[PVRCNC] Computer keying of the K3

[mike at bentwire.net]

Those who have attended the last couple of meetings have had to listen to
me kvetch about the brain death of my micoHam microKeyer which recently
developed a combination of cw stutter/Tourette's syndrome after years of
flawless service. I had to finally rip the cords from the rig during the
Stew Perry and resort to (horrors!) manual keying. 
 
Not wanting to subject my fellow contesters to my liddish fist, I ordered
a K1EL Winkey USB kit a few weeks ago. Still waiting delivery on that, so
the jury is still out, but know it will be a fine addition to the shack
once it ever arrives. Contemplating the upcoming NAQP cw contest this
weekend, I began to scramble for a way to get N1MM to key the K3. I was
suddenly hit with a "Duh" moment when I realized that the K3 can be keyed
through the DTR/RTS lines on the serial port. Now, my shack compu-tater
ain't got no stinkin' serial ports on it, just those (not quite universal)
USB ports. I use a USB-to-serial converter to communicate with the K3 and
everybody is happy. But would said USB-to-serial converter toggle the
DTR/RTS pins correctly? We all *know* the horrors/issues with computer
toggling of pins for cw keying.

A little dinking around with the Hardware configuration tab in N1MM got
the DTR line set for cw keying and the configuration menu on the K3 to
accept that and before you know it, I'm sending 5NN automagically with
correct spacing and no ham-fisted errors (pun fully intended). So, who
needs a stinkin' external keyer? The paddle is connected to the K3 internal
keyer for fills (or phils, which is probably how it comes out when I send
it) and the computer keys the serial port.

Only one (minor) problem. The N1MM keyer speed is WAAY faster than what
actually gets sent. N1MM claims I'm sending about 35 wpm when its really
more like 25-26 wpm. Of course this is a problem with a benefit. It makes
me think I'm a hotter snot cw op than I really am. So maybe its not a
problem after all. Anybody else experience this? And if so, is there a fix
(not that its a real problem, just a little OCD coming out in me).

This little problem/solution just makes me so pleased with my choice of K3
and N1MM (to the chagrin of some).

73, Mike N4GU