Iambic paddle help please

[Singularity35]

Hey guys, I got an mfj 564 iambic paddle and I can't make it work on my FT857D. I made sure there was continuity and no shorts on my wire. I even tried to just plug it in the jack and turned on the keyer. When I touched the contacts, I got the corresponding dits and dahs but when I wire the cable on the paddle, I don't get anything. What am I missing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Road Squawker]

did you check/adjust the contact spacing?........... I think it is set to ZERO for shipping purposes,... there has to be a gap

BTW, contrary to the name, this is NOT an Iambic keyer, it is a dual lever paddle.

you didn't mention it, but,does the 857 have a built in keyer (I dunno). if not, then you do need a keyer between the paddle and the radio.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwibp6eLquTNAhXMTSYKHZFiDQAQFgg8MAY&url=http://www.mtechnologies.com/misc/mfj564.pdf&usg=AFQjCNFupqIL-fYK75OtWcyBPpJ02DVOlw

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Check page 17 of the manual. Make sure you are using a tip/ring/sleeve plug aka a stereo plug. Also make sure the keyer ie set for positive keying and not negative aka grid block keying.

Well damn. Thought I hit POST REPLY about three hours ago but there it was. In limbo on my screen. LOL

 

[Singularity35]

Check page 17 of the manual. Make sure you are using a tip/ring/sleeve plug aka a stereo plug. Also make sure the keyer ie set for positive keying and not negative aka grid block keying.

Well damn. Thought I hit POST REPLY about three hours ago but there it was. In limbo on my screen. LOL

Haha, thanks Cap. Yep, three way plug and continuity on everything except my dumb*ss brain. I just assumed that the keys were actually hitting the contacts when they were just hitting the stops. I found out when I thought of cleaning the contacts.

 

[Singularity35]

BTW, contrary to the name, this is NOT an Iambic keyer, it is a dual lever paddle.

Hehehe I found that out last night watching youtube. Thank you, I like to be precise with my language as well.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

LOL I missed that it was NOT an iambic keyer and just a set of paddles. I wondered why you didn't use the built in keyer the 857 has. I have a Brown Brothers set of paddles that work great. I just wish they were still in business. I also wish I had one of their straight keys.

 

[Singularity35]

I'm just going for bang for the buck right now. I have a j38 and a chinese army straight key for now. I probably won't want to see your collection of keys since I don't want to ruin my keyboard with drool.

 

[BJ radionut]

Well if it's like my Yaesu...it still requires the 3 pin 1/4 inch plug to operate correctly.
I had to change the plugs(from 2 pin to 3 pin) on several of my straight keys to get them to operate on my rig.
All the Best
Gary

 

[Singularity35]

Well if it's like my Yaesu...it still requires the 3 pin 1/4 inch plug to operate correctly.
I had to change the plugs(from 2 pin to 3 pin) on several of my straight keys to get them to operate on my rig.
All the Best
Gary

Yep, 3 pin on it. 3 pin needed also on the straight key. 2 pin plug shorts on the 857, even on a straight key.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I'm just going for bang for the buck right now. I have a j38 and a chinese army straight key for now. I probably won't want to see your collection of keys since I don't want to ruin my keyboard with drool.

Collection of keys? LOL Perhaps you are referring to my truck/house/shop/work keys. LOLOL All I have is the one simple Nye Viking Speedex key mounted on a maple wood base hollowed out and filled with lead for weight. It does have the navy knob however.

Brown Brothers Machine Company used to make some really nice keys and paddles.The keys were all hand-made by one person, Bill Brown. Bill made the die-cast machine and all the key parts and dies himself. He also designed, painted and labeled each key ever made by the BBMC. Bill worked alone making the keys in his basement shop. He was a real craftsman and a true perfectionist. My paddles are model BTL-A. I would love to have the straight key model CTL-A. They also made a model that had both a set of paddles and a straight key on the same base.

 

[Singularity35]

That looks really solid compared to the flimsy mfj levers.

Collection of keys? LOL Perhaps you are referring to my truck/house/shop/work keys. LOLOL All I have is the one simple Nye Viking Speedex key mounted on a maple wood base hollowed out and filled with lead for weight. It does have the navy knob however.

Brown Brothers Machine Company used to make some really nice keys and paddles.The keys were all hand-made by one person, Bill Brown. Bill made the die-cast machine and all the key parts and dies himself. He also designed, painted and labeled each key ever made by the BBMC. Bill worked alone making the keys in his basement shop. He was a real craftsman and a true perfectionist. My paddles are model BTL-A. I would love to have the straight key model CTL-A. They also made a model that had both a set of paddles and a straight key on the same base.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

That looks really solid compared to the flimsy mfj levers.

It is indeed quite heavy and does not walk across the desk.

 

[Mudfoot]

I'm just going for bang for the buck right now. I have a j38 and a chinese army straight key for now. I probably won't want to see your collection of keys since I don't want to ruin my keyboard with drool.

Lol, the big honker Chinese keys are a blast, you can get all spastic on them. Can't go wrong with a J-38 either.