Ramsey CW700 User Manual

MICRO MEMORY

CW KEYER

THE KEYER THAT NEVER FORGETS

Ramsey Electronics Model No. CW-700

Now you can send perfect quality code at any speed! This
computerized “smart key,” for novices and pros alike, even lets
you store your own personal messages for a fraction of the cost
of other keyers!

• A state of the art microcontroller lets you send perfect quality code

anytime, at any speed!

• Four memory banks allow you to record your own personal

messages for up to two minutes long. Just press a button and your
call is on the air.

• Optional memory upgrade kit connects easily and allows up to 32

messages to be saved.

• “Non-volatile” memory technology will store your messages for

years using no power. You’ll go silent before your keyer!

• Super sensitive iambic touch paddles have no moving parts. Why

pay big money for expensive paddles, when touch pads offer better
performance?

• An internal speaker and earphone jack make this the ideal keyer for

learning or teaching code. Perfect quality code makes learning
easier.

• Just plug it into your rig and you are on the air.

• Thanks to the Ramsey Electronics learn-as-you-build method, both

new and old hams will learn electronics while they have fun.

CW700 • 1

RAMSEY TRANSMITTER KITS

• FM100 Professional FM Stereo Transmitter

• FM25 Synthesized Stereo FM Transmitter

• MR6 Model Rocket Tracking Transmitter

• TV6 Television Transmitter

RAMSEY RECEIVER KITS

• FR1 FM Broadcast Receiver

• AR1 Aircraft Band Receiver

• SR2 Shortwave Receiver

• SC1 Shortwave Converter

RAMSEY HOBBY KITS

• SG7 Personal Speed Radar

• SS70A Speech Scrambler

• BS1 “Bullshooter” Digital Voice Storage Unit

• AVS10 Automatic Sequential Video Switcher

• WCT20 Cable Wizard Cable Tracer

• LABC1 Lead Acid Battery Charger

• ECG1 Heart Monitor

• LC1 Inductance-Capacitance Meter

RAMSEY AMATEUR RADIO KITS

• DDF1 Doppler Direction Finder

• HR Series HF All Mode Receivers

• QRP Series HF CW Transmitters

• CW700 Micro Memory CW Keyer

• CPO3 Code Practice Oscillator

• QRP Power Amplifiers

RAMSEY MINI-KITS
Many other kits are available for hobby, school, Scouts and just plain FUN. New
kits are always under development. Write or call for our free Ramsey catalog.

MICRO MEMORY CW KEYER KIT INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Ramsey Electronics publication No. MCW700 Revision 1.1

First printing: March, 1994

COPYRIGHT

14564. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be copied or duplicated without the
written permission of Ramsey Electronics, Inc. Printed in the United States of America.



1994 by Ramsey Electronics, Inc. 793 Canning Parkway, Victor, New York

CW700 • 2

Ramsey Publication No. MCW700

Price $5.00

KIT ASSEMBLY

AND INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR

MICROPROCESSOR

CONTROLLED CW

MEMORY KEYER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction to the CW700 ............ 4

Circuit description ......................... 6

Parts list ........................................ 8

Schematic diagram ..................... 10

Parts Layout diagram .................. 11

CW700 Assembly instructions .... 12

How to use the CW700 ................ 23

Troubleshooting ........................... 24

Flow chart diagram ...................... 26

Ramsey kit warranty .................... 27

CW700 • 3

RAMSEY ELECTRONICS, INC.

793 Canning Parkway

Victor, New York 14564

Phone [phone]

Fax [phone]

INTRODUCTION TO THE CW700

THANK YOU for purchasing the CW700 Micro Memory Keyer. We are very
proud of this kit, like all of our others, and hope that you find it both enjoyable
and educational. We’ve packed a lot of value into it and we know that you
will be pleased with it’s operation.

Have you ever looked in the back of a ham radio magazine, and thought to
yourself, “why do keyers cost so much?” The main cost when you buy a
keyer is the extensive machining that is necessary to make the paddles work
smoothly. That is why you may pay one hundred dollars or more for a good
quality key. We also asked ourselves what features are missing in even the
most expensive keys that that our customers would enjoy? In a short time,
our design department has come up with the solution to all of your CW blues.
Introducing the Micro Memory Keyer.

The micro memory keyer is an inexpensive, yet superior product. Not only
do you get touch sensitive pads, which require no moving parts, and won’t
slow you down, but we’ve even included memory for the most avid
operators. Are you tired of sending CQ over and over for that rare DX?
Program it in seconds and you can send your call out tirelessly. Are you
tired of spending hundreds of dollars on expensive keys when all that you
want to do is get on the air? Or practice your code? The CW700 will teach
you code with it’s built in code oscillator, and get you on the air even quicker
if you are ready to get some contacts. The CW700 can even teach you
electronics, which could help you on your next license exam. All of these
advantages at one low price...why buy anything else?

The Micro Memory Keyer will be very satisfying to build and use. Our learn
as you build assembly teaches as you build. None of this “throw the parts on
a board and hope it works!” Since this project contains many parts,
mechanical details and order of placement are just as important as good
soldering technique. We believe that you will get the most satisfaction out of
your kit if you are willing to follow our directions carefully.

There are several reasons why following directions are so important for this
kit. Of course, we both want it to “work” the first time. In addition:

• We want the three boards to fit together properly. For example, if you do

not assemble them in the proper order, they may not fit together well. It
is vital that the boards fit together properly to make the proper
connections.

• You want the Micro Memory Keyer to look good when it is finished.

CW700 • 4

There is nothing better than using equipment that you have constructed
yourself, and a nice looking keyer can be a great addition to any station.

• And you want it to be mechanically durable, so it can be used reliably

when and where you want to, for years to come.

Our directions are designed to help you accomplish these goals. Please
follow them carefully!

TAKING A LOOK AT THE CW700 MICRO MEMORY KEYER

Let’s take a good look at the CW700 for a moment. Your new keyer is a fully
functional iambic keyer that is controlled by a small micro computer IC chip
supplied with the kit. You may notice that the PC board is divided into three
parts. These parts are, the main board, the front control board and the
paddles. It must be noted that our directions are VERY important to help you
join these boards together correctly.

The main board is a conventional board that connects most of the
components. The on-board computer, battery, speaker and jacks are all
mounted on this board.

The front board contains all of the necessary holes and connections for the
controls that you will see on the front of the unit. You may note the many
contacts, or pads, that interface it with the main control board.

The portion of the board consisting of the paddles will become touch
sensitive keys in only a few short steps. We will show you how to adjust
their sensitivity to ensure you the most satisfaction and enjoyment.

Our specially designed case has been prepared to make your project look
it’s best. The case will fit in with most any ham station.

We have supplied you with all of the electrical components necessary to
complete the kit. This includes the onboard computer. The only thing that
you must supply is a nine volt battery, and of course some effort in putting it
together!

CW700 • 5

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION

Looking at your circuit, you will see that the circuit can be broken down into
four basic parts.

The first part is the power supply. The power supply circuit converts the nine
volts DC power coming into your circuit into the clean five volts needed to
power the computer circuitry properly. With such a power supply, the
CW700 can take a large range of input voltages and still function perfectly.

Another part of the circuit is the touch sensitive paddles. When you touch
them, the pad senses your finger. The 74HC04 inverter simply sends out a
signal to the microcontroller telling it whether or not the paddles are being
touched. This circuit is what provides the “magic” in the touch paddles. We
would like you to know that throughout this whole process, there is no
danger from any high voltage going through your finger.

The third part is the 68HC705K1 microcontroller chip, the X2402 memory
chip and the surrounding logic. This is the “nerve center” of the circuit. The
microcontroller monitors the switches and paddles and has a program that
interprets your commands. When it determines that a switch was pushed or
that a paddle was touched, it consults it’s program with what to do. In order
to insure that your microcontroller is functioning properly, we test and
program each and every one right here at the factory. This ensures the most
reliable product. Our optional memory kit, the CW700MX replaces the single
memory chip with many, offering you space to save up to thirty-two
messages.

The input/output circuits are the fourth part of the circuit. These circuits are
what interface the microcontroller to the outside world. They include the
buttons, LED, speaker and all of the jacks. These are some of the reasons
why your key is so versatile. In fact, we have even included a jack that sends
out computer pulses. With so many interfaces, you can use the CW700 for
what you want. Many keyers on the market limit you to hooking up to a
specific radio input or using the internal speaker. Your Ramsey keyer can go
as far as your imagination and skill takes you.

CW700 • 6

RAMSEY LEARN-AS-YOU-BUILD KIT ASSEMBLY

There are numerous solder connections on the CW700 printed circuit board.
Therefore, PLEASE take us seriously when we say that good soldering is
essential to the proper operation of your keyer!

• Use a 25-watt soldering pencil with a clean, sharp tip.

• Use only rosin-core solder intended for electronics use.

• Use bright lighting. A magnifying lamp or bench-style magnifier

may be helpful.

• Do your work in stages, taking breaks to check your work. Carefully

brush away wire cuttings so they don't lodge between solder
connections.

We have a two-fold "strategy" for the order of the following kit assembly
steps. First, we install parts in physical relationship to each other, so there's
minimal chance of inserting wires into wrong holes. Second, whenever
possible, we install in an order that fits our "Learn-As-You Build" Kit building
philosophy. This entails describing the circuit that you are building, instead of
just blindly installing components. We hope that this will not only make
assembly of our kits easier, but help you to understand the circuit you’re
constructing.

For each part, our word "Install" always means these steps:

1. Pick the correct part value to start with.

2. Insert it into the correct PC board location.

3. Orient it correctly, follow the PC board drawing and the written
directions for all parts - especially when there's a right way
and a wrong way to solder it in. (Diode bands, electrolytic
capacitor polarity, transistor shapes, dotted or notched ends
of IC's, and so forth.)

4. Solder all connections unless directed otherwise. Use enough
heat and solder flow for clean, shiny, completed connections.

Again, we seriously hope that you enjoy building this kit, and find it
educational too. Ramsey electronics has a complete line of electronics kits
for both hams and electronics fans all over the world. We look forward to
your patronage in the future.

CW700 • 7

CW700 PARTS LIST

RESISTORS

 1 47 ohm [yellow-violet-black] (R12)
 4 470 ohm [yellow-violet-brown] (R22, 23, 30, 31)
 9 1K ohm [brown-black-red] (R3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 20, 21, 24, 32)
 1 2.2K ohm [red-red-red] (R17)
 10 10K ohm [brown-black-orange] (R1, 2, 13, 18, 19, 26, 27, 28, 29, 33)
 2 47K ohm resistors [yellow-violet-orange] (R9, 16)
 2 22M ohm [red-red-blue] (R7, 14)
 1 5K ohm potentiometer [marked 502] (TONE, R15)
 2 10K potentiometer/switch (ON/VOLUME, R10, SPEED, R25) with

hardware.

 1 100K ohm potentiometer (SENSITIVITY, R6)

CAPACITORS

 1 200 pF disc capacitor [marked 200 or 201] (C14)
 1 680 pF disc capacitor [marked 680 or 681] (C19)
 2 .001 uF disc capacitors [marked .001 or 102] (C4, 8)
 9 .01 uF disc capacitors [marked .01 or 103 or 10nF] (C1, 2, 3, 5, 9,

10, 12, 15, 18)

 2 .1 uF disc capacitors [marked .1 or 104] (C6, 7)
 3 10uF electrolytic capacitors (C11, 13, 16)
 1 470uF to 1000uF electrolytic capacitor (C17)

SEMICONDUCTORS AND INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

 11 1N4148 diodes [glass case with black band] (D1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9,

10, 11, 12)

 1 1N4002 diode [black epoxy case with a band] (D5)
 1 Bipolar Light Emitting Diode (LED1)
 2 NPN small signal transistor [marked 2N3904] (Q1, 2)
 1 PNP small signal transistor [marked 221334] (Q3)
 1 FET small signal transistor [marked BS170] (Q4)
 1 7805 voltage regulator [marked 7805] (VR1)
 1 74HC04 inverter chip (U1)
 1 68HC705K1 microcontroller chip (U2)
 1 X2402 Memory Chip (U3)

CW700 • 8

MISCELLANEOUS PARTS AND HARDWARE

 2 RCA jacks (J4, J5)
 2 Miniature earphone jacks (J3, J6)
 1 1/4” stereo jack (J1)
 1 Miniature speaker (SP1)
 5 Push button switch (S1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
 1 9 volt battery connector (B1)
 1 9 volt battery holder
 1 Eight pin IC socket (SOC1)
 1 Sixteen pin IC socket (SOC2)
 No. 24 busswire

A NOTE ABOUT TOOLS FOR THIS KIT

For easier assembly of the CW700, we suggest this listing of tools to have
on hand to borrow or buy.

A. BASIC PC BOARD WIRING

 Needle-nose plier
 Tweezers
 Wire snippers
 Thin-diameter rosin core solder intended for electronics use
 Illuminated magnifier or very good eyes

B. SOLDERING EQUIPMENT

 A 25 watt soldering pencil with a clean sharp tip.
 Basic de-soldering tool of some kind
 Highly recommended: Set of standard “soldering aid” tools such as

Radio Shack No. 64-2227

C. ADDITIONAL TOOLS

 A Dremel Tool, file, nibbler or cutter to clean the edges on your PC

board. This tool is only necessary if your PC board has not been cut for
you already.

CW700 • 9