Frequently Asked Questions

It's not unusual for many people to have the same questions about their kits or the order process. In this section I will post as many of these frequently asked questions (FAQs) as I can come up with. You can click the name of the section you want to view to go directly to that section.

General Questions and Ordering

MasterKeyer

PicoKeyer and PicoKeyer-Plus

ID-O-Matic

USB Universal Rig Interface

UKA and UKA-2

Connection Kit

PicoKeyer-RM

What does the "Degree of Challenge" mean?

I am adding this to each kit's page to let you know how challenging the kit will be to build, test, adjust and use. Some kits may have small parts, very fine soldering required, or have surface mount parts that require special techniques to solder. The "Degree of Challenge" indicates whether a kit is suitable for the first-time or novice builder, someone with a little more experience, or the dedicated builder. The meaning is shown in the table below:

How can I determine the shipping cost for my order?

Once you have the items you want to order added to your shopping cart, select "Checkout" from the top menu bar. Once you have entered your shipping information, you will see the total amount for your order including shipping. You do not have to enter payment information at this time; you can still change, cancel or come back and complete your order later.

Can I get my kit pre-assembled?

I have offered assembled and tested units at various times. In general, it's not something I like to do. The kits require only minimal assembly skills and time. If you see an "Assembled & tested" option when ordering, it's available assembled; otherwise, I am not offering that kit assembled. In any case, it may take a few extra days before your order is shipped depending on what I have on hand.

I want to order several kits for a club. Do you offer discounts?

Many items do have quantity discounts. Those that do, will have the price breaks listed on the item page. If you don't see any price breaks listed but are going to be ordering a large quantity, feel free to email me and discuss it.

How long will it take for my order to reach me?

I usually ship orders within a day or two of receiving them. In some cases it may take some extra time, especially if you are ordering kits assembled and tested. If your order will be delayed more than a couple of days, I will email you with that information.

Shipping via First Class Mail in the US usually takes 2-5 days, depending on your location. Priority Mail shipment is available if you're in a hurry, but most of the time delivery is pretty quick.

Shipping to locations outside the US will take longer, depending on the transit time and your country's Customs clearance. Due to the very high cost of shipping via tracked means (overnight couriers, Priority Mail International, etc) I cannot provide tracking information for DX packages.

Were you at the Dayton Hamvention in 2009? Will you be there in 2010?

2009 was the first time I had been to Dayton. We had a booth and met many of our existing customers, new customers and prospective customers. We introduced the MasterKeyer MK-1 there and got a lot of very positive feedback (as well as happy customers). We will indeed return to Dayton in 2010! Our booth has been reserved.

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MasterKeyer

Do I need a computer to use the MasterKeyer?

Can I use the MasterKeyer without a keyboard?

The MasterKeyer looks complicated, I don't think I can figure out how to use it.

It couldn't be much simpler, really. Plug in your paddle. Connect it to your rig's key jack. Turn the switch on, and turn the knob to adjust the speed. That's all you really need to do! The setup commands are very easy to use; memory recording and playback are a snap. If you need the more advanced features, they're all there and easy to use. And, if you get stuck and the manual doesn't help, support is just a quick email away.

Does the MK-1 support my logging software?

Yes!! Beginning with firmware version 1.20 (December 2009), the MK-1 supports the K1EL Winkeyer command interface. If your software supports the Winkeyer, it should support the MK-1 as well. See the MK-1 manual for more information.

What is your firmware release process?

Firmware for the MK-1 goes through several stages before being released:

1. Development. This is when I'm actively working on new features and bug fixes. You'll never see a Dev release outside of my "mad scientist laboratory".
2. Alpha test. This is usually limited to the few people who have asked for specific features, bug fixes or enhancements, for them to test how well I've done. Alpha test code may be perfect, but usually not! Alpha test firmware changes often, sometimes every day.
3. Beta test. I make beta test versions available to anyone who wants to try it out, with the understanding that it's still test code - and it may have problems. I depend on the feedback received from beta testers to tell me what still remains to be fixed. I generally try to "feature freeze" when the firmware makes the transition from alpha to beta test. There are exceptions, but by the time it's in beta test I'm not looking to add new functionality.
4. Release. Also known as "General Availability" or "GA". This is the final version and is recommended for use in all MasterKeyers. It's been tested as thoroughly as possible, and is believed to be ready for general use.
5. Obsolete. The final stage, when the next release is made "GA". You should upgrade if you're running a version older than the current GA release.

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PicoKeyer and PicoKeyer-Plus

Do you have any original PicoKeyer kits left?

Sorry, but no -- they're all gone. The PK-Plus can be built with the speed pot mounted remotely if you want; all the other features are the same other than the orientation of the pushbutton.

How can I make the speaker louder?

Change the audio tone ("A" setup menu). If you use try higher frequency tones, you will notice a very sharp peak in the audio level right around 2000 Hz. This is where the speaker is near resonance, and it gets quite a bit louder! Aside from that, you can use a small amplified external speaker. The PicoKeyer cannot drive an external 8 Ohm speaker on its own.

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ID-O-Matic

Can my ID-O-Matic be upgraded to an ID-O-Matic II?

Partly. I will have an upgrade available that will give your original ID-O-Matic some of the -II features. The upgrade will mean replacing or re-burning the PIC processor, replacing the 4 MHz crystal with a 20 MHz crystal, and adding a couple of components in the audio circuit to deal with the PWM audio signal. It will not add any of the I/O signal conditioning features, audio amp, mixer, or other features previously provided by the Connection Kit. Watch the shopping web site for details.

Why has Q1 failed one or more times?

In some environments, the floating gate of Q1 can be damaged by static electricity or other factors. You can solder a relatively large value resistor between the gate and source (grounded side) of Q1 to prevent this from happening. New kits include a 1/8W 100K Ohm resistor for this purpose. If you need a resistor, send me an email and I'll get you a couple.

Can I connect an ID-O-Matic to my Motorola repeater?

The short answer is, "Yes". The longer answer is, you will need to determine the best way to do it. I have had a number of customers use an ID-O-Matic to with Motorola R.I.C.K. and GMR-300 type systems. In some cases they are simply using it to provide Morse ID; in others they are using it to control the repeater. The signal levels are within reason for an ID-O-Matic and Connection Kit to connect without issues.

As I am not an expert on Motorola equipment, nor do I have any on hand to play with, I can't give you specific details for every application. I do, hoever, have copies of some of the documentation and will post more detailed information as time permits.

Can I use an ID-O-Matic to ID my crossband V/UHF rig?

That depends on your particular radio. For whatever reason, most (but not all) dual-band rigs that have a crossband repeat function completely shut off all microphone and data signals. In other words, there is no way with most rigs to use a local source of audio or PTT. It doesn't make a lot of sense! I have heard that there are a few exceptions, but I don't know for sure which rigs they are. If you know, please tell me and I'll post the information here.

I have two mobiles (or an HT and a mobile) that I want to set up as a repeater. Will the ID-O-Matic do it?

If your receiver has an easily accessible squelch, RSSI or COR signal, it's a snap. If they don't, it is a little more difficult but not impossible. Most mobiles and fixed station transceivers have such a signal on the packet connector.

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USB Universal Rig Interface

Should I get the SMD parts pre-installed?

At this time, all USB interface kits are shipped with the SMT parts pre-installed. The USB connector and 28-pin fine pitch SOIC chip are not a lot of fun for most people to install!

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Connection Kit

Now that the ID-O-Matic II is out, what will happen to the Connection Kit?

I have a limited number of Connection Kits left. When they are gone, I'll probably not do another run. I am looking seriously at replacing the Connection Kit with one or more kits such as a general purpose audio amplifier, or possibly one geared more toward enabling the PicoKeyer-Plus to be used with a handheld V/UHF transceiver. Watch the news blog for announcements, and the shopping site for availability.

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PicoKeyer-RM

Please check back later. I will be adding more information as time allows.

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