Well I just spent a few days trying to get my Icom IC-703 to accept my external keyer. Not an easy task or I am just to worn out to understand what I am doing wrong. The thing has an internal memory keyer but I am just not good with a standard Key or paddle so I want to use my keyboard keyer. As a result I have tried various setup and only managed to damage the keyer I love so much. When will I learn, come at things with a solid plan and do your homework in advance. When the keyer is hooked to the ‘703 the transmitter keys and does no un key, a strange brew of Icom soup I guess…
A relay in a box was a good idea but I messed up the voltage to key it and I popped the surface mount 2N7000 they use for the active device. Out come the microscope and the tweezers and the expensive hot air de soldering gun… Lucky for me Ace electronics here in Houston stocks the 2N7000 for $2.00 each.
Planning and preparation is the key NONE of us are perfect and a good fore knowledge of the subject and a planned solution will always win out. I just need to be ready to do my SIMPLE homework to resolve these issues in advance. Do the experimentation to be sure and finally double check everything once integrated. Funny that’s what they pay me to do every day at work guess there is a reason why.
Either way its been a good week and hope to see you all on the bands for the next Spartan sprint and maybe even other events soon.
73
AB5V
Randy
A relay in a box was a good idea but I messed up the voltage to key it and I popped the surface mount 2N7000 they use for the active device. Out come the microscope and the tweezers and the expensive hot air de soldering gun… Lucky for me Ace electronics here in Houston stocks the 2N7000 for $2.00 each.
Planning and preparation is the key NONE of us are perfect and a good fore knowledge of the subject and a planned solution will always win out. I just need to be ready to do my SIMPLE homework to resolve these issues in advance. Do the experimentation to be sure and finally double check everything once integrated. Funny that’s what they pay me to do every day at work guess there is a reason why.
Either way its been a good week and hope to see you all on the bands for the next Spartan sprint and maybe even other events soon.
73
AB5V
Randy