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Can't Use CW With My Rig....

Jaymom

Jaymom

Member
Mar 14, 2011
67
0
16
Ocala, FL.
When I plug in my CW hand key my ICOM IC-718 begins to send a series of dot's. I went to Radio Shack and bought new plugs and just for the fun of it I plugged one in all by itself and the series of dots began as before. I bought this unit used. Does anyone have any idea of what could be causing this? It does not do anything when plugged in if it is not on CW, but the second I set the mode to CW the dit dit dit start's in.

Taking my General exam Tuesday, May 10, 2011 after being without a General license since 1976 when I retired from the U.S.A.F. so I'm looking forward to doing some serious CW. I'm getting older than dirt.

Many Thanks and have a blessed day,

Harold KK4AVR
 

The rigs internal CW keyer is turned on and when you insert a straight key iot is shorting the jack and causing a string of dots to be sent. The CW jack is a tip-rig-sleeve type commonly called a stereo jack. A keyer paddle uses the same type of jack whereas a straight key uses a mono type plug. Consult page 31 and page 45 of your manual to find out how to turn the internal keyer OFF in order to use a straight key.
 
Capt. I sure appreciate this. I am looking for my manual this very minute. I have a Vibroplex speed key. Members of my club auctioned of a ton of stuff at our last meeting and i ended up with the Vibroplex. I used them for the first 10 years I was in the Air Force and haven't touched one since I retired. Your help is much appreciatd Sir.

Have a blessed day,

Harold
 
On page 31 it explains how to set up a Paddle Key and a Straight key. When I set the Bk-IN mode to oF it just keeps sending a row of dots. When I select either SE or FL it still does except now the transmitter is activated.
Obviously I am doing something wrong even though I'm following the manual. I can't seem to get rid of the stream of dot's while in the CW mode.
 
You don't need to change the Break-in setting you need to choose the key type. On page 45 set the CW PADDL to "oF". this turns the internal keyer off and allows the use of a straight key.
 
For some reason my reply yesterday didnt get recorded here on the forum.
Yes Capt. you are totally correct and I have it running like a charm. My speed key is all cleaned up including the points and its been adjusted properly and I am having a ball with it. Can't believe that I used to send 30 WPM with one of these. I can barely send 5 WPM now. The weight on it can't go any lower on the rod and its still hard to keep up with this thing.

Thanks again and have a blessed day,

Harold
 
Jaymom said:
For some reason my reply yesterday didnt get recorded here on the forum.
Yes Capt. you are totally correct and I have it running like a charm. My speed key is all cleaned up including the points and its been adjusted properly and I am having a ball with it. Can't believe that I used to send 30 WPM with one of these. I can barely send 5 WPM now. The weight on it can't go any lower on the rod and its still hard to keep up with this thing.

Thanks again and have a blessed day,

Harold
Click to expand...

Hey Harold - you're not by any chance former USN, are you? The term "speed key" holds a special meaning for us Radiomen.

On edit ... I went to the first post to reread it and see you're USAF (Ret). I guess the terminology is the same in the air or at sea. Have fun with CW!
 
Harold: I am going to take a shot here....by how describing your "Speed Key"....tells me your running what my generation (Novice 1979) of Hams calls a "Bug"
If so try this... remove the weight off the shaft...look around the shack and find a couple of hex nuts, slide them on the shaft and replace the weight...this will slow the shaft motion down(more weight/Slower motion)

I forget now which "Bug" I tried to "Tame"... however on that one I found that a PL259 barrel would slide on the shaft and replace the original weight...

Anyway I was just thinking maybe from my experience this might be where your at with your "Speed Key"

I never Served; but was a Navy "Brat"... I was born during my father's "second tour" in Korea...USS Bataan 029 (Independence Class carrier)
I think!
After he passed couple years back found some pictures he took "on-board" plus some interesting "Leave" pictures of him and his buddy's.

Welcome back to CW...field day is coming I need to work a little CW to "polish" :Doff the rust!....
GL OM 73
All the Best
BJ
 
My Vibroplex Presentation (High School graduation present from aunt/uncle) was very smooth and worked from about 18 WPM to 40+ WPM.

I've used Originals and Blue Racers that wouldn't slow down; for them I used a couple clothespins. That did the trick!

If you contact Vibroplex, I believe they still carry weights for every bug they've ever made. Couldn't hurt to have some extras.
 
Yep, i'm guilty, I'm an ole Submariner from back in the 50's and 60's but thats not where I learned to use a speed key, that came later on.
The first time I saw a speed key I felt sick as I watched the guy singing away at around 30 wpm. Took me a while but I got pretty good at it. I was sending out a message one day when a LT. came by the shack and was talking to one of the guys and he mentioned to the LT. that he couldnt copy what I was sending because i was sending so fast. Later on I heard the LT remark to my friend...."No wonder he walks so funny". I just laughed.
One day after I returned from one of our trips (USS Sam Houston SSBN 609) I took my discharge, mainly just to get out of submarines. I joined the U.S.A.F. a few months later and thats when I learned the joy of using a speed key. Right now i am enjoying PSK31 and can't wait until I get my General so that I can do something beside receive. I have been practicing with my speed key with it's new weight and name plate and I cant believe it used to be so easy for me. Im struggling big time. lol

Harold
 
Novice and Technician classes:
3.525-3.600 MHz: CW Only

Novice and Technician classes:
7.025-7.125 MHz : CW only

Novice and Technician classes:
21.025-21.200 MHz: CW Only

Novice and Technician classes:
28.000-28.300 MHz: CW, RTTY/Data--Maximum power 200 watts PEP
28.300-28.500 MHz: CW, Phone--Maximum power 200 watts PEP

And may I ask...why are you waiting to get "In the Air"
Grab that "Bug' by the horns and start swinging!
That old "Great Lakes Swing" will find it's way back!:pop:
All the Best
BJ(y)
 
Jaymom said:
Yep, i'm guilty, I'm an ole Submariner from back in the 50's and 60's but thats not where I learned to use a speed key, that came later on.
The first time I saw a speed key I felt sick as I watched the guy singing away at around 30 wpm. Took me a while but I got pretty good at it. I was sending out a message one day when a LT. came by the shack and was talking to one of the guys and he mentioned to the LT. that he couldnt copy what I was sending because i was sending so fast. Later on I heard the LT remark to my friend...."No wonder he walks so funny". I just laughed.
One day after I returned from one of our trips (USS Sam Houston SSBN 609) I took my discharge, mainly just to get out of submarines. I joined the U.S.A.F. a few months later and thats when I learned the joy of using a speed key. Right now i am enjoying PSK31 and can't wait until I get my General so that I can do something beside receive. I have been practicing with my speed key with it's new weight and name plate and I cant believe it used to be so easy for me. Im struggling big time. lol

Harold
Click to expand...

In the Navy, from the late 1950s and forward, you couldn't use a speed key on any actual Navy circuit until and unless you qualified for a "Speed Key Certificate" ("Bug Card"). I reported aboard the Kitty Hawk in late '63 with my sweet Presentation bug. After checking in and getting my seabag stowed, I went into Radio Central to see what my new home was like. There was a drill circuit going on and I was copying it, around 25WPM, in my head.

Watch supervisor saw that I could copy code so he told me to go ahead and take over! We were using dummy loads and "working" some other ships at the San Diego Naval Station. I was going about 30 WPM eventually, and that's when the Chief walked in. He made a phone call and told me I had an appointment with some Master Chief the next day.

Got the Presentation all shined up. The Master Chief seemed to like it better than his own Original so we used mine for the test. Went back to the Kitty Hawk with my new Bug Card!
 
BJ to tell you the honest truth I'm afraid that I will become too satisfied with my Technician license if I get on the air and will not spend enough time studying. I am taking chemo for Lympthoma of the stomach cancer and the side effects are causing the tear ducts of my eyes to burn making it hard for me to read. So I spend as much time as my eyes will let me studying for my General exam. I definately will get on CW in April when I get to the point where I feel comfortable with the test questions. Thanks for the concern though BJ, much appreciated.

Have a blessed day,
Harold
 

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