Dual 555 timer Iambic Touchkey Morse Code Signal Generator
- January 18th, 2011
- Posted in Electronics . Projects
- By BadWolf
- Write comment
Yeah,it's a vibroplex
Well I saw this thing earlier today:
It’s a Vibroplex thing to make morsecode way faster
(20 to 50 WPM). If you push the small red knob it’s gonna send a continuous signal out of the line while on the other side,the oval paddle actuate a pendulum creating a series of shorts signals,or dits. This way,using the oval paddle you can easily type … in a short time lapse
So,I tought,yeah,this would be awesome to learn morse code but these are sold at over $300 US ,it’s time to get creative.
What I used here is:
-A double switch (NODP) scavenged earlier today from a printer.
-2 555 timers (1 is generating the tone,the other is replacing the pendulum mechanism)
-Battery
-Some caps and resistors.
Here’s what it look like:
Morse code thing
So it work,pretty good,here’s a video of me using it to type something out,try to decode it,if you can ;p
All the references for this build were taken from this excellent site on 555 timers:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~rpaisley4/LM555.html
Enjoy
wow I can’t believe they charge $300 for morse code devices. most tech gets cheaper as it gets older.
Usually yeah,but those are getting in the “collector” domain and thus it get more expensive =P.
Even new keys/paddles are expensive, but you are paying for a very slick mechanism; something that you generally can’t correct for with software. However, a lot of people are happy with these sorts of homebrew paddles, and I imagine that, when I make the move from straight key to paddle, I will use a setup like yours to try it out.
PS, it’s not “Lambic” with an “L” (that’s a Belgian beer!), it’s “iambic” with an “i”.
Thanks for the info on the word Lambic :P
It’s ‘iambic’, and that vibroplex isn’t. It is a ‘bug’ key. Iambic keys are two paddles (switches). One does repeating dits, the other does repeating dahs for as long as they’re pressed.
If you press them both together it repeats dit dah dit dah ….. or, dah dit dah dit …, depending on which paddle was pressed first and for as long as you continue to press them. This means that most letters can be sent fewer keying actions than for a straight (normal) morse key.
I’m trying to learn morse myself. I’m just very very very rubbish at it.
thanks for pointing out thoses mistakes.
some points though,it’s a vibroplex,took the picture from their site.
More info on wiki.
Yeah sorry, I should’ve been clearer. What I was trying to say is that the Vibroplex isn’t an Iambic key, it’s a ‘bug’ key. It’s definitely a Vibroplex and a lovely looking machine it is too.
They have some iambic keys on the Vibroplex site too. You should check them out. Iambic keys need some electronics to work though. The ‘bug’ key is as purely mechanical solution.
The electronics for an iambic key would make for an interesting project. I can’t think of a way to do it with discrete components, like the 555 timer solution for a ‘bug’ key detailed above. I’d have to resort to a PIC chip or arduino programmed solution.
Anyway, keep up the good work.
Keep up the good job ! Thanks from Ontario, Canada, *The Funny Shirt Guy*
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