Can't key with CW and no side tone

W2PP

So, two issues.  Newbie I am sure.  Have the 6700 audio coming through my computer.  A OK on that one.  I do not see a way to setup keying by just hitting the paddles.  Instead, I can only key the 6700 with full break in.  On my old radio I could use he vox to accomplish this but there is no such choice here.

Secondly, when I use full break in, the radio keys and I can here the little relay tapping away the dots.  But, I cannot hear a side tone no matter what.  I see the side tone is enabled but I am not getting one.  Again, audio is being fed through the computer.

Thanks
Peter

W2PP

If I hook my headset directly to the SDR I get the side tone.  But not through the computer. 

Mark WS7M

Hi Peter,

Unfortunately, using the PC Audio option you will not get key side tone.  The reason is latency.

It simply would be offset enough in time to probably drive you crazy.  You'd hear a delay between when you hit the dit and dah and when the sound reached you.

On a flip note if you use the CWX window to type in CW then SSDR will produce a side tone that can be heard over the PC Audio.

Mark - WS7M

W2PP

OK thanks for that.  I have my headset plugged into the SDR and I get the side tone.  I am disappointed I must be in full break in to key the radio, very fundamental piece that is missing here.
It will drive me crazy when I hook up the linear amplifier.  

Oh, and I send CW the old fashioned way, with a paddle!! LOL on that one. 

43 years of hamming, this is a first.
Peter

Mark WS7M

Hi Peter,

Yes for the key, to key the radio you need to be in full break-in mode, HOWEVER you can adjust the delay to a very long value so it will feel less like full break in.  The delay is this value:


If you play with this value I'm pretty confident you will find a value that works much like your other radio did.

As far as side tone over PC Audio I agree.  It would be very nice to have it and I think it may still be on a list of possible features but I can't say for certain.

Yes on the paddle.  Just wanted to make sure you knew that it would give a side tone from the CWX window.

Me personally, yes I'm from the CW era myself.  I started out code only novice, had to pass 13 wpm send/receive AT THE FCC for my general.  Also visited the FCC and had to send/receive 20 wpm to an examiner.

While I like sending via paddle, these days I find I'm doing enough different things that sometimes I op CW while watching a football game.  The Flex makes this possible.  I can run my laptop, run SSDR, connect to my radio, and run complete CW but as you say, yes I'm using the CWX window.

There are people that have come up with remote keying solutions that offer side tone.  Basically using a keyer with side tone to send keying commands to the radio over the network.  I've not tried any of these.  But I hear some people have success with them.

But also if you are willing to get a keyer with side tone then that sort of solves your problem.  You wire that to the key input, turn on PC Audio and use the side tone from the keyer for sending.  Works very nice.

Mark

W9SN

This would be really great if the side tone would work with N1MM macro keys.  Or will it?

Mark WS7M

Oh ya... for amplifiers:

First yes, CW in full break in but adjust the delay above to be something reasonable.

And...  In the radio setup you can set a delay on your RCA TX port:



Between this delay and the delay on the CW break in you will not drive yourself crazy.  You can find values that work.

Mark WS7M

I think if you are using non PC Audio it does work.  The problem with side tone is it disappears once you switch to PC Audio.

W2PP

First WOW, thanks to all you guys for super responses.  The addition of the delay, yep that will suffice.  I never work QSK anyway.  Keyer with a side tone, man, I had one of those way back in the late 1970's, true journey is return!   I haven't hooked up the Maestro yet so I'll burn that bridge shortly!   I must say, now with a few hours of use under my belt I'm becoming more comfortable with the 6700 and just finished a long series on contacts on 20 meters.  I sought out discriminating operators who'd pay close attention to my audio, all said it sounded great don't touch it, no clipping no over processing and so on.  I do like the green bars for MIC gain which keep you out of trouble.  I'll go back in now and add some delay in CW to take care of that.  

Thanks again everyone!

Peter

Mark WS7M

Peter,

Did not know you had a Maestro.  If you do I believe (I can't say for sure because I don't own one) that plugging a key into that will give you side tone out of the Maestro.  

It's probably your best option.

k3Tim

Mark is correct. Plug a key into the Maestro and the sidetone is generated locally. I thought I read here or in the user manual, the WinKey h/w (or s/w emulation??)  is used.

A paddle uses the 1/8" TRS type plug. 
At this station a bug is used and the plug is a TS.

Enjoy!
Tim - k3Tim/7

BD8SZ

It's a bad feel to operate cw remote control, please ignore the latency and add pc sidetone feedback.