[Boatanchors] Ranger1 w/ keyer? (part-2)

[manualman at juno.com]

Johnson offered a fantastic full break-in TR switch back in the good old
days. It's model 250-39. Find them on Ebay, hamfests, etc.
It's not even major rocket science to just build one from scratch. Actual
TR switch circuit is just one tube and a few components.
6 db of gain across many of the HF bands.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-e&q=ef+johnson+tr+switch

Pete, wa2cwa

On Sat, 9 Mar 2024 10:47:13 -0800 corner five <corner5 at comcast.net>
writes:
> Part two of this is ... I am looking for ideas around the break-in 
> aspects.  As is (Ranger default) a CW QSO requires the OP to 
> physically 
> move the "operate" switch back and forth between "standby" and "cw" 
> for 
> each exchange.   Manual  break-in.  Simple and effective.
> 
> However, I may be too cautions here but this seems like it might be 
> rough on this switch over the years.  Even if not, my question is 
> for 
> ideas of alternate ways to toggle between Tx and Rx.
> 
> A few of my thoughts:
> 1)  Run a foot pedal (or other physical switch) in parallel with 
> the 
> Ranger's Operate switch to do the physical switching.  I dont know 
> if 
> this is practical, as this switch is multi-pole, and appears to 
> switch a 
> number of things between these two positions.  Here I am not 
> totally clear.
> 2)  Or some method to get me to semi-break-in.  Of course this 
> transmitter has no VOX that is often employed for this path.
> 
> I'm not really wanting to get into making an elaborate / expensive 
> interface from scratch, but perhaps there are kits available?  Or 
> even a 
> small PIC type idea?
> 
> In the end, I'm good with manual break-in if that's the way to go. 
> Semi 
> break-in would be a nice want.
> thanks. c5.