CW Sidetone

w3ub
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Location: Lunenburg, NS/Florida

CW Sidetone

Postby w3ub » Wed Dec 16, 2020 3:03 pm

This is the first time I am trying CW with my 7000DLE.

Thetis 2.8.11, P2
Using VAC
Using MPR40 to send CW via a Com port
DUP enabled

When using semi-break in, I can't get any sidetone (or received version of the TX signal).
When using QSK I can get the sidetone, or perhaps more accurately I am hearing the actual TX signal in the monitor?

I would like to avoid QSK for now to save wear and tear on my amplifier relays.

Why can't I get the sidetone using semi-break in?

/Doug
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w-u-2-o
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Re: CW Sidetone

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:43 pm

w3ub wrote:This is the first time I am trying CW with my 7000DLE.

Thetis 2.8.11, P2
Using VAC
Using MPR40 to send CW via a Com port
DUP enabled

When using semi-break in, I can't get any sidetone (or received version of the TX signal).
That is correct.

When using QSK I can get the sidetone, or perhaps more accurately I am hearing the actual TX signal in the monitor?
You are hearing your own TX signal.

I would like to avoid QSK for now to save wear and tear on my amplifier relays.

Why can't I get the sidetone using semi-break in?
You can't because it is not a supported function. Unfortunately, the developers chose not to develop a signaling method that would produce PC output of sidetone (via VAC) with sufficiently low latency to make it usable, not for either a PC-based keying source (such as you are using) or a keying source plugged into the hardware unit. In the latter case the assumption is that if you are using a key plugged into the hardware unit you will also use a speaker plugged into the hardware unit, and the hardware unit produces sidetone in the FPGA.

Unfortunately the same assumption is obviously not true for someone that is using VAC audio. In order to work around this limitation you have to go old school, which is to add a local tone generator across the key/paddle/keyer.

The problem can be mitigated via some rework of the VAC audio code, if a developer was sufficiently interested in doing so.
w3ub
Posts: 95
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2018 6:32 pm
Location: Lunenburg, NS/Florida

Re: CW Sidetone

Postby w3ub » Wed Dec 16, 2020 7:09 pm

OK, got it. Thought I was missing something there for a second ...

It seems like setting the QSK delay to 300msec or so is equivalent to the semi-break in mode.

Doug
scflowers
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Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2023 5:22 pm

Re: CW Sidetone

Postby scflowers » Wed Dec 20, 2023 6:02 am

Hello,
I just got my ANAN G2 this afternoon and was trying to practice CW, i.e. audible keying using an iambic key without transmitting. The best I could get was to set the following options in Thetis v2.10.3.4 x64(11/19/23)(FW v2.0.0 Protocol 2) while transmitting into a dummy load:

MON button - clicked
DUP button - unclicked

Master AF Slider - 20
RX1 AF - 0
Drive - 0

VAC1 button - unclicked

QSK button (under the CW Break-In area) - clicked ON
Delay (ms) - 1000

Iambic check box - checked
Sidetone check box - checked
Show TX Freq check box - unchecked
Show CW 0 Line check box - checked

TX Meter Signal - FWD PWR display in the upper right corner shows <4uV of output voltage (I believe that's the output voltage in microV ).

My concern is w/the relays constantly latching/unlatching (clicking on and off) and damaging the G2 hardware. I found that with the settings above, the relay(s) click and remain on while I practice sending CW. The caveat is that if I pause for too long between words/characters, then the relay(s) unlatch and latch again with a click when I resume sending CW.

BTW, if any pointers on how to use the ANAN G2 in practice mode, please let me know.

Amazing radio transceiver & software. Thx for all the work.

73,
W2WF
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W2PA
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Location: LaGrangeville, NY
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Re: CW Sidetone

Postby W2PA » Wed Dec 20, 2023 12:04 pm

For simply listening for practice you shouldn't go into xmit at all. I don't have a G2 but this works for me with Thetis:

CW Break-In (in main console) - OFF
Sidetone check box - checked
DUP - doesn't matter.

Hit the paddle/key and you hear your CW via the side tone, adjust AF gain to desired level. No relay action happens because you never go into transmit (MOX stays off). I don't use VAC for CW so I don't know if it matters, I'm listening on headphones plugged into the ANAN-8000DLE.
73,
Chris, W2PA
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w-u-2-o
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Re: CW Sidetone

Postby w-u-2-o » Wed Dec 20, 2023 3:11 pm

There is no sidetone available on VAC (see my post above) unless you are running QSK.

Those who want to fully virtualize their CW environment (audio via VAC, key/paddle plugged into PC serial port) and are not using QSK must provision an old fashioned sidetone oscillator wired in parallel with the key or paddle.

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