A Darn Good Workaround for an Internal Keyer/CWX

Mickey N4MB

Like many of us, after using PowerSDR for years and putting up with the idiosyncracies, I learned to use it and like it. It's a good ways off on the published roadmap of SmartSDR, so I ordered a K1EL Winkeyer USB and connected everything together... finally, I had a memory keyer back! But I missed using a keyboard. I used the utility provided from K1EL, but it is a bare bones program, and I use N1MM for contests, but I really missed CWX. Great minds must think alike, because just over a week ago, Ray, K9DUR, produced another gem of a simple program called MorseKeyerEL. A few clicks of the mouse, I have everything that CWX had - and more, including the ability to set up operating profiles for different types of operating. The combination of the K1EL keyer connected via (yet another!) USB connection, MorseKeyerEL, and the Flex 6500 is sweet. Now to get I/Q on DAX for CWSkimmer, and my favorite features are in place. Cost: About $100 - $80 for the latest K1EL keyer and a few bucks for Ray. Thanks, Ray! 73, Mickey N4MB

W5UN_Dave

can this program be incorporated with N1MM?

K9DUR

Dave, In short, no. Since the USB interface to the WinKeyer is actually a serial port, only one program can talk to the WinKeyer at a time. In the contests, I point N1MM to the WinKeyer & use the macros stored in N1MM, which are far superior from a contesting viewpoint to what I can provide in an external program. I wrote MorseKeyerEL primarily for non-contest use. I only wish that N1MM had provisions for a more useable CW keyboard. Upon further reflection, maybe MorseKeyerEL could be modified so that it sits between N1MM & the WinKeyer to give you the best of both worlds.......hmmm. Stay tuned for further developments. Like most of my programs, this one also had a selfish motivation. I did the same thing that Mickey did -- bought myself a WinKeyer for Christmas and then went looking for a keyboard program to use with it. I couldn't find one, so I wrote one. 73, Ray, K9DUR

K9DUR

Mickey, Thank you for the kind words. I just want to point that the "few bucks for Ray", while greatly appreciated, are entirely voluntary. 73, Ray, K9DUR

philip.theis

Ray, You should talk to Tom (N1MM) or one of the other programmers, they are involved in a rewrite of MM now and could possibly incorporate some of the ideas here in the process. I have had a sneak peak and it is looking good (the new program). Much of the interprocess communications now is via IP and would be a good way to have a small app talk to the contest program for CW. just my thoughts. Phil K3TUF

W5UN_Dave

Ray, thanks for your input and the fine program. Yes, I use N1MM for ALL logging here. My contest days are spent.

Greg

Hi Ray! This is on the right track I think. Not sure if you read the posts I have made about this not too long ago but I think we are thinking about the same thing. I have the new WKUSB SMT built and running great. But there needs to be a way for it to work remotely....somehow the WK is connected to N1MM and N1MM tells SSDR to key the radio by software since all these connections would be away from the actual radio. It would be awesome to have the WK with a key attached, talking to N1MM (and use its keyboard function if necessary) and in turn MM instructs SSDR or a SmartCAT port on the LAN to key the radio. Bob T already has ports for PTT, maybe a solution would be to have one for CW as well....PTT on the RTS sig and CW on the DTR? This would be awesome. Thanks for all you do!!!!! 73 Greg AB7R

K9DUR

Version 1.2.0 of my MorseKeyerEL utility has been released and is available for download from my website. This version has 2 major enhancements: 1. You can now connect N1MM Logger or any other program that will talk to the WinKeyer to MorseKeyerEL and send CW from either program. 2. You can now store a default CW speed for each profile in addition to the main CW speed. 73, Ray, K9DUR http://k9dur.info