[WriteLog] W5XD keyer question

Wed Oct 6 06:01:33 EDT 2004

Randy-A month or so ago, I posted a complaint that the W5XD keyer would 
not activate my TS-850 PTT lines. I received several private emails 
from other TS-850 users that they had the same problem.
I believe the XD keyer PTT output switches are not fully saturated, and 
as I recall, are only switching to about .5 volts, not quite low enough 
to activate my PTT inputs. I haven't seen any posts on other radios though.
I'm going to add an external transistor switch that is driven harder, 
and if that doesn't work, I will add a DPDT relay to hard switch the 
lines to ground. 
Hope to get to it this week. But I wonder if anyone else has actually 
solved the problem, and how they did it.
Dennis K5YA
Randy Thompson, K5ZD wrote:
>I have a W5XD MK-1100 keyer that I have been using for several years. It is
>a fantastic solution for SO2R!
>>Getting ready for the upcoming CQWW Phone contest and a guest op that wants
>to use a footswitch (instead of VOX like I normally do). I can't get the
>PTT outputs from the W5XD keyer to key the PTT of the FT1000D!
>>Even when I put an ohmeter across the PTT output, it shows a lower
>resistance, but not enough to get the audio tone of my multimeter to key.
>So I see enough to believe that the PTT is being switched, but for some
>reason it doesn't pass enough current to pull in the rig PTT or even the
>multimeter audio signal.
>>I am connected to the tip and ring (the first two of the three stereo
>connector pins).
>>Port set up has PTT control set to "On LPT pin 16/COMM RTS)". Have tried
>with "All mode PTT on CW port RTS" both checked and unchecked.
>>Anyone else seen this? Or have an idea of what I should try?
>>Thanks!
>>Randy Thompson, K5ZD
>k5zd at contesting.com
>http://www.k5zd.com
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