Sunday, July 17, 2016, 12:30 a.m. — After a busy Saturday I finally got into the shack about 8:15 p.m. … where I promptly fell asleep in my office chair listening to a Spotify playlist. Had it not been for my son (KJ4FZX) guffawing at a Mystery Science Theater rerun, I might still be dozing.
He jarred me awake at 9:01 p.m. Eastern and I realized two things: 1. My contacts felt like they were adhered to my eyeballs; and 2. I was missing the Georgia CW net! Holy belated check-in, Zedman! My new-to-me TS-450SAT was the last rig I operated and I didn’t have time to switch to the Yaesu FT2K. Trial by fire, I suppose. I slid down to the net frequency, punched in my new 500Hz filter and (begrudgingly) zero beat NCS Willis, AD4DX’s signal (using the rig’s 800Hz sidetone – ick!) as he was taking check-ins.
My newly arrived Nye Master Key was plugged in. Why not give it a try?
My first observation checking into the net was that my straight key fist sounded like a Navy Sparks who had too much shore leave — the terms “uneven,” “awkward,” or even the Q-signal “QLF” come to mind, hi hi. Has it been that long since I operated a dang straight key? I was to the point of embarrassment and quite thankful there was no traffic or extended comments for me. Blame the key? Well, I’m used to a straight key having a definite hard landing that closes the contact. The Master Key was (as previously noted) mushy. Clearing the net, my sign-off was “somewhat” better than my check-in transmission.
The 500Hz filter brought back memories in just how nicely the Kenwood sounds and operates. The key brought memories slightly less pleasant. I decided after the net to disassemble the key and check out its inner works.
My original one (to the best of my memory) had a thinner baseplate that flexed when you pressed the key (NOTE: I think my aging memory mis-remembered a microswitch in the Master Key; I think the microswitch I replaced was in a microphone PTT switch). The baseplate on this key is heavier than what I remember on my Master Key; I don’t think it flexed on me tonight. Now putting the key back together, the plastic rod that presses the contacts is sitting differently; the contact now closes with the keying lever not going so far down. The feel of the key feels much more solid; no real “mush.” I’m not sure yet if the keying rod was mislocated when I first tried it, or if it mislocated now. I’ll try the key again now, and in trying it out after reassembly, I think I can use it with the “drunken fist” featured shut off, hi hi!
ANOTHER FILTER? Yep! I happened upon a newly listed YG-455C-1 500Hz filter with a BIN price $30 or so less than other listings, and I snapped it up. Thanks to some excellent comments from one of this blog’s readers, I realize now that I would probably be better served with the 250Hz CW filter for the 455kHz IF. I’ll give the 500 Hz filter a go however, and keep my eyes open for the 250Hz version. The good thing about the IF filters is that I can use them and if I wish, sell them later without taking much of a beating. I am rediscovering the beauty of good crystal IF filters.
I have owned more Kenwood rigs that I realized — an R5000 receiver, and the TS-430S, TS-440SAT and TS-450SAT transceivers, along with a TS-50S I still own. I sold the three transceivers over time, and picked up a TS-430S some years ago on an inexpensive lark. The 430 I have isn’t mint, and needs to some adjustment because the dial doesn’t read accurately. It also lacks a CW filter. The 440 I owned was just a really super rig that came equipped with a 250Hz CW filter. I refinished the case and it sold. I debated picking up a 440, but really wanted to wait a TS-450SAT (or as it turned out, a TS-690SAT).
MISSED IT BY *THAT* MUCH. A couple of auctions I was watching closely (though not closely enough!) ended without my bids — my mistake. Instead of following eBay on my phone, I was eating dinner with my wife and brother/sister-in-law. The keys I missed include a 50th Anniversary Vibroplex Vibrokeyer and an XOGRAPH semi-automatic key. Both sold at a price that would have allowed me to be “in the hunt” for them, hi.
73 es CUL de KY4Z SK … dit dit …