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[TRLog] Keyer Challenge

Subject: [TRLog] Keyer Challenge
From: kk7a@micron.net (Jim - KK7A)
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 18:37:14 -0700
Some more thoughts.....

A serial interface would be simpler, but I was hoping not to use one, since
serial ports are at a premium on most machines.  Rig control, TNC and the 2
basic ones are already gone.  Also, keeping the keyer board internal to the
PC would reduce the costs as there would be no case or power supply.

        73, Jim - KK7A


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 12/15/98, at 8:37 AM, Michael Dinkelman wrote: 

>Great minds think alike :>). I've had similar thoughts over the past
>couple years - that's easy to say, at least Jim put it to paper. I have
>come close to breadboarding something up but never crossed that line. 
>
>       The only thing I would add is that it use a serial interface rather than
a
>bus and be external to the PC. That way, the computer hardware is a moot
>point  (Someone could write for Macs - if anybody contests with those? :>)
>It also makes it easier for someone to build themselves if the project is
>simple enough to be published. Limited to speeds such as used by TR, the
>hardware and programming should be a snap.  My design was based on the
8031
>family of microcontrollers ($3 in quantity) with built in serial ports but
>that's because I have an emulator, assembler, and C compiler handy for it.
>Of course, there are many other candidates!
>
>       A couple of hurdles - the major one being cost. Hams are cheap,
contesters
>are cheaper and no one is going to make money on this. Breaking even would
>be nice. (No? how many of you are running unlicensed contest S/W?  Or on a
>286 your Grandmother would find slow?) The second hurdle will be
>standarization and convincing S/W writers to adopt. Who ever does the
first
>one needs to think about the User Interface. It needs to be simple but
>flexible or it'll never fly (much like many contest keyers of old -
>including a Z80 based one I did).
>
>       Remove the burden of keying from the computer and you may find a whole
new
>batch of logging S/W pop up within 12 months written for moderm O/S's. Of
>course, none will have the customer service that Tree provides. 
>
>At 10:45 PM 14-12-98 -0700, you wrote:
>>
>>Let me put a bug in the ear of a hardware designer / programmer.  This
has
>>been an idea of mine for quite some time, but due to other priorities it
>>probably won't come to pass from me.  It would address the timing and
>>compatability problems people have when running under NT/95/98, etc..
Here
>>is the idea....
>>
>
>Michael Dinkelman, N7WA
>Kent, WA
>mwdink@eskimo.com
>
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---------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Larson - KK7A -  Boise, Idaho   <><
---------------------------------------------------------------
Search for YOUR callsign in my 1993-1998
amateur radio logs from the following URL:
http://netnow.micron.net/~kk7a
---------------------------------------------------------------


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