Easy to Build Electronic Keyer for Your "Cootie"

[@dirtychaka]

That is a good idea for a kit. Wilcox 😊

[@scotterdog1036]

Very elegant Not Chuck! Please put in my vote and let's see what happens. Perhaps your next rev. could add a modest set of memories.

[@ImnotChuck.]

Hello. Thanks for watching and for your interest in the keyer. I will think about some storage. There is memory available, and I do have C,0.

[@wild-radio7373]

Those close up shots are just beautifully done ♡ very impressive! I am really enjoying your work😎👍📻🔥

[@ImnotChuck.]

What a nice compliment. I have a new Lumix GX85 that I am learning to use. Thanks.

[@wild-radio7373]

@@ImnotChuck. is that a type of phone?

[@ImnotChuck.]

@@wild-radio7373 It's a camera made by Panasonic.

[@wild-radio7373]

@@ImnotChuck. nice!♡ some day I would like to have a proper camera :)

[@wild-radio7373]

Heya!!♡ I think I might have seen you in today's premier?!? The chat was moving so fast I missed the first bit. Please forgive my mistake of not giving you a shout out♡♡♡ hope to catch you in the next one!🥰

[@ProfessorMarcoMaddo]

Nice project congrats.🎉

[@jerrycrawford487]

Very nice I may as well be interested in the kit. My last keyer kit was back in early 90's built around the cmos super II. And still using it, it does have some memory for easy contesting. Again very nice build.

[@ImnotChuck.]

Hi Jerry, and thanks for the kind words. The response to a kit was not good, so I won't be doing that. However, I did share the project on PCBWay; all the info is there for those who want to pursue it.

[@BrentTaylor]

Hello Not Chuck! I really enjoyed your video and also the design. I have visited your link to PCBWay and noted the very attractive pricing. We have a club here in VY2 with a growing interest in CW, and this might be a very attractive addition to our training. I have a question about compatible key varieties. I know you have designed it to work with your Cootie key - and I'm wondering if it can also be wired to work with iambic paddles or even a straight key? Thanks again for a great video. 73 de VY2HF

[@1framistan]

I am impressed by your keyer. My goal is to build a SIMPLE oscillator that puts out a sinewave. I sometimes bring a morse code key to various schools I substitute teach at. In some classes, I have a few minutes to show the youngsters my TITANIC REPLECA key and let some students send and receive morse code. I also show kids that it is easy to use a digital volt meter. The problem I am having is my oscillator is a SONALERT with one transistor. It is simple but not adjustable and it sounds "harsh". I will try to build your "TWIN-TEE" oscillator (Q2 section) of your schematic and see how it sounds because they are supposed to put out a sinewave, which should sound less harsh. Thanks for your excellent video. EDIT UPDATE! Your oscillator works! but it is very low volume that only my crystal earphone can reproduce. I'm using it on 9 volts and will add an amplifier just as you did in your schematic. Right now I am not interested in using the cootie key. I am working to make the straight key sound better by eliminating key clicks and weak tones during imperfect contact closures.

[@ImnotChuck.]

The twin tee does sound quite good, but the oscillator itself probably won't be loud enough for a classroom. You will most likely need an amplifier. The LM386 is easy to use. Thanks for watching and for commenting.

[@chrisw1462]

Very nice board! To improve battery life even more, you may want to consider changing the audio amp to something like a TPA0211. The efficiency gain from class A to class D will save quite a bit of battery life, and the slightly lower quiescent current will save a bit more. But it also has a SHUTDOWN pin, which would take up that last IO line but use a lot less current when the keyer was idle. You'd have to adapt the program, of course, but adding a timer that resets every time one of the keys connects is not hard at all.

[@ImnotChuck.]

Hi Chris. Thanks for watching and for your good suggestions.

[@warplanner8852]

Dear Not Chuck, it's a magnificent effort but I am a little puzzled. Over at PCBWay, if you select the option where PCBWay "builds it for you" it's about $35-40 shipped (cheap chicken) and that is very reasonable. However, do they have your PIC keyer chip? Are you selling that separately? In fact, are you selling your keyer chip? Thanks in advance for clearing this up. "not not" William, k6whp

[@arnellopez5557]

Hi again i am DW1YTY from Philippines. I am very much interested on your propose kit. Let me know so i can ask my sister who leave's at Mississippi to get it from where you are or delivered it to her place.

[@martinboroff2483]

I would be interested in a kit. Marty WD9GYM

[@ImnotChuck.]

Hi Martin. Thanks for watching. I will note your interest.

[@wilharris5930]

Dear Mr. Hampton, I am going to get one of your boards when I can figure out that pcbway site. Seems confusing to me. That’s not surprising at my age though. My old Heathkit has bit the dust and I don’t want to rebuild it. So I have been searching everywhere to find something that I can build that is a bit more modern. I came across your Video about the keyer and really liked the way you have built it. I probably missed it, but I have a question about the Pics. How do the pics get programmed? Also, will it key a Kenwood TS 930s. Thanks Bill wb7pnc

[@ImnotChuck.]

Hi Bill. Send your mailing address to me at the email in the about section on my KZbin home page and I will send you a gift.

[@peterm2618]

Hi! I would be interested in buying one of your kits!...but how do I program the PICAXE micro-controller???

[@ImnotChuck.]

Hi Peter. The PICAXE uc contains a bootloader which enables programming in a form of Basic. PICAXE was popular for a while in Europe, but it never really caught on in the US. I have redesigned my keyer to use an ATtiny 85, which is programmed with the Arduino IDE. For now, the keyer kit is not for sale.

[@peterm2618]

@@ImnotChuck. Thank you FYI! :-)

[@aristotleallen5577]

I would be interested in a kit. K6ARI

[@_Boregard_Rippy_]

..... Beep Beep ..... !!!

[@ImnotChuck.]

You ought to get your license Kelly. Thanks for watching.