Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about our web site, our operations, or our products there’s a good chance you’ll find the answer here. If you don’t, feel free to ask a question of your own by clicking here or on the “Ask a Question” link on the right.

We’ve been in business for almost thirty years, and our web site has been on-line for over a decade, so we have accumulated a considerable “knowledge base.” The questions and answers are organized in categories, with some questions listed in multiple categories. As this is written, in early April, 2006, we are consolidating data files, e-mail messages, and other resources to build this database as quickly as we can.

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73 from Marshall, N1FN

Some of the other names for a cootie key might be more familiar– sideswiper, double-speed key, and slap key. The simplest definition is a double-sided straight key, operated horizontally. Read the rest of this entry »

I am having trouble with my soldering tips. It seems that I have to use a tip tinner way to often. If I let the iron sit for any small amount of time even while I place another component for soldering I have to clean the oxidation off it before it will even melt solder. My question is….I use regular tap water on my sponge could this be the problem with my tip oxidizing so quickly? If I used Distilled or Deionized water will it help in keeping my tip clean? If so which is best to use Distilled or Deionized? Read the rest of this entry »

Beacon mode, a feature of many electronic keyers, is the continuous repetition of a message until the operator intervenes. Read the rest of this entry »

My Ameco K-4 key has a thing like a switch on it. It’s a thin metal piece with a small plastic knob and it can be rotated in underneath a flange on the lower contact. What exactly is it for?

Read the rest of this entry »

We do not directly support the OHR DD-1 as a digital dial for radios other than OHR, but in practice it can be used with many. The manual includes block diagrams of several basic receiver types with indications of where you would look for a connection point. If your radio does not have a countable frequency available at a jack (e.g. an “accessory jack”) you will need to have some understanding of the electronics involved, and an ability to read the schematic diagram for your receiver.
But of course the DD-1 is also set up for use as a stand-alone counter. So if you can find a relevant frequency to count, you can use the DD-1, and often you can program the “digital dial side” of the device to show your operating frequency. The usual problem is that some receiver designs use different LO frequencies for different bands or groups of bands. One solution to that problem is to set up different offsets in the five memories of the DD-1, and selecting them is simply a matter of pressing a front- panel button.

The connection parameters are essentially identical to the AADE DFD1 (which we also sell). Neil provides detailed notes for a number of radios on his web site at www.aade.com.

Straight Key Night is a 24-hour event during which hams all over North America get on the air using straight keys (i.e., manual telegraph keys). Straight Key Night begins at 0001 on January 1st each year, and goes to 2359Z. Depending on what time zone you are in, Straight Key Night begins in the afternoon or evening of New Year’s Eve for most of us.

Straight Key Night is sponsored by the ARRL. Participants are encouraged to send in logs and comments on their activity, and their nomination for the “best fist” they heard or worked. The ARRL’s announcement for SKN 2007 is printed in the December issue of “QST” or can be read on their web site.

SKN is not a contest as such, and participants are encouraged to slow down, chat a bit, and enjoy the ambiance which is reminiscent of the radio spectrum in the earliest days of radio telegraphy. You are forging a metaphysical bond with generations of manual telegraphers going back the the 1840s.

I do not understand the wire conenctions located under the base that face in opposite directions? What is the light green plastic loop for? Also,the slip-on connections are not the most convenient. Where do I get replacement slip-on connections Read the rest of this entry »

It is possible to convert a 100A from one band to another, but it is not practical. Read the rest of this entry »

The quick answer is yes– it’s your radio, and your counter, so you can do whatever you want with them. You won’t even void the warranty, unless there is a problem caused by the “modification.” But in fairness, I have to say it is not a real good idea. Let me explain why we don’t offer a digital display as an option, and invite you to reconsider. Read the rest of this entry »