[SD-User] (no subject)

[Paul O'Kane]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <IanSDavies at aol.com>

> I came on line to  update my old V9.28 and found
> the world had changed!

Yes, like mobile phones, it looks like Windows has caught
on :-)

A few things may help keying with Windows.  You should
make sure that no non-essential processes are running at
the same time as SD, because Windows decides when to give
them time - at the expense of SD's CW o/p.

The PRIORITY command (in V9.25) may help.  I run Win98
and WinXP on separate machines, and corrupt dots or
dashes are very rare with SD's internal keying.

> the  worst aspect is that every message starts with a
> long dash.

I used to get that on the WinXP machine.  EI5DI sounded
like TI5DI.  In my case, it was cured by applying a PTT
delay (whether or not you're actually using PTT) with
the PTTLEAD command.  I had to set mine to 100 ms so that
first-character extension was not noticeable above 30 wpm.
At lower speeds, you don't need so much.

> I really do not want to build another box (WinKey I
> believe) to clutter the station

That's understandable, but WinKey brings very definite
advantages compared to any other external keyer - mainly
the fact that SD's keying is then fully integrated with
the paddles.  You can interrupt a message with the touch
of a paddle, then continue manually at the same speed.
You have the benefit of a speed control pot, so that you
can change speed while WinKey is still sending.

My WinKey is built into a Hallicrafters HA-1 keyer case and
chassis, dating from 1963. It's nearly half the size of my
rig, but there is room for all sorts of switches and i/o
sockets - which can't be done on my Logikit CMOS-4.

On the front panel I have the speed control, paddle i/p, and
switches for On/Off, Tune, Paddle Reverse, PTT disable.  On
the rear chassis, there is another paddle i/p, straight key
i/p, keyer o/p, external power i/p, and two different PTT
o/p sockets.  

The front panel On/Off switch also cuts the power connection
on the 9-pin serial i/p socket (and to the internal battery,
for powering WinKey in standalone mode).  In effect, it's
a reset control, should WinKey misbehave for any reason, and
it means I never have to unplug any cables.

Now, that's what I call a keyer!  

73,
Paul EI5DI