[Elecraft] Feature Request: improved internal keyer and CW PTT behavior

[donovanf]

Hi Bob, 


The Win-Test PTTOff script corrects the unwanted K3 PTT VOX delay! 


Hopefully Elecraft will eventually eliminate the unwanted PTT VOX delay too. 


Thanks 


73 
Frank 
W3LPL 



----- Original Message -----

From: "Bob Wilson [via Elecraft]" <ml-node+s365791n7627035h43 at n2.nabble.com> 
To: "donovanf" <donovanf at starpower.net> 
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2017 10:12:16 AM 
Subject: Re: Feature Request: improved internal keyer and CW PTT behavior 





donovanf wrote 
Hi Richard, The K3 and external K1EL Winkeyer is a great combination, it corrects most of the deficiencies of the internal K3 keyer and PTT VOX delay. Hopefully the next next upgrade of the K3 internal keyer will at least make it better, if not perfect! The biggest faults are: - VOX delay added to the tail of the PTT signal when in VOX mode - inability to use the internal keyer in CW PTT mode, it always reverts to QSK 

Hi Frank, 
I haven't followed this entire thread, but I believe there is no need for any firmware changes, or a WinKey, to solve this problem. 
The problem of unwanted PTT delay when using the internal keyer with VOX, and computer-generated CW/PTT, was already addressed by the improvements to the RX; command in K3 firmware 5.46 and later. Sending an RX; command at the end of all computer-generated CW messages will immediately open the PTT line no matter how long you set the VOX delay, so there will be no delay in receiving when the computer-generated message terminates. You will still get the programmed CW VOX delay when hand-sending, and the PTT will be held closed for the duration of all computer-generated messages, if you follow all of the steps outlined below. 
This is easy to do in Win-Test, which is the contest software I think you are using. Other contest loggers have similar features. 
This works best connecting paddles directly to the internal keyer of the K3 and avoiding the WinKey entirely. 
First set CONFIG:RTS-DTR PTT-KEY 
Disconnect the WinKey and disable its serial port. 
Tell Win-Test to key CW on the K3 serial port DTR pin, and PTT on the RTS pin (under Options | Interface configuration ). Win-Test sends great CW using either real serial ports or FTDI USB-to-Serial adapters. Or you may use legacy LPT port CW/PTT keying circuits if you prefer (set CONFIG:PTT-KEY OFF-OFF when using LPT keying). 
Download K3scripts.zip from my Win-Test LUA script web site, https://bit.ly/wtscripts . This contains many useful K3 scripts, including PTTOff.wts , which does the following: 
wtRadio:Send("RX;")
return -1 
At the end of every CW message programmed in Win-Test, call this script, like this: 
CQ $MYCALL $MYCALL~#PTTOFF
$LOGGEDCALL $RST $STATE~#PTTOFF
TU $MYCALL~$CR~#PTTOFF
$MYCALL~#PTTOFF etc. 
In Win-Test, the "~" character is a macro separator, like a blank, but it sends no "space" characters. The macro won't run until the final bit of CW is output. 
Now you may put the K3 in semi-breakin mode, with VOX ON, and set the CW VOX delay to whatever works well with your paddling speed (0.21 works pretty well at contest speeds). This CW VOX delay will be overridden at the end of all computer-generated CW messages (except for Alt-K keyboard CW, but I think that's an acceptable exception). 
As a final step, make the Escape key halt any CW in progress and immediately open the PTT line too. To do this, assign the following script (name it PlayHalt2.wts ), to the Escape key, using the Win-Test Scripts Manager. 
-- If Escape key already halted CW, and we were called back
if wtApp:IsPostKeyProcess() then
   wtRadio:Send("RX;")                 -- Send "Receive" command to K3 to open PTT line
   return -1			       -- No further keystroke processing
else				       -- Else, first time through
   return 1			       -- Request normal keystroke processing of Escape key, with
                                       -- callback requested.
end 
Please let me know if this solves all the problems you care about regarding unwanted PTT hang delay, Win-Test, and the K3. 
73, 
Bob, N6TV 




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