[Elecraft] K3 Keying - minority opinion?

Sun Sep 7 03:05:04 EDT 2008

Here's a thread of discussion on Ultimatic keying for other Elecraft 
products:
http://n2.nabble.com/Ultimatic-keying-in-KX1-K1--td447092.html

I've used it in the K1EL keyer, which is done with an 8-pin chip that 
costs about $1, so I don't think it's that much effort.
I'd rather like to try Ultimatic on my K3, but I'm unlikely to try 
ESSB.  I don't think it's productive to criticize feature requests as 
not being useful.
But if ESSB helps Elecraft reach higher product volumes and deliver the 
features I want, I consider it a plus.

Leigh/WA5ZNU
> Wasted effort as far as I am concerned....
>
>  Jim K4JAF
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jack Regan" <ae6gc at sbcglobal.net>
> To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 5:23 PM
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 Keying - minority opinion?
>
>
>>
>>
>> Wayne (and Gary)
>>
>> I hope you and Gary will reconsider adding Ultimatic/Single Lever Paddle
>> support to the K3 internal keyer.  I think that more than Don, Dave and
>> myself would welcome that addition to the K3.
>>
>> The elegance of the K3, a rig that rivals and even surpasses many of the
>> very high end radios, is diminished by the need to use an external 
>> keyer to
>> use a mode that many find invaluable. Removing the need to add 
>> another piece
>> of gear to the table top is not a minor inconvenience.  The small 
>> size of
>> the K3 seems to be an attempt to make it convenient for 
>> field/portable use
>> and to then require another piece of gear to make it work seems to 
>> diminish
>> its attempt to reach that goal.
>>
>> Jack, AE6GC, KX1 1403, K3 1433
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Ferrington,
>> M0XDF
>> Sent: Saturday, September 06, 2008 11:20 AM
>> To: wayne burdick
>> Cc: w3fpr at arrl.net; Elecraft Reflector; DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Keying - minority opinion?
>>
>> I have to say I'm hoping that by the time it matters to me, Elecraft
>> will have implemented Ultimatic, otherwise I can see myself buying a
>> WKUSB or K12-EXT and fitting it into the K3 somewhere.
>>
>> I realise that your're busy Wayne and this is probably quite a way
>> down on your list, but please consider implementing Ultimatic, perhaps
>> in place of Iambic if you have space issues and can give people the
>> choice at f/w upgrade time?
>> 73 de M0XDF, K3 #174
>> -- 
>> Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.
>> -Galileo Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)
>>
>> On 6 Sep 2008, at 14:33, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>>
>>> Doug,
>>>
>>> All is well that Iambic B meets your needs, but it is not for
>>> everyone, even though we may be the minority.  I need either a
>>> single lever paddle with an Iambic only keyer or Ultimatic mode and
>>> a dual lever paddle to send decent CW.
>>> The problem with dual paddles is that I squeeze too often and end up
>>> generating garbage.  And that nasty Iambic B mode sends out the
>>> 'extraneous' extra element at the end!
>>> Ultimatic mode makes sense to my mind - I close the dash paddle and
>>> out comes dashes, close the dot paddle and out comes dots.  The last
>>> paddle activated gets priority.  It allows the insertion of one or
>>> more dots (dashes) in a string of dashes (dots) as well.  It makes
>>> sense to my mind - the paddle that I close last is what is produced.
>>>
>>> I know there are not many users of this mode today, mainly because
>>> the popularity and convenience of the Curtis keyer chip and a few
>>> others encouraged the world to Iambic long ago.  Ultimatic was the
>>> original keyer mode and was the main thing available back in the
>>> '50s and '60s.  It is just more natural to me than those alternating
>>> dots and dashes.
>>>
>>> Those who must do 'slap' keying or must use a single lever paddle
>>> with an Iambic keyer might want to try Ultimatic mode - it is
>>> available in some of the K1EL keyers (the K12 is one) as well as
>>> several others (but no internal keyers that I am aware of).
>>>
>>>
>>> Ultimatic users 'stand up' and request that it be added to the K3
>>> internal keyer!  Wayne did give a strong 'maybe' when I asked.
>>
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