CW with Quisk and RS-HFIQ?

[Björn]

I have an RS-HFIQ connected to a Raspberry Pi 4 using Quisk with the addons from dl1ksv found at github.

It seam to work good for SSB but how do I manage to use CW?

I have noted that when activating PTT in CW-mode the transceiver is modulated with a single tone but the activation of the PTT is to slow to be used.

One idea I have is to put a NE5517 variable gain amplifier modulated with a low pass filtered key signal, i.e. smoothly turn on and off the IQ generated from Quisk when in CW mode.

What other ways have you managed to use to transmitt CW?

Any comments on my idea above to modulate the available IQ-signal that already produce a clean tone.

Björn

SM0SBL

[WA2EUJ]

Hi ,

For the very best, zero-latency, CW transmission, try the IQ Keyer. It's a specially designed keyer that (in addition to normal CW output) produces 700 HZ I and Q signals to directly modulate the RS-HFIQ or other IQ radio. The signals have the perfect rise and fall times and the keyer has memories and a computer interface that supports text-to-CW and additional memory functions.

The I and Q signals are transformer coupled to prevent ground loops and there are amplitude and phase adjustments to create the cleanest possible CW signal and set the TX level. You can connect the Keyer in line between the sound card and the RS-HFIQ, a relay switches the keyer out-of-line when the keyer is off so you can use other modes without swapping cables. 

It's available from the HobbyPCB store:

https://www.hobbypcb.com/index.php/products/hf-radio/iq-keyer-detail

73,

Jim WA2EUJ

[Björn]

I understand I could probably use the IQ-keyer but I'm trying to make a relatively small, self contained, box similar to the IQ64 so hopefully I could find a solution where another gadget is not necessary.

I'm cool with designing and build my own electronics, e.g. the above mentioned idea of a voltage-controlled-gain-amplifier to hook up to the pinlists of the TX-input of the RS-HFIQ as I already have the necessary IQ-signal for a clean CW. The VGA is supposed to be controlled by a low-pass filtered key signal (100-200Hz cutoff) typically 2:nd order Sallen-key or similar.

However it would be even nicer to just have to adapt the SW of the RS-HFIQ or use Quisk in some smart way to not have to build anything, therfore my question.

[WA2EUJ]

Hi Björn,

You might want to take a look at the PI SDR IQ Solo:

https://pi-sdr.net/pi-sdr/index.php/pi-sdr-projects/pi-sdr-iq

It's a new version of the PI SDR IQ+, both of which have built-in 192 kHz, high dynamic range data converters, microphone/headphone interfaces and CW key input. Normally the PI SDR's connect to a Windows PC running PowerSDR and emulate a Flexradio making a very high performance package. 

Christos, SV1EIA, has developed and image for the 'Solo that has a Linux desktop and runs stand-alone with a monitor and keyboard. It's loaded with Quisk, WSJT-X and other digital mode software and it handles CW like a champ.

I may take apart the IQ64 and put in the PI SDR SOLO that I just got.

73,

Jim WA2EUJ

[Rob French]

Bjorn,

I'm in a similar situation... I've got an RPi4 running Quisk, WSJT-X, and Fldigi.  I have made 1 or 2 CW contacts recently, but I did them using FLdigi to generate the CW via keyboard.  Cheating.  I'm looking to setup a set of paddles with Quisk.  My thoughts (I haven't tried this yet):

• Hardware
• Connect a 1/8" stereo jack via unused GPIO pins on the RPi for the key jack.
• I'll initially do this via a protoboard, may eventually make my own Pi "hat"... include separate jacks for straight key and paddles.
• Software
  
• Start with this keyer for RPi:  https://github.com/n1gp/iambic-keyer
• Modify the source to do the following:
• Use the correct GPIO pins (simple header modification).
• Disable Jack audio support (I don't use it... I use only Alsa in my setup, no PulseAudio or Jack)
• I also don't need it to generate I/Q audio signals, because Quisk will be doing that.
• Disable the sidetone (Quisk should generate that too).
• Either instead of, or in addition to, the generate key-down signal (which it currently puts out on a GPIO pin), create a socket-based interface for CW.
• What?!  So, yes, Quisk has several input methods for a CW key:  parallel port, serial port, and ethernet!  See https://github.com/df8oe/quisk/blob/master/quisk/is_key_down.c
• So my thought is, modify the N1GP code to send out key up/down packets on a port on the localhost (127.0.0.1) interface on the Pi, and have Quisk listening on that port.
• According to the maker of Quisk, this is how he runs CW on it (via ethernet, not via the N1GP keyer)

We'll see how it works...

My original thought for this was actually to incorporate the N1GP keyer code as a module into Quisk, and implement the GPIO input in Quisk itself.  The GPIO piece would be simpler; I'm just not sure about integrating the N1GP code into Quisk.  This might be my longer term CW project.

Good luck with your projects.

Regards,

-Rob KC4UPR