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KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

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Mike Markowski-2

KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

I've been meaning for a while to use some sort of plug on the KPA100
speaker wire. I'd like to simply unplug it when necessary rather than
unsolder. Can anyone recommend a small connector/plug, possibly even a
Mouser or manufacturer part no.? I was thinking it might even be worth
doing so that on my K1 I can plug/unplug the internal battery holder as
desired.

As an aside, I'm asking because I'm loading up on some more parts from
Mouser or Digikey. My 13 year old son, Jonathan kb3rli, is a cw op but
is also an avid iPod Touch user. He put iDitDahText on it so that he
can web surf, text, email, all with cw input via an iambic keyer on the
iPod screen. He wanted to pipe it into the rig's mic input to send
modulated cw on SSB. Instead, I used it as a chance to teach him some
electronics. We made a little 3-block diagram: amp, comparator, switch,
and then I showed him how to use, respectively, an op amp, op amp, and
npn transistor for each. So now the ipod keys the rig (no modulated cw)
and he wants to solder it up and stuff it in, of course, an Altoids tin.
He still likes a real key best, but it's a fun project & he loved using
the oscilloscope. He was all smiles during qsos when he said "KEY IS
IPOD". :-) Funny thing is that no one even asked more about it.

Anyway, any inline speaker connector recommendations for the K2 are very
welcome. Thanks!

73,
Mike ab3ap
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

Mike,

I do not understand - the K2 speaker already has a disconnect, the
plug/header on the RF Board.

73,
Don W3FPR

Mike Markowski wrote:

> I've been meaning for a while to use some sort of plug on the KPA100
> speaker wire. I'd like to simply unplug it when necessary rather than
> unsolder. Can anyone recommend a small connector/plug, possibly even a
> Mouser or manufacturer part no.? I was thinking it might even be worth
> doing so that on my K1 I can plug/unplug the internal battery holder as
> desired.
>
> As an aside, I'm asking because I'm loading up on some more parts from
> Mouser or Digikey. My 13 year old son, Jonathan kb3rli, is a cw op but
> is also an avid iPod Touch user. He put iDitDahText on it so that he
> can web surf, text, email, all with cw input via an iambic keyer on the
> iPod screen. He wanted to pipe it into the rig's mic input to send
> modulated cw on SSB. Instead, I used it as a chance to teach him some
> electronics. We made a little 3-block diagram: amp, comparator, switch,
> and then I showed him how to use, respectively, an op amp, op amp, and
> npn transistor for each. So now the ipod keys the rig (no modulated cw)
> and he wants to solder it up and stuff it in, of course, an Altoids tin.
> He still likes a real key best, but it's a fun project & he loved using
> the oscilloscope. He was all smiles during qsos when he said "KEY IS
> IPOD". :-) Funny thing is that no one even asked more about it.
>
> Anyway, any inline speaker connector recommendations for the K2 are very
> welcome. Thanks!
>
> 73,
> Mike ab3ap
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Peter Wollan-2

Re: KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

In reply to this post by Mike Markowski-2

I can't find this app on the iTunes Store, even with spelling
variations. There are several straight key apps, but no iambic that I
can find. Can you give a more detailed source for iDitDahtext?

The keyer circuit sounds interesting -- does it do a PTT from audio input?

Peter N8MHD

On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 9:42 PM, Mike Markowski <[hidden email]> wrote:

> ... an avid iPod Touch user. He put iDitDahText on it so that he
> can web surf, text, email, all with cw input via an iambic keyer on the
> iPod screen. ... So now the ipod keys the rig (no modulated cw)
>
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K6LMP

Re: iPod keyer

The reason you can't find it on iTunes Store is that it doesn't exist there.

It is not offered in iTunes Store because it requires that you "jailbreak" your iPhone in order for the app to run. Jailbreaking voids Apple's warranty on the device, although can be remedied by restoring the Apple OS using iTunes.

Read all about the app on the web site, http://iditdahtext.com/iDitDahText.html, which comes up as top hit when you google the name of the application. the web site tells you where you can download the app, which requires a $1.99 paypal payment. The web site explains why the iPhone must be jailbroken for the app to function.

Much as I like the concept, I am loath to jailbreak my phone, for fear that something will happen that is not reversible, thus voiding the warranty. It's estimated that 9% of all iPhones are jailbroken, and I haven't seen a lot of reports of problems. So, maybe you'll be comfortable going ahead with the process.

Lew K6LMP

On Mar 24, 2010, at 5:10 AM, Peter Wollan wrote:

> I can't find this app on the iTunes Store, even with spelling
> variations. There are several straight key apps, but no iambic that I
> can find. Can you give a more detailed source for iDitDahtext?
>
> The keyer circuit sounds interesting -- does it do a PTT from audio input?
>
> Peter N8MHD
>
> On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 9:42 PM, Mike Markowski <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> ... an avid iPod Touch user. He put iDitDahText on it so that he
>> can web surf, text, email, all with cw input via an iambic keyer on the
>> iPod screen. ... So now the ipod keys the rig (no modulated cw)
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

Mike Markowski-2

Re: KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4

Don,

I've had to remove the heat sink from the KPA100 a handful of times, and as I
recall (I'm at work without my little K2 notebook!) it required unsoldering the
speaker. This is of course after removing the KPA100 itself from the K2 using
the disconnect you mention. Each time doing that, I kept thinking next time
I'll add connectors to just unplug the speaker. I believe this dates back to
when my KPA100 got zapped - forgot to unhook antenna one winter night - and
required several component replacements and several go rounds. Hopefully
something that I won't be doing anymore anyway!

73,
Mike ab3ap

On 03/23/2010 11:35 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Mike,
>
> I do not understand - the K2 speaker already has a disconnect, the
> plug/header on the RF Board.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> Mike Markowski wrote:
>> I've been meaning for a while to use some sort of plug on the KPA100
>> speaker wire. I'd like to simply unplug it when necessary rather than
>> unsolder. Can anyone recommend a small connector/plug, possibly even a
>> Mouser or manufacturer part no.? I was thinking it might even be worth
>> doing so that on my K1 I can plug/unplug the internal battery holder as
>> desired.

Mike Markowski-2

Re: KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

In reply to this post by Peter Wollan-2

Hi Peter,

As Lew K6LMP says, you must jailbreak your iPod to install it from
http://iditdahtext.com/iDitDahText.html . My son is 13 and of course had no
hesitation. It's good to be young! Like Lew, I was a little more anxious. But
before I could pass along my worries, my son was showing me the running app. He
says using you can restore your old settings to un-jailbreak the gadget.

As to the circuit, it's basically a bare bones VOX circuit & is exactly what you
guessed - PTT from audio. The first op amp is set up with a gain of about 200.
Its output goes into an op amp comparator whose other input comes from a pot,
and that output goes to an npn transistor's base to do the telegraph key
"tapping". It was a fun effort. The comparator output would at first switch at
the frequency of the iPod audio, so it was more of a gurgling sound. Instead of
calculating numbers, we just tried different capacitors to fill in the
comparator breaks and watched on the scope, which made it more concrete and
easier to understand cause and effect for my son. There are also coupling
capacitors and clamping diodes as well, but that's about it.

73,
Mike ab3ap

On 03/24/2010 08:10 AM, Peter Wollan wrote:

M0XDF

Re: iPod keyer

In reply to this post by K6LMP

Apple are working on making j/b even harder and the 4G may make it impossible - I'm afraid the only way to go is to get your app on the store.

iPhone users should (imho) be lobbying Apple to make it easier for Amateurs to make little apps available.
73 de M0XDF
--
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think
we're not. In either case, the idea is quite staggering.
-Arthur C Clarke, science fiction writer (1917- )

On 24 Mar 2010, at 12:30, Lew Phelps K6LMP wrote:

> The reason you can't find it on iTunes Store is that it doesn't exist there.
>
> It is not offered in iTunes Store because it requires that you "jailbreak" your iPhone in order for the app to run. Jailbreaking voids Apple's warranty on the device, although can be remedied by restoring the Apple OS using iTunes.
>
> Read all about the app on the web site, http://iditdahtext.com/iDitDahText.html, which comes up as top hit when you google the name of the application. the web site tells you where you can download the app, which requires a $1.99 paypal payment. The web site explains why the iPhone must be jailbroken for the app to function.
>
> Much as I like the concept, I am loath to jailbreak my phone, for fear that something will happen that is not reversible, thus voiding the warranty. It's estimated that 9% of all iPhones are jailbroken, and I haven't seen a lot of reports of problems. So, maybe you'll be comfortable going ahead with the process.

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Jim AB3CV

Re: iPod keyer

I wouldn't count on "restoring settings" to continue to reliably
"unjailbreak" the iPhone. This will continue to be a "Spy vs Spy"
battle ala Mad Magazine.

Jailbreak at your own risk...

jim ab3cv
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KPA100 speaker connector / iPod keyer

In reply to this post by Mike Markowski-2

Mike,

Yes, I guess a connector there would be handy, but unless the wires are
put through the holes on the speaker, it is an easy task to unsolder
them. Just because the holes are on the lugs does not mean they have to
be used, just lay the wire over the speaker lug and apply solder.

For quick repairs to the KPA100 board, it is not even necessary to
unsolder the speaker wire if one is careful The board can be removed
and placed upside-down on the heat sink without removing the speaker
wire, I have done that many times. For extensive work on the KPA100
board, I do unsolder the speaker wires.

73,
Don W3FPR

Mike Markowski wrote:

> Don,
>
> I've had to remove the heat sink from the KPA100 a handful of times, and as I
> recall (I'm at work without my little K2 notebook!) it required unsoldering the
> speaker. This is of course after removing the KPA100 itself from the K2 using
> the disconnect you mention. Each time doing that, I kept thinking next time
> I'll add connectors to just unplug the speaker. I believe this dates back to
> when my KPA100 got zapped - forgot to unhook antenna one winter night - and
> required several component replacements and several go rounds. Hopefully
> something that I won't be doing anymore anyway!
>
> 73,
> Mike ab3ap
>
>