How to change keyboard layout
The following commands allow toggling between country specific keyboard layouts. Circumflex "^" stands for the key left to number "1", regardless of what it is lettered.
| ^ L 0 | |||||||||||||||
| ^ L 1 | |||||||||||||||
| ^ L 2 | |||||||||||||||
| ^ L 3 | |||||||||||||||
| ^ L 4 | |||||||||||||||
| ^ L 5 | |||||||||||||||
| ^ L 6 |
| german, swiss german |
| english UK / US / canadian english, brasilian portuguese |
| french, belgian |
| swiss french |
| schwedish, finnish, danish, norwegian, italian, spanish, european portuguese |
| dutch |
| icelandic |
When hitting circumflex "^" the Scroll Lock LED lights up and extinguishes after the last character of the command was entered. Wrong key presses are signalled by flashing LEDs. Language settings remain non-volatile in powerless state.
The red lettered keys in the picture below are the ones that do not differ in position for various keyboard layouts. An explanation of the keys with blue footnotes is to be found in the appropriate table containing the language number (see commands above) in its most left column.
| 1) | 2) | 3) | 4) | 5) | 6) | 7) | 8) | 9) | 10) | 11) | 12) | 13) | 14) | 15) | |
| 0 | ? | Q | W | Z | Ü | / | A | Ö | Ä | Y | M | , | . | - | |
| 1 | - | Q | W | Y | A | ? | Z | M | , | . | / | ||||
| 2 | - | A | Z | Y | Q | M | W | ? | . | / | , | ||||
| 3 | ? | Q | W | Z | / | A | Y | M | , | . | - | ||||
| 4 | ? | Q | W | Y | / | A | Z | M | , | . | - | ||||
| 5 | / | Q | W | Y | ? | A | Z | M | , | . | - | ||||
| 6 | / | - | Q | W | Y | ? | A | Z | M | , | . |
Paddle keyer modes
For using the modes described below a 2-lever-paddle is necessary. It consists of two separately actuated switches. You can also use a single-lever mechanism but you won’t be able to take advantage of the squeeze keying features.
Iambic A und B
An iambic keyer will send an alternating sequence of DITs and DAHs as long as both the DIT and DAH switches are depressed. The first pressed paddle determines with which symbol the sequence starts. The difference between mode A and B lies in what the keyer does when both paddles are released. Mode A keyers complete the element being sent when the paddles are released. The mode B keyer sends an additional symbol (DIT or DAH) opposite to that being sent when the paddles are released. The following picture shows the keyer output for the letter "C" in both cases.
Ultimatic
Much more user-friendly is the Ultimatic logic of "yesteryear" as more characters are supported than just squeezing an A,C, N, or a period in Iambic mode. But 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.
Instead of an alternation between Dit and Dah Ultimatic will output one element of the first activated lever followed by a sequence of opposite elements when both levers are pressed. This can be handy for sending characters such as A, W, J, 1 or N, D, B, 6. You are even able to insert or append a sequence of equal elements, e.g. in case of "?" press and hold the DIT lever for 2 dits, then while keeping the DIT pressed, press the DAH lever for 2 DAHs, then release the DAH for the last two dits. The same is true when a sequence of Dots is followed by a sequence of Dashes or vice versa like in the characters 2, 3, 4, V or 7, 8, 9, B, Z etc.
DIT / DAH memory
A Dot memory is absolutely essential in any electronic keyer. It allows a keyer to remember that you hit the Dot paddle during a Dash is beeing sent even though you have released the Dot paddle before the transmission of the Dot starts. For example, send an "N" to test this feature. You cannot hit the Dot paddle fast enough to prevent both transmitting. But if Dot memory is switched off, the Dot will be lost in most cases, especially when the keying speed is slow.
Of less importance is the dash memory. Because there's not much time for pressing the Dah paddle while transmitting of a Dit is in progress, the Dah seldom is lost. To test this feature, send an "A" as fast as you can. You will always get the Dit followed by the Dah unless you reduce speed drastically to have a chance releasing the Dah paddle before the Dit terminates.
Keyer control commands
| ^K A |
| ^K B |
| ^K U |
| ^K S |
| ^K L |
| ^S |
| IAMBIC Mode A ON |
| IAMBIC Mode B ON |
| ULTIMATIC Mode ON |
| DIT memory on/off (alternating) |
| DAH memory on/off (alternating) |
| sends keyer status in CW as follows : " mode A/B/U dit ON/OFF dah ON/OFF " |