[CQ-Contest] A portable rig for contesting?

[Bill Coleman]

On Oct 5, 2005, at 11:36 AM, VR2BrettGraham wrote:

> It is impossible to interface any radio into an existing station
> using existing equipment that is based on asserting some form
> of PTT if that radio has no PTT.

Impossible? I don't think so. Inconvenient? Certainly. Difficult? Maybe.

> The typical suggestion from Elecraft community of adapting
> _everything_ to accommodate the K2 when this is not
> necessary with any other radio since before even my father's
> & grandfather's SX-71/Viking 2 combo I suspect will not meet
> with much acceptance here.

The K2 is different from other radios in some ways. Amplifier keying  
is one of those ways. The K2 will assert amplifier keying 20-40ms  
before it begins to produce RF, and it does so without clipping the  
first element.

So, if the goal of CW PTT is to avoid hot-switching the amplifier, it  
is not necessary with the K2.

> Even interrupting the key lines is something that is unacceptable
> for SO2R - everything is done based on PTT & positive control
> of RX/TX state.

Everything? Perhaps more explanation would be helpful here.

> I'm curious - who does _not_ use PTT for SO2R for serious
> operating on CW?  Perhaps we could hear from folks like K5ZD,
> KQ2M, etc.

An alternative question would be - exactly what function is achieved  
with the CW PTT?



Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901