[TenTec] OMNI VII keyer upgrade

[Paul Christensen]

> "My issue is the OMNI VII keyer. To me the weighting adjustments are not 
> sufficient to allow  it to produce CW characters that match the ORION II. 
> I'd like to see the CW weighting function be increased from 24% max to 
> match the ORION II. I run the ORION II at 150% weighting. Next to it the 
> OMNI VII sounds choppy."

Dave,

You are correct.  The Omni VII's internal keyer comes close to a 1:3 ratio 
only when the CW weighting control approaches the top end at 24%.  At that 
point, weighting is close to ideal, but still falls just a bit short.   What 
I am not completely certain of is whether or not the issue is truly 
weighting or if its pulse stretching of both the 'dit' and 'dah" keyed 
elements.  What's needed is a way to go beyond 24% to something like 45% 
using their range scale.  This would allow the operator to advance from 
light weighting to a normal 1:3 ratio, and on upwards to a slightly heavy 
weighting.

This is an issue only with the Omni VII's internal keyer.  When using an 
external keyer, the Omn VII's weighting and keyed element timing is 
absolutely perfect as evidenced in the QST product review.  The League 
reviews use external keying as part of their standardized methods and 
procedures.  I use several outboard keyers so the issue is somewhat 
irrelevant to me.

Paul, W9AC