[South Florida DX Association] N4YG Smart Keyer IV (possible)

[Arthur Tan]

Hi Bill, Hi everyone,

Thanks for subscribing me. I got the confirmation message from the
reflector robot. Also, thanks for forwarding my message to the SFDXA
reflector. Would love to meet up with any and all SFDXA members for
beers next time I visit my folks (I usually go back to South FL about
twice a year...).

Hope that the SFDXA also has some N4YG Smart Keyer fans out there!

A lot of hams love the CMOS Super Keyer series designed by N0II and
KC0Q. The CMOS Super Keyer appeared in the ARRL Handbook throughout
the 80's. Then around  1990, N0II and KC0Q came out with the CMOS
Super Keyer 2 which was published in a QST article. Then in the 90's,
W9KNI and Idiom Press took over and started marketing both a kit and
finished version of the CMOS Super Keyer 2 (later version 3 and 4
even). My understanding is that version 4 comes in a smaller enclosure
and has less current drain.

However, despite all this, I think N4YG's Smart Keyer is even better
than the CMOS Super Keyer. The CMOS Super Keyer series accepts
commands via the paddle. The N4YG Smart Keyer accepts commands through
buttons on a keypad that looks like a telephone pad. N4YG's design is
more straightforward to me. I believe N4YG's design is an upgrade to
the Kansas City Keyer (put out by the Kansas City DX Club?) from the
1980's. At the very least, N4YG's design looks remarkably similar to
the old  Kansas City Keyer. Coming back tot he present day, if you
guys have time, check out N4YG's website:

www.n4yg.com

I'm a big N4YG fan. The guy's a talented engineer, having also
designed the SuperSCAF filters which I know a lot of SFDXA members
used in the late 80's and onward. If Joe comes out with the Smart
Keyer 4 series I hope to get an even earlier serial number than
W2CQ...haha.

I don't want to start any religious wars here, since I know everyone
gets attached to a favorite keyer and paddle and can't let go. I'm
sure some guys still use their WB4VVF Accu Keyers and the AEA Morse
Machines, etc. etc. The list of "favorite keyers" is endless.

73's you all! If any of you come out to the Bay Area, please drop me a line.

Art AB4RL

On 9/27/07, Bill Marx <bmarx at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> A Note I Received From Art AB4RL...
> -Bill W2CQ
>
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> Greetings from San Francisco! It's me, Art, AB4RL/6. I hope you
> remember me. I'm a former member of the SFDXA and FCG...WA4YLD (RIP)
> helped me put up my tower when I was a teenager living in Boca Raton
> with my folks...
>
> Anyway, I moved from Boca Raton to San Francisco almost three years
> ago and have been practicing criminal defense law out here. I love it
> out here. The weather is beautiful but work has been so busy it's been
> hard to find the time to get on the air.
>
> Back to discussing ham radio...I think you and I are both big fans of
> N4YG and his Smart Keyer series of keyers. I still have my Smart Keyer
> 3 which I purchased in late 1998 or early 1999. Since then Joe's had a
> couple of articles in QST about PIC based keyers and CW keyboards that
> he's designed. If you check out his web page, you'll notice that he's
> proposing coming out with a Smart Keyer 4:
>
> http://www.n4yg.com/SK.html
>
> He's trying to build a critical mass of potential interest in the
> keyer before he comes out with it. I've already emailed Joe and told
> him that I would buy or build a Smart Keyer 4 if he ever came out with
> it (even though I'm still perfectly happy with my Smart Keyer 3). The
> only drawback I have with my Smart Keyer 3 is that it can't decrement
> a serial number as an embedded command but I'm getting off-topic....
>
> If you too are interested in a Smart Keyer 4 coming out, then you
> should email N4YG and let him know so.
>
> In any case, please pass along a hi to the rest of the SFDXA gang,
> especially N8PR and W4UM. You guys were always a friendly bunch. I
> miss you all.
>
> 73, Art AB4RL/6
>
> _______________________________________________
> SFDXA mailing list
> SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
> SFDXA WebSite
> http://www.qsl.net/k4fk/
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa
>