[TenTec] "PTT CW" vs. PTT-controlled CW redux

[kd4d at comcast.net]

Hi Scott:

Thanks for the information, but I'm afraid I didn't understand your
posting.  I think this is largely semantics, but let me ask a couple
of questions so we are speaking the same language.

1.  How can you defeat QSK in the Orion and operate PTT CW?  What
does PTT CW mean in this context?

2.  I understand, and have used, semi-break-in CW.  Many Japanese
rigs call it "VOX."  There's a VOX DELAY which they set (very
similar to the TenTec QSK DELAY) to control it.  The same setting
often applies to both SSB and CW operation.

I see the difference between PTT and semi-break-in in CW and 
PTT verses VOX in SSB as the exact same issue.  I don't see 
an equivalent to QSK for SSB.

I clearly don't understand what you mean by PTT for CW.  
Is it something different than PTT for SSB?

3.  What is "PTT Control" of CW?  I don't understand this.

BTW, I used an Orion in the 160 contest.  What I did was to
let the Orion operate QSK and fed the computer PTT signal
directly to the amplifier.  Other than rather loud sidetone
key clicks on CW, which I normally didn't hear because I was
listening to the other radio, it worked fine.  I'm not sure
I managed to use the AGC to best advantage, but I'll learn!

The only real issue I see is having to reconfigure between
SSB, where PTT goes to the Orion from the computer/DVP/DVK,
and CW, where PTT goes to the amplifier from the computer.

Thanks and 73.

Mark, KD4D
> 
> At 09:19 AM 2/27/04 -0600, you wrote:
> K5SF wrote:
> 
> >I think the PTT is a similar issue.  I've heard of at least one contesting 
> >club move whole heartedly into the Orion, I've heard others shy away for 
> >lack of things important to them.  There is more than one web site for 
> >contesting that has said a tactic for reducing fatigue is to switch to PTT 
> >during low activity.  During High activity, the QSK is useful to catch the 
> >caller that hits just as you start to call CQ.  So this is a little 
> >different than ice cream, there are points about it both sides.  Does the 
> >PTT disqualify a rig?  now that's an ice cream choice.
> 
> Richard, take this in the polite spirit intended:
> 
> This is what makes it hard to discuss these issues - because the way this 
> is presented here
> is NOT the PTT issue that was being debated.  You can defeat the QSK in the 
> Orion,
> as-is and operate "PTT CW", just as you have described above.  Switching 
> back and
> forth from PTT to QSK when PTT -control- of CW is in place, is not an 
> option.  PTT
> -control- is used when other devices need the proper sequencing for 
> switching, and/or
> the operator wants to precisely control the start and stop of MOX CW 
> operation.
> 
> This is completely different from the issue of PTT -control- of CW transmit 
> where it was
> suggested that Ten-Tec had no clue about engineering decisions vis-a-vis 
> the ham
> community's needs and that I personally didn't know anything about the 
> needs of the
> "serious" CW contest operator.   Which led to me blowing up on the 
> reflector about
> the issue - I should have kept my comments about what I think about the station
> engineering of other contest operators to myself.   "PTT or semi-break in 
> CW" is
> something I personally use fairly often in contests.   PTT -control- of CW, 
> is not.
> 
> Squeaky wheel gets the grease, though.  I insisted that PTT -control- of CW 
> was not
> something we were going to consider with the Orion AND that the engineering 
> decision
> to do so was the correct one.   It was still the correct engineering 
> decision - but we'll
> look into adding MOX PTT control of CW transmit as a future firmware 
> upgrade.
> Someone above me here at Ten-Tec put it to me very succinctly about this 
> issue in the
> last few weeks:   It's not about right, in this case.  Meaning, even though 
> it may not
> be "right", why not go ahead and put it in there?
> 
> Good point.   I'll leave it at that.
> 
> 73
> Scott Robbins W4PA
> 
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