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....
Overview:
- Build a CW keyer on a card that goes into your PC.
- Build for either the ISA or PCI bus.
- Use one of the cheap PIC processors that we have recently seen in various
QST articles. I'll bet you could build one for under $50.
- Have some onboard EEPROM so you could download new keyer code (upgrades)
for added functionality.
- Would work in DOS, 95/98, NT, Linux, etc. by talking to the board through
ports or addresses. Timing would not be criticle.
- Have external paddle connector on the card.
- Once the PCs power is applied, the keyer could be used via the paddle
with no requirement for PC control software.
Keyer Software:
- As previously mentioned, allow upgrades to the firmware to be downloaded
from the host PC.
- Ability to send ASCII characters to the keyer "port" and the keyer would
convert it to CW.
- Onboard memories that can be sent via simple commands to the card.
- Other normal keyer fuctions, ie. paddle reverse, Curtis A/B, iambic
on/off, etc.
Host Software:
- Easy interfacing from any of the popular logging programs.... Well, I
guess that means TR.
- Up to your imagination.
Well, there you have it. Do you think you could turn part of your hobby
into some extra $$$ for some new ham gear? I would certainly buy one.
Anyone up to the challenge? I'm open to brainstorming with anyone who
would also like to see this idea come to pass.
73, Jim - KK7A
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
On 12/14/98, at 10:02 PM, Dick Scott wrote:
>Thanks Tree. Maybe some NT Guru out there might have an answer. If not, I
>may have to switch computers before the next contest and run 95. Yuck!
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: n6tr@teleport.com [SMTP:n6tr@teleport.com]
>Sent: Monday, December 14, 1998 5:02 PM
>To: dickscott-tampa@worldnet.att.net; trlog@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [TRLog] Re: Time display for TR
>
>
>> Windows NT doesn't have a true DOS mode. However the program ran great
>> except for this time issue.
>
>Well - the time stuff is probably screwed up for the same reason the
>CW sounds funny under NT. Perhaps there are some settings that can
>be adjusted to give TR more time slices. However, figuring that out
>is beyond my ability.
>
>Tree
>
---------------------------------------------------------------
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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