CW Morse Mini Yack IIc User manual

Mini Yack IIc
Iambic Keyer/Trainer
Mini-Yack2c is a basic Iambic keyer based on the open source DK3LJ Yack engine and enhanced with additional
eatures:
Keying rom 1WPM to 35WPM
2 memories with 75+ characters each
HF Beacon and FM beacon modes or 2M FM ox hunting
Straight key operation bypass (limited keyer unctionality)
Iambic practice modes including a progressive mode which increases/decreases speed
Built in speaker with stereo headphone jack or private listening
Positive OR negative transmitter keying maximum o 200V/120mA/300mW
Battery Installation (Assembled units)
Batteries are included. There is a jumper on the back of the unit to disable power during shipping or long term
storage. Use a pair of tweezers or surgical clam to move the jumper to the ON position. To replace batteries, remove
the 4 screws on the bottom o the unit. Insert 2 AA batteries observing the polarity as shown on the battery holder.
Replace the panel and 4 screws on the bottom.
OPERATION
Plug your straight or Iambic key into the KEY jack. With the key down adjust the volume as needed. I using the
headphone/SKPR jack ALWAYS turn the volume control ully counter-clockwise BEFORE plugging in. Then with
the key down adjust the volume to a com ortable level. Plug a transmitter into the XMIT jack. Re er to the Mini-Yack
operations manual or commands and usage.
Specifications: Current consumption: 1.3mA idle, 4.8mA (no volume), 14.8mA keyed ( ull volume),

YACK Operation Manual
Version MY181210
YACK (Yet Another CW Keyer) is a universal CW keyer developed for the At el ATTiny processors by Jan Lategahn
DK3LJ with odifications by Jack Welch AI4SV. Further odifications for Mini-Yack were developed by John
Cle ents KC9ON.
Startup
Default Settings: The keyer initial settings on first power on is IAMBIC B at 15WPM. This can be changed to
your own setting using the below co ands.
Power On: The keyer will respond with HI when powering up with an Ia bic or no key connected.
Straight Key Operation: Connect a straight key into the jack. Either a Mono jack ay be used or a stereo jack
with the ring ( iddle connection or DAH) connected to shield (ground). The keyer will auto atically see the
“ ono” jack on power up and put the keyer into straight key ode by sending “STK” during power up. The
optional external buttons PLAY1, PLAY2 will still function in straight key ode. However the COMMAND
button will not accept co ands due to no Ia bic key present.
Mini-Yac Buttons
COMMAND – Enters co and ode. See below for co and ode settings.
Play 1 – Play back the contents of e ory 1.
Play 2 – play back the contents of e ory 2.
Reset (internal button) - Equivalent to powering the unit off and on. Use reset to help restore settings to
factory default. See Hardware Reset below.
Speed Change
Speed can be changed by pressing and holding the COMMAND button while operating the DIT and DAH
paddles. DIT reduces speed while DAH increases speed. The keyer plays an alternating sequence of dit and dah
while changing speed without keying the trans itter.
Command mode
Pressing the co and button without changing speed will switch the keyer into co and ode. This will be
confir ed with the '?' character. Another press of the sa e button takes the keyer back into regular keyer ode
and will be confir ed by sending OK.
During co and ode the transceiver is never keyed and side tone is always activated. Further functions can
be accessed by keying one-letter co ands as listed below. After 6 seconds of inactivity the keyer will return
to regular ode and send OK.
If a co and is not interpreted properly an error essage of 8 dits is sent. Successful co ands will typically
respond with 'R'.

YACK Operation Manual
Version MY181210
It is highly recommended to perfor the 0 - LOCK co and after you have ade your setting preferences to
avoid accidentally changing the . Locking will prevent co ands 1, 2, A, B, D, F, I, K, L, R, S, & X, fro
being changed until the 0 – UNLOCK co and is given.
COMMANDS - BASIC
H - PLAY 1 The stored essage 1 is played back. A press of the co and key i ediately returns the keyer
to keyer ode so a QSO can be started.
5 - PLAY 2 The stored essage 2 is played back. A press of the co and key i ediately returns the keyer to
keyer ode so a QSO can be started.
1 - RECORD 1 Record to internal essage 1. The keyer i ediately responds with "1" after which a essage
up to 100 characters can be keyed at current WPM speed. After 5 seconds of inactivity the essage is played
back once and then stored in EEPROM. Choosing "1" but not keying a new essage deletes the chosen
essage buffer content.
2 - RECORD 2 Record to internal essage 2. The keyer i ediately responds with "2" after which a essage
up to 100 characters can be keyed at current WPM speed. After 5 seconds of inactivity the essage is played
back once and then stored in EEPROM. Choosing "2" but not keying a new essage deletes the chosen
essage buffer content.
G - QRS -5WPM “Go Slower” Te porarily slows the keyer down by 5WPM. Resu e current speed by
issuing the Reset button or Power cycling the device.
Q - QRQ +5WPM Te porarily speeds the keyer up by 5WPM. Resu e current speed by issuing the Reset
button or Power cycling the device.
W QUERY SPEED The keyer responds with the current WPM speed.
P PITCH Allows odifying the side-tone pitch to a higher or lower level. A sequence of dits will be played
and the pitch can be odified with the dit and dah paddles. If no paddle is touched for 5 seconds, OK is
sounded and the ode ter inates, leaving the user in co and ode.
U TUNE The transceiver is keyed for a duration of 20 seconds for tuning purposes. Tuning ode is aborted
once either DIT or DAH paddles are touched or the control key is pressed.
COMMANDS - KEYER
A - IAMBIC A MODE Sets IAMBIC A as per anent keying ode.
B - IAMBIC B MODE Sets IAMBIC B as per anent keying ode.
D - DAH PRIORITY In squeezed state a sequence of DAHs is sent. So e of the first generation keyers
exhibited this behavior so the chip can si ulate that.

YACK Operation Manual
Version MY181210
L - ULTIMATIC MODE Sets the keyer into ULTIMATIC ode. In Ulti atic ode always the last paddle to
be touched is repeated indefinitely when paddles are squeezed
X - PADDLE SWAP DIT and DAH paddles are swapped.
F - FARNSWORTH PAUSE Allows setting of an extended inter-character pause in all playback odes which
akes fast keying easier to understand. Note that this of course only influences RECEPTION, not
TRANSMISSION. If you desire Farnsworth ode in trans ission, please anually pause during characters.
COMMANDS – TRANSMITTING AND TONE
I - TX INVERT This function toggles whether the "active" level on the keyer output is positive or negative.
This setting is dependent on any additional attached keying circuits or radios. Nor ally this co and is left
alone.
K - TX DISABLE Toggles the setting of the TX keyer output. In default state the keyer switches the trans it
line when it is in keyer ode. Toggling this setting enables or disables that function. NOTE: Keying is always
off in Co and ode.
S - -SIDETONE The side tone oscillator setting is toggled (ON -> OFF or OFF -> ON). NOTE: This setting is
only of relevance for regular keying ode. Side tone is always on in co and ode.
COMMANDS – FEATURES
C - CALLSIGN TRAINER The keyer plays a generated 2x2 call signs (side tone only) at the current WPM
setting. The call signs are then entered back using the ia bic key. If it is repeated correctly, "R" is played and
the next call sign is given. If a istake was sensed, the error pro-sign (8 dots) is sounded and the current call
sign is repeated again for the user to try once ore. If nothing is keyed for 10 seconds, the keyer returns to
co and ode.
Z - ADVANCED TRAINER Si ilar to the training ode above except on each successful entry the speed is
increased by 1WPM. An unsuccessful entry reduces the speed by 1WPM. Pressing the co and button will
ter inate the training, return the keyer to the original WPM speed, and give statistics of speed at end of session,
nu ber of calls sent, and nu ber of calls correct. Do not press co and ode while the keyer is sending. The
last call sign sent is not counted.
N - BEACON MODE The keyer responds with "N" after which a nu ber between 0 and 9999 can be keyed.
After a 5 second ti eout the keyer responds by repeating the nu ber and 'R'. Once the keyer returns to keyer
ode, the content of essage buffer 2 is repeated in intervals of the essage length plus N seconds. The setting
is preserved in EEPROM so the chip can be used as a fox hunt keyer. Returning to co and ode and entering
an interval of 0 (or none at all) stops beacon ode. Keyer will respond with 'R'.
Y - FOXHUNT MODE When toggling this co and the trans itter output will stay keyed down the entire
ti e a e ory is played. Toggling again will resu e the e ories back into on-off-on keying ode. This
co and works along with the Beacon co and to allow a setup, such as an FM trans itter, to be used as a
beacon or fox hunting box.