[TenTec] Orion key stays down in Writelog

[Tommy]

Why not key the PTT line in the accessory connector per recomendation in the
manual? I've been keying PTT using an audio derived keying circuit and it
works quite well.

Tom/W4BQF

----- Original Message -----
From: <K4IA at aol.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2004 11:54 PM
Subject: [TenTec] Orion key stays down in Writelog


> To recap the problem:
>
> I was using the opto-isolator circuit shown on page 55 of the Writelog
manual
> to key the rig.  The rig would go into transmit and not send dit and dahs
and
> stay in transmit until I unplugged the key or sent something with the
paddles.
>
> Now, I have no idea but for some reason the opto-isolator circuit just
would
> not work.  It seemed as if the opto was holding the key down.  The voltage
to
> the DTR line would fluctuate with the keying and go back up to minus 9
when it
> was finished.  The resistance across the key side would stay low so the
key
> stayed keyed until I removed the jack or keyed the rig with the paddles.
I
> tried two different optos so I don't think it was defective.  I also tried
a
> couple of different resistors instead of the 560 shown in the book.
Nothing
> worked.
>
> I switched over to the other circuit shown for the LPT port.  The one
using
> the NPN transistor but I hooked it onto the DTR line of the serial port.
It
> works like a champ.
>
> So problem solved and I don't know why.  Just put this in your book of
tricks
> in case someone else comes up with a similar issue.  I don't know enough
to
> tell if this was my computer or the Orion. However, the Orion does show 4
volts
> across the key line.  Is it possible this was working against the opto?
>
>
> Radio k4ia
> Craig "Buck"
> Fredericksburg, Virginia USA
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