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Hallicrafters HA-1

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Russ-2

Hallicrafters HA-1

Guys:

Thanks!!!
I appreciate all the responses.
I guess my Googling ability is not as good as it used to be.
I swear I couldn't find the schematic.

At age 15 and after building many Heathkits - I decided to just copy the HA-1 schematic.
It was good experience for a kid - nowadays nobody (no kids anyway) build hardware

Russ KD4JO
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rich hurd WC3T

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

There's a whole club in the Northern NJ area that supports ham radio and
Maker stuff - the 723rd Mechanized Contest Battalion <http://wc2fd.com>.
Pretty amazing stuff these kids are doing.

I'm dipping my toes in mesh networking with this group, given that my QTH
is basically LOS for most of the Lehigh Valley in PA and extending into NJ.
A Ubiquity node on a pole on my roof would afford spectacular coverage
for a mesh node. As long as my XYL approves/doesn't notice. ;)

On Mon, May 15, 2017 at 1:32 PM, Walter Underwood <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> No kids build hardware!? Have you heard of the maker movement? Find a
> Maker Faire near you and see what kids are building.
>
> http://makerfaire.com/bay-area/ <http://makerfaire.com/bay-area/>
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
> Walter Underwood
> CM87wj
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
>
> > On May 15, 2017, at 10:27 AM, Russ <[hidden email]> wrote:
> >
> > Guys:
> >
> > Thanks!!!
> > I appreciate all the responses.
> > I guess my Googling ability is not as good as it used to be.
> > I swear I couldn't find the schematic.
> >
> > At age 15 and after building many Heathkits - I decided to just copy the
> HA-1 schematic.
> > It was good experience for a kid - nowadays nobody (no kids anyway)
> build hardware
> >
> > Russ KD4JO
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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--
73 (or 72 for the QRP folks),
Rich Hurd / WC3T
Northampton County RACES
EPA-ARRL Public Information Officer for Scouting
Latitude: 40.761621 Longitude: -75.288988 Grid: *FN20is*
40°45.68' N 75°17.33' W
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John Meade W2XS

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

In reply to this post by Russ-2

I also copied the Hallicrafters HA-1 schematic when I was 15. I loved the glow of those voltage regulator tubes and the neon bulb on the front panel. And that mercury-wetted relay was beautiful.

But - it didn't have auto character spacing which came out with the WB4VVF Accu-Keyer (hint-hint - so it's not OT after all).

73, John W2XS
(K3, K2, K1, KX2, and had 2 KX1s).

Grant Youngman-2

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

This is one of the things that has always bugged me about internal rig keyers (Elecraft included). And as as result, I’ve almost never used them. I’ve been using an Accu-Keyer (or emulator) for so long that nothing else is comfortable.

I moved from my original home brewed Accu-Keyer (which I still have, refuse to part with, and occasionally use) to the enhanced Accu-Memory version, to an MM-3 (with emulation — and still one of the best stand-alone keyers ever made) to the Idiom Press CMOS 4 (with emulation) because of its small form factor.

It seems that something as basic as Accu-Keyer timing with auto-character (and even auto-word) space isn’t exactly “rocket science”. So how about it Elecraft? Accu-Keyer emulation would make a better than run-of-the-mill update!! For the K3, KX3, KX2. And I wouldn’t have to carry the CMOS 4 in my KX3 bag or fiddle with more cables on the table with the K3. I’m probably not alone here, given the popularity of the Accu-Keyer. I can send better CW with a bug than I can with paddles and an electronic keyer that lacks ACS. Maybe it’s my (old) age or just practice ... :-)

> But - it didn't have auto character spacing which came out with the WB4VVF
> Accu-Keyer (hint-hint - so it's not OT after all).
>

Grant NQ5T
K3 #2091, KX3 #8342

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Doug Person-4

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1 with O/T comments

In reply to this post by Russ-2

You are very mistaken in your statement regarding kids not building
things. They're not building ham radio, that's for sure. But find any
maker faire and you will be stunned by the age and ability of the kids
demonstrating their projects. Maker Faires (Their preferred spelling it
seems) would be a great place to communicate ham radio to the younger
generation. Arduino and Raspberry PI have enormous followings by
teenagers and even a lot of pre-teens. Don't write them off! Our
community has done a poor job of out reach to the teens of today.

Doug -- K0DXV

On 5/15/2017 11:27 AM, Russ wrote:

> Guys:
>
> Thanks!!!
> I appreciate all the responses.
> I guess my Googling ability is not as good as it used to be.
> I swear I couldn't find the schematic.
>
> At age 15 and after building many Heathkits - I decided to just copy the HA-1 schematic.
> It was good experience for a kid - nowadays nobody (no kids anyway) build hardware
>
> Russ KD4JO
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Russ-2

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1 with O/T comments

Doug:

You are correct - and it seems that Maker Ffaires might be the venue for amateur radio outreach to the younger generation.
When I am retired, I certainly would like to be part of this initiative. Is this something the ARRL should look at?
I am happy to say that I am an Elmer to KB1YNK, who presented a paper at Dayton a couple of years ago.

Russ KD4JO

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Doug Person
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2017 10:15 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Hallicrafters HA-1 with O/T comments

You are very mistaken in your statement regarding kids not building things. They're not building ham radio, that's for sure. But find any maker faire and you will be stunned by the age and ability of the kids demonstrating their projects. Maker Faires (Their preferred spelling it
seems) would be a great place to communicate ham radio to the younger generation. Arduino and Raspberry PI have enormous followings by teenagers and even a lot of pre-teens. Don't write them off! Our community has done a poor job of out reach to the teens of today.

Doug -- K0DXV

On 5/15/2017 11:27 AM, Russ wrote:

> Guys:
>
> Thanks!!!
> I appreciate all the responses.
> I guess my Googling ability is not as good as it used to be.
> I swear I couldn't find the schematic.
>
> At age 15 and after building many Heathkits - I decided to just copy the HA-1 schematic.
> It was good experience for a kid - nowadays nobody (no kids anyway)
> build hardware
>
> Russ KD4JO
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email
> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to
> [hidden email]

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Wes Stewart-2

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

In reply to this post by Grant Youngman-2

I'm approaching my 60th year in ham radio and have a confession; I learned Morse
with my Boy Scout Handbook (still have it) by sight not sound. Consequently,
I've never been a very good CW op, although I have a 20 WPM Extra license. As a
Novice I used a Western Electric "Pole-Changer" straight key given to me by a
non-ham retired telegrapher friend, (That's still on the operating desk). I
never even tried a bug, but when I built my first Accu-Keyer I finally had some
help. I used it with a number of rigs and when the Accu-Memory came out I was
in heaven.

I build two of them at first and gave one to my friend George Badger, W6TC, who
liked it too. Then I built a third one for the heart of my meteor scatter/EME
station. With several handfulls of TTL logic I added a timer/sequencer that
used the power line as a time base to automatically control the station on the
various sequences used for MS and EME. Preamp switching/relay delay, TX delay,
etc were all timed by the keyer and the "canned" messages were in memory. All I
had to do was listen and select the next message as the QSO progressed. (That
one is still in my storage building too.)

Among its wonderful ergonomics the TS870 that I had before buying a K3 was an
Accu-Keyer emulation. I never had trouble sending CW with that rig. Enter the
K3 (and now a K3S). I can't even send my call gracefully. I was prepared to
buy the Idiom Press unit when they went out of business.

I would love Accu-Keyer emulation in my K3s.

Wes N7WS

On 5/15/2017 12:57 PM, GRANT YOUNGMAN wrote:

> This is one of the things that has always bugged me about internal rig keyers (Elecraft included). And as as result, I’ve almost never used them. I’ve been using an Accu-Keyer (or emulator) for so long that nothing else is comfortable.
>
> I moved from my original home brewed Accu-Keyer (which I still have, refuse to part with, and occasionally use) to the enhanced Accu-Memory version, to an MM-3 (with emulation — and still one of the best stand-alone keyers ever made) to the Idiom Press CMOS 4 (with emulation) because of its small form factor.
>
> It seems that something as basic as Accu-Keyer timing with auto-character (and even auto-word) space isn’t exactly “rocket science”. So how about it Elecraft? Accu-Keyer emulation would make a better than run-of-the-mill update!! For the K3, KX3, KX2. And I wouldn’t have to carry the CMOS 4 in my KX3 bag or fiddle with more cables on the table with the K3. I’m probably not alone here, given the popularity of the Accu-Keyer. I can send better CW with a bug than I can with paddles and an electronic keyer that lacks ACS. Maybe it’s my (old) age or just practice ... :-)
>
>> But - it didn't have auto character spacing which came out with the WB4VVF
>> Accu-Keyer (hint-hint - so it's not OT after all).
>>
> Grant NQ5T
> K3 #2091, KX3 #8342
>

Grant Youngman-2

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

Theoretically, you can still buy the CMOS 4 and other Idiom Press products from these guys: https://www.hamsupply.com/cmos-4-keyer/ <https://www.hamsupply.com/cmos-4-keyer/>

> I would love Accu-Keyer emulation in my K3s.

So would I. In the K3 and KX3 (and KX2 since I’m thinking about purchasing one)

Grant NQ5T
K3 #2091, KX3 #8342

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Kevin - K4VD

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

In reply to this post by Wes Stewart-2

Is Idiom Press out of business? I thought they just changed their name:
https://www.hamsupply.com. Hamsupply.com has the Logikey K-5 Electronic
Keyer <https://www.hamsupply.com/logikey-k-5-keyer/> with Accukeyer
emulation. I use one - not so much any more - but still have it anyway.
Wonderful keyer. Not sure if this is the one you're referring to though.

73,
Kev K4VD

On Sun, May 21, 2017 at 9:04 PM, Wes Stewart <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I'm approaching my 60th year in ham radio and have a confession; I learned
> Morse with my Boy Scout Handbook (still have it) by sight not sound.
> Consequently, I've never been a very good CW op, although I have a 20 WPM
> Extra license. As a Novice I used a Western Electric "Pole-Changer"
> straight key given to me by a non-ham retired telegrapher friend, (That's
> still on the operating desk). I never even tried a bug, but when I built
> my first Accu-Keyer I finally had some help. I used it with a number of
> rigs and when the Accu-Memory came out I was in heaven.
>
> I build two of them at first and gave one to my friend George Badger,
> W6TC, who liked it too. Then I built a third one for the heart of my
> meteor scatter/EME station. With several handfulls of TTL logic I added a
> timer/sequencer that used the power line as a time base to automatically
> control the station on the various sequences used for MS and EME. Preamp
> switching/relay delay, TX delay, etc were all timed by the keyer and the
> "canned" messages were in memory. All I had to do was listen and select
> the next message as the QSO progressed. (That one is still in my storage
> building too.)
>
> Among its wonderful ergonomics the TS870 that I had before buying a K3 was
> an Accu-Keyer emulation. I never had trouble sending CW with that rig.
> Enter the K3 (and now a K3S). I can't even send my call gracefully. I was
> prepared to buy the Idiom Press unit when they went out of business.
>
> I would love Accu-Keyer emulation in my K3s.
>
> Wes N7WS
>
> On 5/15/2017 12:57 PM, GRANT YOUNGMAN wrote:
>
>> This is one of the things that has always bugged me about internal rig
>> keyers (Elecraft included). And as as result, I’ve almost never used
>> them. I’ve been using an Accu-Keyer (or emulator) for so long that nothing
>> else is comfortable.
>>
>> I moved from my original home brewed Accu-Keyer (which I still have,
>> refuse to part with, and occasionally use) to the enhanced Accu-Memory
>> version, to an MM-3 (with emulation — and still one of the best stand-alone
>> keyers ever made) to the Idiom Press CMOS 4 (with emulation) because of its
>> small form factor.
>>
>> It seems that something as basic as Accu-Keyer timing with auto-character
>> (and even auto-word) space isn’t exactly “rocket science”. So how about it
>> Elecraft? Accu-Keyer emulation would make a better than run-of-the-mill
>> update!! For the K3, KX3, KX2. And I wouldn’t have to carry the CMOS 4 in
>> my KX3 bag or fiddle with more cables on the table with the K3. I’m
>> probably not alone here, given the popularity of the Accu-Keyer. I can
>> send better CW with a bug than I can with paddles and an electronic keyer
>> that lacks ACS. Maybe it’s my (old) age or just practice ... :-)
>>
>> But - it didn't have auto character spacing which came out with the WB4VVF
>>> Accu-Keyer (hint-hint - so it's not OT after all).
>>>
>>> Grant NQ5T
>> K3 #2091, KX3 #8342
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Wes Stewart-2

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

AFAIK, at the time I was looking, they were out of business. I know that Ham
Supply bought the product line. Now owning a K-Pod that finally works, I have
less need for the memories in the Idiom unit, although the hand keying issue
remains. I was trying to downsize and really don't want another box on the desk.

Wes N7WS

On 5/21/2017 6:44 PM, Kevin - K4VD wrote:

> Is Idiom Press out of business? I thought they just changed their name:
> https://www.hamsupply.com. Hamsupply.com has the Logikey K-5 Electronic Keyer
> <https://www.hamsupply.com/logikey-k-5-keyer/> with Accukeyer emulation. I use
> one - not so much any more - but still have it anyway. Wonderful keyer. Not
> sure if this is the one you're referring to though.
>
> 73,
> Kev K4VD
>
> On Sun, May 21, 2017 at 9:04 PM, Wes Stewart <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
> I'm approaching my 60th year in ham radio and have a confession; I learned
> Morse with my Boy Scout Handbook (still have it) by sight not sound.
> Consequently, I've never been a very good CW op, although I have a 20 WPM
> Extra license. As a Novice I used a Western Electric "Pole-Changer"
> straight key given to me by a non-ham retired telegrapher friend, (That's
> still on the operating desk). I never even tried a bug, but when I built
> my first Accu-Keyer I finally had some help. I used it with a number of
> rigs and when the Accu-Memory came out I was in heaven.
>
> I build two of them at first and gave one to my friend George Badger,
> W6TC, who liked it too. Then I built a third one for the heart of my
> meteor scatter/EME station. With several handfulls of TTL logic I added a
> timer/sequencer that used the power line as a time base to automatically
> control the station on the various sequences used for MS and EME. Preamp
> switching/relay delay, TX delay, etc were all timed by the keyer and the
> "canned" messages were in memory. All I had to do was listen and select
> the next message as the QSO progressed. (That one is still in my storage
> building too.)
>
> Among its wonderful ergonomics the TS870 that I had before buying a K3 was
> an Accu-Keyer emulation. I never had trouble sending CW with that rig.
> Enter the K3 (and now a K3S). I can't even send my call gracefully. I
> was prepared to buy the Idiom Press unit when they went out of business.
>
> I would love Accu-Keyer emulation in my K3s.
>
> Wes N7WS
>
> On 5/15/2017 12:57 PM, GRANT YOUNGMAN wrote:
>
> This is one of the things that has always bugged me about internal rig
> keyers (Elecraft included). And as as result, I’ve almost never used
> them. I’ve been using an Accu-Keyer (or emulator) for so long that
> nothing else is comfortable.
>
> I moved from my original home brewed Accu-Keyer (which I still have,
> refuse to part with, and occasionally use) to the enhanced
> Accu-Memory version, to an MM-3 (with emulation — and still one of the
> best stand-alone keyers ever made) to the Idiom Press CMOS 4 (with
> emulation) because of its small form factor.
>
> It seems that something as basic as Accu-Keyer timing with
> auto-character (and even auto-word) space isn’t exactly “rocket
> science”. So how about it Elecraft? Accu-Keyer emulation would make
> a better than run-of-the-mill update!! For the K3, KX3, KX2. And I
> wouldn’t have to carry the CMOS 4 in my KX3 bag or fiddle with more
> cables on the table with the K3. I’m probably not alone here, given
> the popularity of the Accu-Keyer. I can send better CW with a bug
> than I can with paddles and an electronic keyer that lacks ACS. Maybe
> it’s my (old) age or just practice ... :-)
>
> But - it didn't have auto character spacing which came out with
> the WB4VVF
> Accu-Keyer (hint-hint - so it's not OT after all).
>
> Grant NQ5T
> K3 #2091, KX3 #8342
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
> Post: mailto:[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>
>

Gary Smith-2

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

In reply to this post by Grant Youngman-2

Folks,

I saw this topic now includes Idiom Press
and am compelled to add to the
discussion. I'll keep it short.

Idiom Press was a set of words that made
my blood boil. I had sent them money, a
small amount of cash for a rotor LED
illuminator. I had sent cash because I
have only been burned once by a Ham sale
and all other Ham transactions have been
of integrity. They acknowledged receipt
and never sent a thing, later after
sending them a letter so far beneath me, I
got a reply from one of the two original
owners who said they were reorganizing and
would send it to me. It never came and I
left a scathing review on one of the forum
reviews and I wrote off the money as
theft.

Please keep reading.

Several years later I received an email
from a ham saying he had bought Idiom
Press and read my review. He had nothing
to do with Idiom at that earlier time but
wanted to make good as it now was his
integrity that would be affected by the
previous owner's mistakes. He wanted proof
I had sent to them and he would send the
part to me ASAP. Having sent cash I had
nothing, I informed him of that and he
accepted that as my word. He sent me the
illuminator immediately and this at a loss
to him personally.

I mention this for any who heard of the
horrible way Idiom used to be,they are now
a company I am completely in appreciation
of. The new owner is a genuine Ham with a
genuine work ethic. Anything I need that
they sell, I will happily buy from them.
They are not what they were.

Hope that wasn't too long.

73,

Gary
KA1J

> Theoretically, you can still buy the CMOS 4 and other Idiom Press
> products from these guys: https://www.hamsupply.com/cmos-4-keyer/
> <https://www.hamsupply.com/cmos-4-keyer/>
>
>
> > I would love Accu-Keyer emulation in my K3s.
>
> So would I. In the K3 and KX3 (and KX2 since I´m thinking about
> purchasing one)
>
> Grant NQ5T
> K3 #2091, KX3 #8342

Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: Hallicrafters HA-1

Administrator

And with the last good posting, let's close the thread. (I would have closed it earlier, except we were working 18hr days at Dayton.)

Also, for everyone else, complaining about other vendors is a huge violation of Elecraft list policy. Please make those complaints elsewhere. Its too afar from our core list topics and also too easy to harm good vendors with inaccurate and outdated information and hearsay.

Of course It is still OK to post complaints about Elecraft (hopefully few! ;-) as we want to hear those so we can remedy the problems quickly.

73,
Eric
Moderator etc.
elecraft.com
---
Sent from my iPhone 6S as I wake up on my 6am flight home from Dayton..
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