After I posted my request for a favorite electronic keyer circuit on qrptech@groups.io, my friend Bill K6WHP reminded me that the 1 Watter & 5 Watter transceivers used a nice keyer circuit.
Diz W8DIZ designed his keyer circuit around the ATTINY45 microcontroller.
I robbed the keyer chip from my 1 Watter 30M Transceiver for this experiment. I decided to build this circuit using the manhattan construction style technique.
I took my time and built this circuit over several evenings spending 15 or 20 minutes per session. A college professor once told my class that "Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination." It is fun to build and learn new things and to stop and think along the way.
The keyer works great and I like the iambic B mode the best. I used my favorite LM386 circuit for my amplifier, but I plan on building a discrete amplifier for it just to be different and to learn something new. If you have any favorite discrete amplifier circuits please let me know!
In conclusion, I need to connect the keyer to one of my transceivers and make sure that it will key the transmitter. Give this keyer circuit a try and let me know what you think.
73 for now...
N8WQ
Oh wow - and it has a speed pot too! So many keyer circuits don't have provision for a speed pot, which is essential, in my opinion. Changing speed on the fly using the paddle and/or pushing a command button is slower and clunkier. How the heck is one supposed to do that in the heat of a QSO? I have several programmed chips for the N0XAS Pico Keyer-Plus, which works well, but can see that I am going to have to get a few of these too, for future builds. Thanks for the tip Alan!
ReplyDeleteDave
AA7EE
You are welcome Dave! Yes the speed pot makes the keyer more user friendly. Thanks for your feedback and keep the solder flowing!
DeleteOh, and I really like the fact that you built it over several evenings Alan, and took your time. I am a big fan of taking all the time you want to build. Besides, once a project is finished, you have to figure out what to build next! Might as well take your time and enjoy the process.
ReplyDeleteWhen I build, I make coffee, turn some music on, get the tools and gear out - it's a ritual. It's a "happening" in and of itself. It's my happy place. Well, except for those moments late at night when a circuit doesn't work and you're feeling frazzled! :D Not that we ever have those. Oh no..............
73,
Dave
AA7EE
I like your sense of humor :)
DeleteRev. George Dobbs, G3RJV (SK) said this about hombrewing circuits.
"Radio construction is rather like a pilgrimage, where the journey is often more important than the destination."
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Dave!
Alan, N8WQ