I just read Frank DL2GRF's post and noted that we have a common
issue, small component orders are eclipsed by shipping and handling
costs.

After spending some time looking for the once common basic keyer
chip, or a chip that I could program to be a keyer (I'd need to find
online the program) I was about to place an order from a US supplier.
The cost of getting across the border and to me was uneconomical. In
the past I've done much better ordering from the UK or EU with
affordable mail costs.

These chips are hard to find now, any suggestions as to where to
look outside of the US?

Ron VE8Rt VE8TEA

--
Ron VE8RT <ve8rt@...>

You can build around an Arduino chip or board, which you might get cheaper from a Canadian source for Arduino components?

To echo Larry:

I built a K3NG keyer based on an inexpensive Arduino clone. Easy to build, easy to program (the Arduino eco-system is targeted to a wide, non-techy, audience), easy to customize, works fabulously. And Arduino/clones should be easy to find. I believe they originated in Italy!



I can imagine custom-burnt chips becoming uneconomical when more powerful, programmable micro-controllers are as cheap as they are.?

I've had good luck with the Elegoo Arduino clones. Both Uno and Nano. I don't recall whether I used Amazon or AliExpress, but they work fine. They go into enough projects that I think I bought 3-packs or 5-packs for better pricing.

Brock VA7AV?

开云体育

Tayda Electronics has Nano clones that are top notch and low cost.?? I've used several of their parts.

Jim, K8IQY

I've made an Iambic keyer using a Teensy, a sort of Arduino on steroids.

As for shipping costs, for small things I use eBay's free shipping or Amazon Prime and go with UK sources, even if they are more expensive than China.

Or wait until I have accumulated enough for a free shipping order from Digikey or Mouser.

Chris, G5CTH

Ron,

I made a no-frills keyer with only 3 standard CMOS ICs. See:??or?replaced?the BJT keying transistor and base resistor with a 2N7000 FET. Also used a 78L05 regulator since it behaved erratically at 12V.
Gary
W9TD

Hi Ron,
You could get an ATTINY chip from Digikey and program it.? Digikey seems to have a way of getting orders into USA without their customers incurring $35 customs brokerage gouges.? Also, see the free shipping statement in Digkey's T&C in part 6.?

You could mail them a paper cheque with your order that includes whatever sales taxes apply to your location and they'll ship it for free.? I think that's because the owner of Digikey is a ham who started the business in part because he wanted to offer a keyer kit and found it difficult to purchase parts in small quantities.
Cheers
Halden VE7UTS

Kanga Products (UK company) do official K1EL winkeyer chips for not a lot at all....

To that I'd look at?

its a Arduino based keyer that's feature loaded and open source.


--
Allison
------------------
Post online only,?
direct email will go to a bit bucket.

Ron,

I think you are referring to the old Curtis Electro Devices 8043/8044 morse keyer chip ???If so, I have no idea where you might get one these days.



As good a device as it was, there are better ways to get there today.?

It seems that W3PM has an Arduino sketch program for a W1EL Winkeyer Arduino clone. I don't know any more about it other than what I find on this web page:



Digikey is the way to go. Orders to a Canadian address of more than $100 CDN ship free ( Purolator or Fedex, can't remember which ), under $100 a flat fee of less than $10. I can order early on Monday and often have my package on Tuesday. All customs are taken care of and shipped from Winnipeg. Plus they have nearly anything and everything you might want - products from Sparkfun, Adafruti, Raspberry Pi, and so on;? I wouldn't surprise me on day to find QRP Labs stuff too ;)

Digikey - PayPal - inexpensive flat fee shipping or free - delivery to your day by courier and I suspect that is even true in Yellowknife and you know you are getting good prime parts and products.? As good as Amazon, maybe even better in some respects.

cheers, Graham ve3gtc ( near Ottawa )

Thank you to everyone who replied,

it took some time to follow up on the links and suggestions. It
would have suited me well to have found a good compromise keyer kit
with enclosure, a real time saver, something basic but with a
potentiometer speed adjustment. Fortunately, I think I have parts on
hand to build a version of the K3NG, I'd like one with sidetone output
to use as a practice oscillator for the bug and straight key. I'm a
SKCC member from years ago, but in need of practice before going on air
to torture other CW ops :-)

Ron VE8RT VE8TEA

On Fri, 01 Mar 2024 05:32:21 -0800
"Graham, VE3GTC" <colonelkrypton@...> wrote:

Ron,

I think you are referring to the old Curtis Electro Devices 8043/8044 morse keyer chip ???If so, I have no idea where you might get one these days.



As good a device as it was, there are better ways to get there today.

It seems that W3PM has an Arduino sketch program for a W1EL Winkeyer Arduino clone. I don't know any more about it other than what I find on this web page:



Digikey is the way to go. Orders to a Canadian address of more than $100 CDN ship free ( Purolator or Fedex, can't remember which ), under $100 a flat fee of less than $10. I can order early on Monday and often have my package on Tuesday. All customs are taken care of and shipped from Winnipeg. Plus they have nearly anything and everything you might want - products from Sparkfun, Adafruti, Raspberry Pi, and so on;? I wouldn't surprise me on day to find QRP Labs stuff too ;)

Digikey - PayPal - inexpensive flat fee shipping or free - delivery to your day by courier and I suspect that is even true in Yellowknife and you know you are getting good prime parts and products.? As good as Amazon, maybe even better in some respects.

cheers, Graham ve3gtc ( near Ottawa )

--
Ron VE8RT <ve8rt@...>

Attiny85 chip very affordable anywhere and you can get the software from github.



--
__________________________
73's !

Hi,
yesterday I ordered a keyer kit from HamGadgets. They actually had
reasonable shipping, $17 compared to $30 to send only the chips.
Everything seems to be included in the kit and it should take very
litle time to assemble it.

Ron VE8RT

On Sat, 02 Mar 2024 07:51:57 -0800
"EA4HZK" <ea4hzk@...> wrote:

Attiny85 chip very affordable anywhere and you can get the software from github.


--
__________________________
.----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------.
| .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. |
| | _________ | || | __ | || | _ _ | || | ____ ____ | || | ________ | || | ___ ____ | |
| | |_ ___ | | || | / \ | || | | | | | | || | |_ || _| | || | | __ _| | || | |_ ||_ _| | |
| | | |_ \_| | || | / /\ \ | || | | |__| |_ | || | | |__| | | || | |_/ / / | || | | |_/ / | |
| | | _| _ | || | / ____ \ | || | |____ _| | || | | __ | | || | .'.' _ | || | | __'. | |
| | _| |___/ | | || | _/ / \ \_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| | | |_ | || | _/ /__/ | | || | _| | \ \_ | |
| | |_________| | || ||____| |____|| || | |_____| | || | |____||____| | || | |________| | || | |____||____| | |
| | | || | | || | | || | | || | | || | | |
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| .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. |
| | _________ | || | __ | || | _ _ | || | ____ ____ | || | ________ | || | ___ ____ | |
| | |_ ___ | | || | / \ | || | | | | | | || | |_ || _| | || | | __ _| | || | |_ ||_ _| | |
| | | |_ \_| | || | / /\ \ | || | | |__| |_ | || | | |__| | | || | |_/ / / | || | | |_/ / | |
| | | _| _ | || | / ____ \ | || | |____ _| | || | | __ | | || | .'.' _ | || | | __'. | |
| | _| |___/ | | || | _/ / \ \_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| | | |_ | || | _/ /__/ | | || | _| | \ \_ | |
| | |_________| | || ||____| |____|| || | |_____| | || | |____||____| | || | |________| | || | |____||____| | |
| | | || | | || | | || | | || | | || | | |
| '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' |
'----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------'

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| .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. |
| | _________ | || | __ | || | _ _ | || | ____ ____ | || | ________ | || | ___ ____ | |
| | |_ ___ | | || | / \ | || | | | | | | || | |_ || _| | || | | __ _| | || | |_ ||_ _| | |
| | | |_ \_| | || | / /\ \ | || | | |__| |_ | || | | |__| | | || | |_/ / / | || | | |_/ / | |
| | | _| _ | || | / ____ \ | || | |____ _| | || | | __ | | || | .'.' _ | || | | __'. | |
| | _| |___/ | | || | _/ / \ \_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| | | |_ | || | _/ /__/ | | || | _| | \ \_ | |
| | |_________| | || ||____| |____|| || | |_____| | || | |____||____| | || | |________| | || | |____||____| | |
| | | || | | || | | || | | || | | || | | |
| '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' |
'----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------'

.----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------.
| .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. |
| | _________ | || | __ | || | _ _ | || | ____ ____ | || | ________ | || | ___ ____ | |
| | |_ ___ | | || | / \ | || | | | | | | || | |_ || _| | || | | __ _| | || | |_ ||_ _| | |
| | | |_ \_| | || | / /\ \ | || | | |__| |_ | || | | |__| | | || | |_/ / / | || | | |_/ / | |
| | | _| _ | || | / ____ \ | || | |____ _| | || | | __ | | || | .'.' _ | || | | __'. | |
| | _| |___/ | | || | _/ / \ \_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| | | |_ | || | _/ /__/ | | || | _| | \ \_ | |
| | |_________| | || ||____| |____|| || | |_____| | || | |____||____| | || | |________| | || | |____||____| | |
| | | || | | || | | || | | || | | || | | |
| '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' |
'----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------'

.----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------. .----------------.
| .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. || .--------------. |
| | _________ | || | __ | || | _ _ | || | ____ ____ | || | ________ | || | ___ ____ | |
| | |_ ___ | | || | / \ | || | | | | | | || | |_ || _| | || | | __ _| | || | |_ ||_ _| | |
| | | |_ \_| | || | / /\ \ | || | | |__| |_ | || | | |__| | | || | |_/ / / | || | | |_/ / | |
| | | _| _ | || | / ____ \ | || | |____ _| | || | | __ | | || | .'.' _ | || | | __'. | |
| | _| |___/ | | || | _/ / \ \_ | || | _| |_ | || | _| | | |_ | || | _/ /__/ | | || | _| | \ \_ | |
| | |_________| | || ||____| |____|| || | |_____| | || | |____||____| | || | |________| | || | |____||____| | |
| | | || | | || | | || | | || | | || | | |
| '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' || '--------------' |
'----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------' '----------------'

___ ___ __ _ _ ____ _ __
| __>| . | /. | | | ||_ /| / /
| _> | |/_ .|| | / / | \
|___>|_|_| |_| |_|_|/___||_\_\
___ ___ __ _ _ ____ _ __
| __>| . | /. | | | ||_ /| / /
| _> | |/_ .|| | / / | \
|___>|_|_| |_| |_|_|/___||_\_\


___ ___ __ _ _ ____ _ __
| __>| . | /. | | | ||_ /| / /
| _> | |/_ .|| | / / | \
|___>|_|_| |_| |_|_|/___||_\_\


___ ___ __ _ _ ____ _ __
| __>| . | /. | | | ||_ /| / /
| _> | |/_ .|| | / / | \
|___>|_|_| |_| |_|_|/___||_\_\


___ ___ __ _ _ ____ _ __
| __>| . | /. | | | ||_ /| / /
| _> | |/_ .|| | / / | \
|___>|_|_| |_| |_|_|/___||_\_\

73's !

--
Ron VE8RT <ve8rt@...>

A slight diversion if I may. I've been following this thread and have come across several K3NG clones that seem "less expensive" than I can source the parts?


--
73, Rick
VE7TK

Website:

On Sat, Mar 2, 2024 at 12:12 PM, Ron VE8RT wrote:

Hi,
yesterday I ordered a keyer kit from HamGadgets. They actually had
reasonable shipping, $17 compared to $30 to send only the chips.
Everything seems to be included in the kit and it should take very
litle time to assemble it.

Ron VE8RT

A long time ago (pre V3.2 documentation was 3/13/2006) , we had a group build of the PicoKeyer by N0XAS (Documentation said "Super PicoKeyer Low Power Iambic Keyer").
I built 2.? One was normal and the other I made an MCW interface to the radio Data Jack.? We did code practice on 2m FM simplex for some time - still not very good.
It appears now that is included in the manual
The little coin battery lasts for a very log time.

The dual MOSFET designed allowed us to use the PicoKeyer on some tube radio at the museum I volunteer at.??

GREAT option (IMO).
?
-------
Robert Giuliano
KB8RCO

Ultra Pico Keyer has an undocumented connection between the PIC chip and the RING of the output jack.?

Not an issue with radios that have a simple straight key connection, which is generally where it is used - older rigs and simple rigs. However, modern rigs with keyers built in and a TRS (stereo) jack that does double duty for a straight key or paddles will not work properly and will have constant key down when connected to the UPK.?

Reason for this is an undocumented connection from the PIC chip to the RING of the output jack. It serves no useful purpose and the simple fix is to cut the connection to the RINGof the output jack.?
--
73, Dan? NM3A
There are moments when everything turns out right .... Don't let them alarm you; they pass.?

-Jules Renard

开云体育

Actually, there is some incompatibility with new AND old rigs. I bought it for a Xeigo G90 which I briefly owned (didn’t like at all). It didn’t work with that. So I tried it on my trusty 1982 TS940S. Didn’t work there either. If I put my ear next to it, I can hear it working properly.?