[CQ-Contest] RTTY and Keyboard Lockups

[Bill Turner]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:

On Tue, 8 Jan 2008 13:12:20 -0800 (PST), Lee Buller <k0wa at swbell.net>
wrote:

>I had a great time in the Round Up....what a fun contest even with a moderate station.  What do all you RTTY expert contesters do to keep RF out of the keyboard.  Now, I did not use the keyboard a lot, but when I had to, it seems to double each key ssttrrookkee.  I am assuming that was some sort of RFI issue with the keyboard.  I have it choked off with about 4 clip on beads, but I think I an going to have to wind the cable on a toroid.  Anyone have any experience with this issues?

------------ REPLY FOLLOWS ------------

Does it *always* double the keystrokes, or only on some bands and only
at high power level? If the answer is always, it is a software
problem. Your software is set to "echo" the characters back to the
screen. Disable that and you are all set.

Otherwise...

This question used to come up a lot, but with the advent of USB
keyboards (hint) it doesn't so much anymore. For some reason the USB
ones are much more immune to RF. If your computer has the PS/2 style
socket, a simple cheap adaptor is available.

Another thing to try first is be sure your rig and your computer are
sitting right next to each other so you can connect a short ground
lead between them. That cured a stubborn 160 meter lockup problem I
had been having for some time. Completely trouble free now.

73, Bill W6WRT