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Digital Voice Keyer ? Why not !!! In fact , let's do it right away. Well , let me inform everyone of you , fans of contesting and especially SSB Contesters that your life-long troubles are over ..........!!! Finally , modern software and hardware techniques allow us to operate within SSB , CW , RTTY , SSTV and PSK Contests , using just our common low budget PC's sound card (even the compatible one!!!). That is achieved through simplified procedures concerning recording a set of the most common calls (in SSB) like "CQ contest from SV1DKL SV1DKL contest" or like "QSL thanks and good luck . QRZ? This is SV1DKL Contest ! " , or even " What is my number again , please ? " maybe even " VK0IR You are 59 001 QSL? " .........................!!! In CW , traditionally , we contesters are all using a series of programmable function keys (F1-F10 or F12) to key the transmitter through the COM port of our very cost-effective PC , using contest software like CT or Writelog. These macro commands may even be so well organized that like myself , a contester can run a CW contest without even having a paddle ............!!!???!!! As far as the digital modes are concerned , Writelog , which is my favourite contest software , can be easily setup and wired / plugged to my rig and work like a very reliable AFSK or even FSK modem , still using the sound card !!! . Its decoding quality is one of the best around the market and its macro commands come up to a number of 22 using the function keys and some combinations on the keyboard. I've been operating a lot of RTTY and PSK in the past few months using Writelog and it's really amazing what this software can do. It even made me come to like the digital modes !!! I first tested the Digital Voice Keyer in the CQ WW DX SSB 1999 Contest , where after the contest , my first reaction was: " Is that all ? " . I hadn't been tired at all after almost 36 hours of operation as single operator and of course I owed that to the DVK system of Writelog. It was the first time I attempted to hook up my rig to the computer and I admit that I came across some difficult problems which I overcame after carefully considering what was going on. The main problem was that of the settings I had to make on my sound card , so I wouldn't have to change the rig's mic gain & processor settings and still the outcome would be the same. Well , that was easy but what put me in a tight shoe was the feedback I had from "somewhere" in all that wiring circuit . The obvious solution was to minimize the volume output level of my sound card , but then , whenever I would want to use the DVK , I would have to change also the gain of the rig's mic input. So , that was not the solution. Until I read VERY VERY VERY carefully the help file accompanying the software and I purchased an audio transformer 1:1 at 8Ω , which I interfered between the sound card and the rig's modulation input. Extending the wiring system , I made use of 2 position push - button switches to turn on/off the input/output of the sound card and an audio patch bay to direct audio to/from the sound card to other sources or outputs. That
was it !!! After the last operation , I was ready to get on the air in SSB , the Digi Modes and run whichever contest I desired. Of course , for the SSB Voice messages , I had to install Sound Forge V4.5 in order to process my audio , resulting to a very good formula using the two different stages of equalizers (Graphic and Parametric). That resulted to a very good , punching and penetrating , yet of pure quality , contest messages , which still work great , even with a slow PC running Writelog. If you are interested in finding out more about how I work the DVK at the shack , just send me an e-mail at : sv1dkl@hotmail.com
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