MK-1
Contents:
1. Unpacking 6. Memory Programming Tips
2. Automatic Keyer Operation 7. In Case of Trouble
3. Memory Operation 8. Warranty & Returns to Manufacturer
4. Connection to Transmitter 9. Late Notes - Covers Points Raised by Users
5. Battery Operation 10. Schematics & Layout Drawing
INSTRUCTIONS
MK-1 Programmable Keyer
1. UNPACKING
Carefully unpack the keyer. Note that various plugs
etc. are provided for hook up to a paddle, your
transmitter, and a battery.
2. AUTOMATIC KEYER OPERATION
You must first attach a paddle to the keyer. A duallever (squeeze) paddle is recommended to take advantage of Iambic operation, although a single lever
paddle (with dot AND dash contacts) may be used.
An old-fashioned hand key will not work, since it
has only one set of contacts.
Connect the paddle to the large "stereo" plug enclosed. The common (ground or center) paddle output must go to the ground lead of the stereo plug.
Dot and dash paddle outputs go to the other two
plug connections. Plug the paddle into the keyer
rear panel, and plug the keyer into a standard 115
VAC U.S. wall plug. Set controls as follows:
Volume - 7/8 rotated
Speed - 1/2 rotated
Repeat - Down
Combine C/D - Down
Record/Play - Play
WHEN POWER IS FIRST APPLIED TO THE KEYER, THE
MONITOR MAY COME ON CONTINUOUSLY OR BE
ERRATIC. THIS IS CAUSED BY AN UNCERTAIN INITIAL
STATE OF ONE FLIP-FLOP, AND IS CURED BY SENDING A FEW DOTS AND DASHES TO INITIALIZE THE
LOGIC.
Start sending with the paddle. Speed is adjustable
from below 10 WPM to above 50 WPM. The highest
speeds are impractical for sending, but will help
when recording (see below). Note that the speed
control is not linear; more-rapid speed change occurs at high speeds. Monitor tone may be adjusted
by turning the trimpot on the keyer circuit board.
(See layout drawing)
Closing the dash paddle yields a continuous string
of dashes with a space in-between, and a perfect
3:1 ratio between dash and space lengths. Similarly,
the dot paddle yields dots and spaces in a perfect
1:1 ratio.
At this point, be sure your paddle is connected with
the proper sense. When you move your hand to the
left, dashes should be produced; moving the hand
right should produce dots. Reverse the dot and
dash wires to the paddle if the opposite occurs. This
sets your keyer up in the way used by virtually all
CW operators.
DOT AND DASH MEMORIES: These memories may
be demonstrated as follows: Set the keyer to its
slowest speed. Select "Play". Quickly close first the
dash lever then the dot lever. Quickly release both
levers before the dash is over. Note that the keyer
still supplies a dot. In fact, the dot lever may be
tapped anytime during a dash or the following
space, and the keyer will supply a perfectly-spaced
dash/dot pair. The dash memory can be demonstrated analogous to the above by tapping the dot
then dash levers. These memories greatly case
sending, even though you're normally not aware
they're present.
TRIGGERED CLOCK: Note that a dot or dash starts
immediately when the dot or dash lever is tapped
(except when recording). This is due to a triggered
internal clock time base that starts immediately on
first paddle closure.
IAMBIC OPERATION: This feature may be demonstrated if you have a double-lever (squeeze) paddle.
If both paddle contacts are closed (squeezed), the
keyer puts out alternate dots and dashes, with the
first contact closed determining whether a dot or
dash occurs first. With the Iambic feature, the letters C, F, K, L, R, Y, and Q, as well as AR, may be sent
with fewer finger motions. For example, to send an
"F", hold the dot lever closed during the entire letter, but, in addition, tap the dash lever during the
second dot. (Release the dot lever after the last dot
starts) This is easier than removing your finger from
the dot paddle during the dash, and replacing it for
the last dot. For a "Q", reverse the procedure by
holding the dash paddle and tapping the dot paddle
during the second dash. The Iambic method may
take some practice if you're used to a different technique, but it's worth learning. Enlist the aid of a local "advanced" CW operator to help you learn the
easiest way to send each letter. Develop good habits early.
If you've never used anything but a straight key, it
will take several hours to become accustomed to a
paddle keyer. Practice off the air by sending the alphabet and concentrating on "problem" letters.
SPEED CALIBRATION: Exact speeds cannot be
printed on the panel because of normal component
tolerances. If you wish to calibrate the speed control, use the formula:
Speed (WPM) = number of dashes in a 4.8 sec-
ond period
An equivalent, but easier, method is to measure the
time, T, required to readout or record ONE memory
section. (The time that the memory light stays on.)
The formula is:
3. MEMORY OPERATION
Set the controls as above. Be sure "Play" is selected.
Tap one of the message buttons (A, B, C or D). Note
that the light comes on, indicating recording or
playing of the memory. Since no message is yet programmed, gibberish will be sent by the MK-1.
RECORDING: Set the speed control low. Turn the record/play switch to record. Nothing will happen until you tap one of the message buttons. Tap one button, then immediately start sending a short message. As long as the light is lit, your message is
being recorded into memory. If it goes out before
you have finished, your message is too long. After a
short message, wait until the light goes out to ensure that old data is recorded over. Turning the
speed control to top speed momentarily after finishing a short message will shorten the waiting
time.
When recording, the internal clock runs continuously to allow spaces of any length to be entered into memory. Thus, there is a random delay between
zero and the length of one dot between INITIAL lever closure and start of a dot or dash. This requires
you to synchronize your sending with the keyer to
some extent. At slow (10–15 WPM) speeds, dots
may even be missed occasionally. Use a hard "fist"
at slow speeds. Don't release the dot lever until a
dot starts. At higher speeds (25+ WPM), you may
not notice the difference when recording, except
that mistakes may be more frequent until you develop some proficiency. The clock is triggered at all
times when the memory light is out, i.e. in normal
sending.
PLAYING: BE SURE TO SET THE SWITCH TO "PLAY"
BEFORE TAPPING A BUTTON TO AVOID ERASING
WHAT YOU'VE RECORDED.
Tap the same button to playback the message. Note
that if you tap the button again while playing (or recording) the message will immediately start again at
the beginning. This is handy if you hit the wrong
button, or wish to repeat the first part of a message.
Speed (WPM) = 307.5/T
For example, at 20 WPM, one memory section will
hold T = 15.36 seconds of data.
TUNE: Turning the speed control full counter-clockwise turns on your transmitter continuously for tuning.
At this point. record a message in each memory section.
REPEAT SWITCH: Select "repeat" and "play", and tap
one of the buttons. Note that the message will repeat forever, including any space at the end of the
message. Stop the message at the end by switching
repeat "off", or stop it immediately by tapping the
reset button or the paddle. "Repeat" has no effect
when recording.
COMBINE C/D SWITCH: Set this switch to "combine". Tap the "C" button. The "C" message will play
out, including any space, followed by the "D" message. If repeat is also set, the sequence will be
"CDCD" etc. This switch operates in record also, allowing one continuous message (approx. 50 characters) to be recorded.
EDITING: If you make a mistake while recording, tap
the same message button again and resend the
message. Or, if you make a mistake near the end,
you can save the earlier part by selecting "play" and
starting memory readout. Just before reaching the
mistake, flip the switch to "record" and complete
sending the message.
RESET: Tapping the reset button stops any recording
or playing on progress. Tapping or sending with the
paddle while playing also resets the memory and instantly returns the keyer to paddle control. Sending
with the paddle is very useful to add to the end of a
message or to terminate a recorded message early
& fill in the
4. CONNECTION TO TRANSMITTER
Your MK-1 will directly key all popular ham gear,
made since 1963, with the exception of some TenTec gear, and, early models at least, of the FT-301D.
(See Section 9: "Late note" for 301 and Ten-Tec).
Please do not write and ask if the MK-1 will key
your rig. There is no danger of destroying anything
except with old, high power, cathode keyed rigs,
which may possibly need a relay. Determine this
yourself. Keyer output transistor ratings are: ±300
volts maximum, including any spikes, -15 ma maximum for negative (grid-block) key lines. +200 ma
maximum for positive (cathode-keyed) key lines.
These are voltages measured at the KEY. (Note:
Plate current and voltage is typically much higher
than values at the key. This should cause no concern). If in doubt about an older, or unusual rig,
measure the voltage across the key line; then connect a milliameter across the key line and measure
the key current.
Both voltage and current should be within the
range above. Also, one side of the key line must be
grounded to the chassis. If these conditions are not
met, you will have to obtain a relay. Connect one
end of the relay to the MK-1 keyed output, and the
other end to a power source equal to the relay volt-
age rating, e.g. 12V or 6V. A reed relay is recommended for high speeds. AGAIN IT IS STRESSED
THAT OVER 99% OF RIGS IN USE DO NOT REQUIRE A
RELAY, and can utilize the benefit of silent operation
of the MK-1 output transistors.
CONNECTION: Connect the grounded end of the
MK-1 phono jack on the rear panel to the grounded
end of your transmitter key line, and the inside lead
of the phono jack to the "hot" key line. If you reverse this connection, the MK-1 chassis will be
"hot", and this may lead to RF pickup, and intermittent operation.
5. BATTERY OPERATION
The rear-panel miniature phone jack accepts +9 to
+14 VDC as from battery. No power is drawn from
the battery (13 V or less) unless AC power is interrupted, or the MK-1 is Turned "off". When AC
power is interrupted, the MK-1 instantly transfers
to any battery connected to the rear panel. Current
drain is typically 40 to 60 ma. at 9 volts, or 75–95
ma. at 12 volts. (Low monitor volume.)
A 9 V common "transistor radio" battery is not recommended for continuous battery operation,
since this type of battery will run down severely in a
few hours. However, this type of battery is sufficient
to prevent loss of recorded messages caused by occasional AC power dropouts; e.g. as might occur in
Field Day or other portable AC operation. For CONTINUOUS battery operation, a larger, 12 volts,
power pack, such as eight 1.5 V "C" batteries in series, is recommended.
Where 220 VAC is the only power source, obtain an
inexpensive 9–12 V battery eliminator locally. This is
the easiest way to power the MK-1 from 220 VAC.
6. MEMORY PROGRAMMING TIPS
Some of the many ways to use the memory are:
REPEATED CONTINUOUS CQ: Program one memory
to send "CQ CQ ... DE (your call - once or twice)".
With proper choice of number of CQ's, and "fineadjustment" with length of spaces, you can make
the CQ completely fill the memory, with no excessive space at the end. Play out using the repeat
switch to send the CQ as long as desired. End the
CQ by sending "K" with the paddle.
CQ WITH AUTOMATIC PAUSE: Similar to above, except add "K" at the end of the recorded message,
and leave a several-second listening space at the
end. During this pause in the recorded message,
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