Chuck Olson, WB9KZY Jackson Harbor Press http://jacksonharbor.home.att.net/ jacksonharbor@att.net 3/22/2002 Just what is Ultimatic mode ? It's the original two lever paddle electronic keying mode! Most Morse code keyer users are familiar with Iambic A & B dual lever keying modes, if you are not, please see the Acrobat file: modeab.pdf Recently a friend brought the Ultimatic dual lever keying mode to my attention. This mode seems to have largely been eclipsed recently by the two iambic modes. One warning: confirmed users of either mode A or mode B iambic keying probably won't like Ultimatic mode - once a certain keying sequence is ingrained, it's hard to change to something new. But, Ultimatic mode may be useful for a beginner to electronic keying to try in additon to the iambic modes - it has some interesting differences. Here are a few comments on Ultimatic versus Iambic keying from the internet: >IAMBIC - UGH !@! I am convinced that the so-called iambic keyer owes >its design entirely to sloppy, corner-cutting programming. It can >only have been developed by a phone man. Very few useful code >combinations can be sent using it. Far more useful is the "ultimatic" >logic of yesteryear. For those unfamiliar with it, squeeze both paddles >and the last to close takes control, no mindless alternation between >dots and dashes. So a single squeeze can be a W, G, J, 7 or a 3 etc. >just by working the English on the timing of the second closure (whilst >hanging onto the first one, no need to let go). Much more user-friendly >than just squeezing an A,C, N, or a period. The mode is selected in the Island Keyer II or MegaPK within the CE (command entry) mode by sending a UN (Ultimatic oN). Turn it off with a UF (Ultimatic oFf). The mode is selected in the PK-4 mem+both menu item U by hitting dit. Turn it off by hitting dah. After returning to normal keying mode, try squeezing both paddles. Instead of the familiar iambic default: di-dah-di-dah . . . OR dah-di-dah-di . . . you'll hear either: di-dah-dah-dah . . ; OR dah-di-di-di . . . depending on which paddle you press first. The basic premise of Ultimatic mode (as I understand it) is that when both paddles have been pressed at the same time, the keyer will output the element of last paddle pressed. This is useful for generating some characters, for example the question mark: 1) press the dit paddle for two dits 2) keeping the dit pressed, squeeze the dah also for the middle two dahs 3) release the dah paddle only for the last two dits 4) release the dit The comma would be generated the opposite way: 1) press the dah paddle for two dahs 2) keeping the dah pressed, squeeze the dit for the middle two dits 3) release the dit paddle only for the last two dahs 4) release the dah Try it, you may find it useful! Comments invited to: jacksonharbor@att.net Best Regards, Chuck, WB9KZY Ultimatic QST Bibliography: May 1979 QST 11 Versakeyer--A Multimode Paddle Keyer Keywords: CONSTRUCTION HOMEBREW KEYER MORSE CW Horowitz, Paul, W1HFA Dec 1961 QST 64 Transistorized ''Ultimatic,'' The (Technical Correspondence) Kanda, Alvin, K0MHU Oct 1960 QST 31 "Ultimatic"--Transistorized, The--Part 2 of 2 Keywords: CONSTRUCTION HOMEBREW KEYER MORSE CW Kanda, Alvin, K0MHU Oct 1960 QST 152 "Ultimatic"--Transistorized, The (September 1969 QST) (Feedback) Sep 1960 QST 27 "Ultimatic"--Transistorized, The--Part 1 of 2 Keywords: CONSTRUCTION HOMEBREW KEYER MORSE CW Kanda, Alvin, K0MHU May 1955 QST 36 All-Electronic "Ultimatic" Keyer, The, Part II Keywords: MORSE CW Kaye, John, W6SRY Apr 1955 QST 11 All-Electronic "Ultimatic" Keyer, The, Part I Keywords: MORSE CW TUBE 12AU7 12AT7 Kaye, John, W6SRY Apr 1953 QST 73 Ultimatic (Correspondence) Mouatt, Howard, W2VVO Apr 1953 QST 73 Ultimatic (Correspondence) Preston, Elmer, W1AYC Feb 1953 QST 11 "Ultimatic"--The Key With a Memory, The Keywords: MORSE CW KEYER TUBE 12AU7 Kaye, John, W6SRY