QsoNet Discussions

W0DH · Joined: 22 Jan 2011 Posts: 6 Location: Albert Lea, MN

I am concerned that my CW note may not be good. It appears to work all OK using the keying program in CQ100, and the meter appears to work properly. It appears to be a bit erratic when using Dahdidah or fldigi. It sounds pretty much OK in the shack, but I don't trust casual contacts that I don't know well. Anyone have any opinions or experience with this?
Thanks - Dex - W0DH

VE3EFC · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 724

Hi Dex,

Sometimes your mic is hearing your computer speakers and transmitting the tone from your shack. This method will be poor (echo) quality and it will transmit your dog barking and your sneezes. Tap on your mic to test if the mic is live.

The quality should be excellent if you set your sound card RECORD mixer to "What you hear" or "Stereo Mix", because your microphone is out of the circuit.

Most hardware CPO keyers use a square wave tone instead of a sine wave, so they sound very raspy on the air.

73, Doug

W0DH · Joined: 22 Jan 2011 Posts: 6 Location: Albert Lea, MN

My particular mic has a button on it, and I usually disable the mic when I am trying out the CW. Thanks for the interest - Dex

W0DH · Joined: 22 Jan 2011 Posts: 6 Location: Albert Lea, MN

I got a friend across town to register and get on the "air" with me. We communicated by telephone while I tried different methods of keying. The built-in keyboard keying was just fine. I tried the dahdidah program and had to turn the amplitude way down to about 6, then the tone was good.
Using the Fldigi program I turned the mic gain down quite low, then that sounded good too. Hope this might help some others - Dex