[SD-User] SD and IC7400 compatiblity with CT-17

[Paul O'Kane]

The USB-17 cable referred to serves only for rig control.  It's a 
perfectly good option for rig control but will not faciltate CW keying 
on the IC7400, because that rig does not support a text to CW feature.

CW keying is entirely separate from rig control - you can have either or 
both.  For keying, the options are SD's internal keyer, or an external 
keyer such as WinKey or the microHAM CW Keyer.  With SD's internal 
keyer, smooth CW cannot be guaranteed (but it may be OK) because of 
interruptions from Windows.  To use SD's internal  keyer, refer to CW 
KEYING on page 6 of the manual SD.PDF - it requires a USB to serial 
converter (for PCs with USB outputs) and a simple 1-transisitor/resistor 
level converter as described.

WinKeyer USB is, by far, the simplest keying solution- it is supported 
by all logging programs.  The UK distributor is Kanga UK 
https://www.kanga-products.co.uk/ but they seem to be closed at 
present.  Here's the USA site - https://www.k1elsystems.com/WKUSBX.html 
or https://www.k1elsystems.com/WKmini.html

I don't recommend the microHAM CW keyer because it uses a separate 
control program for setting parameters, and it does not recognise some 
of SD's relevant setup commands. However, it has the big advantage of 
supporting both rig-control and CW keying in a single unit - 
https://www.microham.com/contents/en-us/d22_CK.html

73,
Paul EI5DI


On 29/07/2020 11:09, Roger Wheeler via SD-User wrote:
> Hello Paul,Please could you advise me here. Will SD key my IC7400 via a USB CT-17 cable. I have used SD for many years now  as a logger on SSB contests . I won one in 2015!. Now I want to use SD during the RSGB CC80m CW contests . I have seen on eBay a USB CT-17 cable, as sold by G0OYQ . He sells all type of CI leads etc. I asked him the above question but he suggests that I ask your good self.Many thanks ,Roger G3MGW