Darwin, Keith wrote: I'm confused. Which key jack are you plugging into? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems
Hi Keith, Unfortunately no bug. Now that you mention it, it kind of sounds like a bug when one holds the dit side down for a long time. After a number of dots, each gets to sound longer and longer and more slurred. For what it is worth, the computer interface to KEY in uses an NPN transistor. The keyer uses a 2n7000 FET. The FET on state has a really low voltage drop. K3 Key terminals have an open circuit voltage of 4.7 V (would have expected closer to 5). The K3 displays a power-in voltage of 13.7V. Have removed all connections to the K3 but earphones and KEY. Problem does not go away. Wierd. 73 de Brian/K3KO Darwin, Keith wrote: OK that's what I thought. I think about the KEY IN as the input for bugs straight keys and was slightly confused by calling it the external keyer input :-) Do you have a bug you can try on that input? - Keith N1AS - - K3 711 - -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Brian Alsop Sent: Friday, January 16, 2009 8:13 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems KEY IN for external keyer (paddle connected to external keyer, keyer output keying FET to key in) , PADDLE connected to paddle input for internal keyer. 73 de Brian/K3KO Darwin, Keith wrote: I'm confused. Which key jack are you plugging into? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3- external keyer problems
Brian, At the KEY input to the K3, it is the low level voltage that is important, not the high level. My guess is that your external keyer is not going to a low enough level to fully discharge the .001 capacitor that is on the key in line inside the K3. Do your keyers have a resistor between the keying output line and the K3? If so, that could cause slow keying. It would be best to evaluate the low level during a string of dots with a DC input on an oscilloscope to see if the low level shifts after a couple dots. If it does look for any cause of resistance (or added capacitance) between the keying driver and the K3 input. 73, Don W3FPR Brian Alsop wrote: Hi Keith, Unfortunately no bug. Now that you mention it, it kind of sounds like a bug when one holds the dit side down for a long time. After a number of dots, each gets to sound longer and longer and more slurred. For what it is worth, the computer interface to KEY in uses an NPN transistor. The keyer uses a 2n7000 FET. The FET on state has a really low voltage drop. K3 Key terminals have an open circuit voltage of 4.7 V (would have expected closer to 5). The K3 displays a power-in voltage of 13.7V. Have removed all connections to the K3 but earphones and KEY. Problem does not go away. Wierd. 73 de Brian/K3KO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
