[Elecraft] Squeeze Keyer for K2, K3 ?

[Fred Jensen]

Alan D. Wilcox wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> Fifty years ago I designed and built a tube keyer to replace my 
> Vibroplex. Then a transistor keyer. All this before the iambic keyers 
> came along ...
> 
> Left paddle = dots
> Right = dashes
> Squeeze both paddles = dashes only.

Somewhat over 50 years ago [1956] I built such a keyer using about 10 
dual triodes.  With the power supply, mine weighed about a brick and was 
bigger than a K2.  It had self completing dots and dashes, but nothing 
else.  I keyed it with my Lionel J-36 that, from it's appearance, went 
ashore at Iwo Jima, which I modified to be a straight paddle.  I did try 
dual paddles on it once.  What happened when I squeezed was 
unpredictable, but I think it mattered which one went closed first.  It 
wasn't Iambic for sure.
> 
> The technique I developed was to
> 1. Always squeeze _both_ keys for dashes; if I was a bit late getting 
> the dash paddle closed, the logic turned the dot into a dash (as long as 
> the dot hadn't finished, of course.)
> 2. If dots followed dashes, just simply let loose of the right paddle.
> 3. A string of dots would turn into dashes simply by squeezing both 
> paddles together.
> 
> I could send good CW at fairly-respectable speeds, and was happy. For 
> decades ... until I got the K2 and the K3.

Not sure the K3 or any modern keyer can do that.  Possibly a new market 
if you're good at electronics design and marketing?

> Questions:
> 1. Is there a way to kludge the K2 or K3 keying logic for squeeze keying?

It does, but it's Iambic.  A or B.  My blood type is O+, my keyer type is A.

> 2. Does anyone make a keyer with my logic? WHO? All I've ever seen are 
> iambic.

I don't think so.  Some keyers have an Ultimatic mode, but I have no 
idea what that is, except that I remember reading the article when it 
came out.  Tubes too, I think.

> 3. If neither, and I wind up building my new keyer myself, is this 
> something anybody else would want?

See above.  Not me, but some younger folk might be interested.  I'm too 
old to learn a new keying technique.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2010 Cal QSO Party 2-3 Oct 2010
- www.cqp.org