What is Auto-bug Keyer ?

1. What is Auto-bug Keyer?

Bug key signals by good operators sometimes feel us enviable with a little longer dashes than normal, say, longer last dash in VA, in 599. Such longer dashes can convey some feelings, which normal keyer cannot.

I hope to use a bug key, however, my bug key signal is not neat but very hard to hear, hi, hi. It needs intensive training to make neat signals.

I thought the reason for this without thinking about my clumsiness (hi) and found that,
the spaces between dots by bug key are mechanically adjusted, however, the spaces between a dash and a dot and those between dashes cannot be automatically adjusted.

For example, "di dah, dah di di di" becomes "dilah, dahli di di".
It is not ready for coming on the air, hi, hi.

The difficulty of manipulating a bug key is that to secure the right spaces between dashes and dots.

Then, I tried to adjust these difficult spaces by digital circuits. That is Auto-bug keyer !
The earlier auto-bug keyer used C-MOS logic. Please see the photo. That was built in 1987 and was introduced on Japanese CQ magazine.

Using auto-bug keyer, the signals can be neat without brief exercise just to get use to it.
The signals are very close to that are just expected.

The following sketch shows the comparison between the good signal of bug key, bad one and auto-bug keyer.

2. Auto-bug Keyer with PIC micro processor

PIC is an all-in-one micro computer with many convenient features including sleep mode to cut down the power consumption while it is in idling status.

I decided to realize the following features in the auto-bug keyer with PIC.

1)   Energy conservative.
Extremely low currency consumption while not operated, even while the power is supplied.
2)    Three operation modes, iambic, ultimatic and auto-bug.
These modes are changed by a switch on the panel.
3) Message memories
4) Simple operation.
5) Constructed on a very small circuit board.
( Simple circuit! )
6)     Simple side tone.
7)     Speed setting using a normal volume control.
8)      It can be operated by batteries, even by 3 volts.

So many wishes there are ! Hi, hi.

What was built, auto-bug keyer Type 6A was published on QST magazine of May 2006.

Or, you can request the information through e-mail.


Further advanced!

Type 9A, with 12channel message memories and some functions, i.e, automatic CQ etc., came up.



Type 9A

Type 6A

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