[Elecraft] Straight Key on my K2

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/31/06 7:31:56 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
rondec at easystreet.com writes:


> It takes only a couple of seconds to change modes - less
> time to switch between paddle and hand key mode in the K2's menu than it
> does to plug the key in! It seems rather absurd to use an external keyer and
> ignore the excellent keyer built into the K2 just to avoid one or two button
> pushes when switching between types of keys. 
> 
> 

devil's advocate mode = ON

One problem is that those button pushes and menu selections seem to take a 
lot of time when being done on-air.

The big one, however, is that it would be more convenient to be able to have 
multiple  keys connected all the time, and choose which one is used by simply 
grabbing the knob of the one you wanted to use at that particular moment. 

The problem Elecraft faced was keeping the number of rear-panel connections, 
and the necessary software, manageable within the confines of the rig. 

I think one of the attractions of "vintage" rigs is their lack of menu-type 
controls, and the related displays. If you want to know what band you're on, 
just look at the BAND knob and see where it's pointing. Problem is, that takes a 
lot of panel space and a lot of hardware (knob/switch/control/wiring). 
Sometimes the things you use all the time get lost among controls that are hardly 
ever used. (My Southgate Type 7, in its entirety, has more than 33 controls on 
the various front panels, and it has far fewer features than a K2).

A story:

The first couple of generations of diesel-electric railroad locomotives had 
similar cab layouts for the engineer. The throttle, reverser, and air brake 
controls were all grouped a certain way on the control stand, and the various 
analog gauges and indicators were grouped together. A lot of the choices were 
dictated by the available technology of the time. Conrols and indicators that 
were not often used were usually positioned out of the way behind the engineer, 
to save space.

Then in the 1980s, microprocessor control became all the rage. Some designs 
used CRTs, others various digital readouts. It was impressive to see the speed 
and air pressure in big square numbers instead of round dial gauges, and a lot 
more could be displayed to the engineer. 

The engineers hated the new designs! For one thing, if a particular gauge 
failed,  it only affected that particular indication, and could usually be worked 
around. A CRT display failure disabled the locomotive entirely.

But what they really disliked was the loss of analog readout. A good engineer 
is constantly scanning - the track ahead, the signals, the gauges, the train 
behind when going around a right hand curve, etc. With an analog gauge, a 
quick glance would tell that all was well because the red needle normally points 
to 3 o'clock and the white needle to about 2:30. A rising or falling trend is 
immediately obvious. But with a digital readout, it took a serious look to get 
the actual indication. That took more time and effort than the old way.

Next time around, analog-type displays returned. More than a few locos were 
retrofitted. Others found themselves as the second unit in many consists. 

devil's advocate mode = OFF

Of course we have a big advantage - the folks in Aptos don't just produce 
Elecraft rigs, they *use* them! 

73 de Jim, N2EY