Characterize Relay Usefullness

[hcarter333]

Determine if the relay is suitable for higher (or any) Morse code speeds.

The relay is only rated to have a 20 ms response time. If that prevents us from having dots (they're 70 ms) then I'll need to look into an optocoupler.

I'm using the instructions in this video to set up the relay the first time.

[hcarter333]

The relay is clicking at about the right rate.
I'm moving the whole thing over to the Chromebook now.

Picture of the setup:

[hcarter333]

Chromebook is up and running. Had to fix this first.

[hcarter333]

We had RFI issues from start to finish today. First, the radio isn't grounded (yes... I know...)

But even worse, really is that one of the contacts from the relay runs directly under the coil of the relay coupling the RF with the Relay coil. When too much RF power is present on the keyer line, then the coil sticks on.

I'll have pictures and a full commentary later. Suffice it to say for now that we can only get about 20 Watts out of the radio with the auto-keyer attached.

[hcarter333]

Be sure to record the data collected by KO6BTY.

[hcarter333]

KO6BTY and I discovered yesterday that if I place both of my hands on the rig's case, we can transmit at 100 Watts with the autokeyer. I'm coupling the stray RF to ground.

[hcarter333]

Running with douled up relays gives us enough protection from RFI along with the balun (see #7) that the relays are just fine.

There are no issues with the relays up to CW speeds of 21 words per minute.

[hcarter333]

Here's the final relay configuration we arrived at:

and then after the Balun

[hcarter333]

Buuuttt!!! Part of this wsa to make sure the relays could handle a sufficient word per minute speed.

[hcarter333]

They handle up to 31 wpm.

[hcarter333]

This is closed,