K1EL Morse Tutor Board User manual

Morse Tutor
Board
User Manual v1.1
www.k1el.com

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 2
Morse Tutor Board (MTB) Features
•Keyer speed range: 5 - 99 WPM •Integrated Touch Paddle and Pushbuttons
•Touch sensitivity calibration function •34 easy to use commands
•Dynamically allocated message memory •Supply Voltage Monitor
•Keying Modes: Bug, Ultimatic, Iambic A or B •Serial Number Generation
•Rotary Encoder Speed control •Adjustable Letter Spacing: 25 to 75%
•Adjustable Weighting: 25 to 75 % •Automatic letter space mode (Autospace)
•Paddle swap command •Sidetone Output: On board speaker
•Continuously adjustable Sidetone frequency •Optional Key Output: Open collector (60V @120mA)
•Four Push-button user interface •Battery holder for three AAA cells
•Two User Configurations each with callsign •Backspace supported on message entry
•Low Power Consumption: 2 mA idle, 70 uA off •Power on/off by pressing rotary encoder.
•Non-Volatile Message Memory: 232 letters in 10 •Easy access Rx and Tx practice modes
Slots, dual banked, with embedded commands. •Multiple MTBs can be networked together
•Non-Slip Rubber Feet •Message stacking
•Beacon: Programmable interval: 1 to 99 seconds •Board Dimensions: 4.0” by 3.25”
Morse Tutor Description (MTB)
The MTB is designed to be a low cost educational platform for learning and practicing Morse code.
Everything the student needs is on the board including touch pad inputs. Optimal touch paddle sensitivity is
maintained by an auto-calibration algorithm. The MTB is implemented in a Microchip PIC16F1825
microcontroller and utilizes a special version of the K1EL K16 keyer core which provides a wide range of
features. Setup commands are directly entered on the paddles in Morse code. All settings and messages
are stored in nonvolatile memory so that they are preserved when the keyer is turned off. The K16 keyer
core has many original features not found in other keyers:
•Supply Voltage Monitoring
The MTB has a unique feature that is useful in battery powered applications. It can accurately monitor its
supply voltage and provide an indication when battery voltage is low. Normally the MTB will respond with an
Rwhen entering command mode. If the battery voltage is approaching the minimum operating limit, it will
respond with an Linstead. This tells the operator that the batteries need to be replaced. The actual supply
voltage can be read out in Morse by using the Vcommand in the extended command set. (Page 16). The
keyer will continue to operate until the battery voltage falls to approx. 2.7V.
•Dual User Configuration
The MTB provides storage for two complete configuration setups. For example, one setup could be used for
contesting while the other for casual operating. Or, when two operators share the same keyer, each user
can have their own setup profile. The extended command Uis provided to select one configuration or the
other. All MTB settings are included in each profile including a stored callsign. (Page 16)
•Dual Message Banks
The MTB has two message banks of five slots plus two callsign slots. Total message storage is 232 bytes.
While this does not seem like a lot of message space, since the MTB dynamically allocates message
storage in memory, it turns out to be more than adequate for most users. It is very easy to swap message
banks with the Ecommand. This is the shortest command sequence and allows you to swap banks quickly.
There is also a buffered message command /E that swaps message banks within a message. (Page 19)
•Stored Callsigns
Two special memory slots are provided to store a callsign for two users. These callsigns are programmed by
using the callsign load command in the extended command set. A callsign is embedded in a message by
using the /M buffered command. The callsign slot works like any other message slot; you can call other
messages and embed commands, (Page 19)
•Wide range of embedded message commands
Please refer to the list on page 19.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 3
•Sidetone Frequency
The MTB sidetone can be set to any frequency between 300 Hz and 2000Hz. (Z command, page 15)
•Fast Message Interruption
The MTB will stop a message immediately upon paddle press, stopping in mid-letter if need be.
•Practice Modes
Many practice options are supported. The user can select practice content by letter group so that easier
letters can be mastered first followed by progressively more difficult groups. A very good random letter
generator is provided which generates a varied, ever changing letter order. (G & P commands, Page 16)
•Message Stacking
Up to 10 messages can be queued to be sent in the order requested. Just press a sequence of up to 10
message pads and the MTB will play them in order.
•Simplified Beacon Formatting
This message is all that is required to setup a repeating 15 second beacon: /B15 K1EL BCON
•Easy Beacon
Any message slot can be turned into a beacon without having to add the special /B embedded command.
The Bcommand allows ‘on the fly’ beaconing without embedded commands. (Page 13)
•Dit/Dah Ratio Control
The timing of dits vs. dahs can be customized. A ratio of 1:3 is standard but this can be altered to suit
different tastes. (Y command, Page 15).
•Improved Cut Number Selection
The MTB allows serial number cuts to be used for 0 and/or 9. (Extended commands N&T Page 16)
•Tuning Duty Cycle Selection
Tune can be set to generate either a 50% or 100% key down duty cycle. (V command, Page 15)
•Contest Word Spacing
The MTB allows a shorter inter-word spacing to be selected to speed up exchanges during contests.
Standard word spacing is 7 dits while contest mode word spacing is 6 dits. (Extended C command, Page 16)
•Full Time Speed Control
The MTB responds to speed encoder changes without delay, even while sending messages.
•Speed Control Range Setting
The upper and lower limit of the speed control can be set by command. Two values are entered the lowest
speed control setting followed by the highest speed control setting. (R command, Page 16)
•Command Response Time Adjustment
The MTB will enter command mode when the encoder pushbutton is pressed down for about 2 seconds.
This may be too long for some operators so it can be shortened to 1.3 seconds. (F command, Page 16)
•Touch Paddle Adjustment
The MTB scans and adjusts paddle sensitivity automatically based on current conditions, however, due to
process variations in PIC microcontrollers, a baseline calibration must be run once when the kit is complete.
See page 10 for the procedure description.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 4
Morse Tutor Functional Block Diagram
Figure 1 is a block diagram of the MTB. As shown, there are five touch pads, a sidetone speaker, rotary
encoder speed control/pushbutton, and an RCA keying port that can connect to other MTBs in a network
configuration or to key a transceiver/transmitter. The pushbutton on the encoder is dual purpose; press and
hold to enter commands, or a quick press to play a message. A longer press will cycle the keyer’s power.
Touch keyer paddles and message pushbuttons are integrated into the MTB circuit board which allows very
compact layout. The board is completely self contained, running on three standard AAA batteries. No other
accessories are required to use the MTB.
Figure 1 – Morse Tutor Block Diagram

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 5
Morse Tutor Board Kit
The MTB keyer kit consists of a single board with all through-hole components for easy assembly. It’s a
good idea to read through the assembly instructions before starting. Please follow the steps in the order
presented for best results. Even if you are an experienced builder, we highly recommend reviewing the
appendices A, B, and C at the end of this document for helpful assembly hints.
Morse Tutor Board Assembly
Morse Tutor Parts Inventory
Figure 2 – Morse Tutor PC Board (MTB) before assembly
U1 – K16 14 pin DIP IC (16F1825)
Q1,2 – PN2222A NPN transistor
R2 – 22Ω¼ watt (red red black)
R1,3 – 2.7KΩ¼ watt (red violet red)
R4,5 – 330Ω¼ watt (orange orange brown)
C1,5 – .1 μF ceramic capacitor 104
C2,3,4 – .01 uF ceramic capacitor 103
D1 – Green LED
B1 – Battery Holder (3xAAA)
SP1 – Mini speaker
J1 – RCA keying connector
RE1 – Rotary Encoder
1 pc – 14 Pin DIP Socket
1 pc – Morse Tutor PC board
JMP/HDR – 2 pin power jumper set
Misc – 4 rubber feet, 2 foam tape squares

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 6
Figure 3 - MTB component identification
Start by attaching the four stick-on rubber feet to the bottom side of the board:
Figure 4 – Rubber feet in place

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 7
Install and solder all five ¼ watt resistors, their color codes are listed in the parts inventory on page 5. We
recommend verifying resistor values with an ohmmeter.
Install and solder two .1uF and three .01 uF capacitors.
Figure 5 – Resistors and capacitors installed
Install the 14 pin DIP socket; orient the notch in the socket as shown in Fig. 6. Next, install transistors Q1
and Q2, with the flat sides lining up with the silkscreen. Now install the speaker with the silver dot facing C2.
The LED must be installed with flat side as shown. If you are not sure which side that is, note that one of the
leads on the LED is slightly longer than the other, an arrow on figure 6 points to where that should go.
Install both two pin headers; this is a little tricky since the jumper tends to fall out while you are soldering
them. Place a black plastic jumper on each header to give you something to hold on to. Don’t use a lot of
heat as that can melt the jumper. After soldering, be sure to remove the plastic jumpers.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 8
Figure 6 – Socket, 2 pin headers, Q1, Q2, speaker, and LED installed
Snap the RCA connector into place and be sure it is fully seated into the board before soldering. It will take
some extra heat to solder this part in so don’t rush it. Be careful here since the body of the RCA jack will get
extremely hot while it’s being soldered, so don’t touch and avoid a painful burn. Once the connector is
snapped in place it will stay there while you solder it.
Now install the rotary encoder. Again, insure that the encoder is fully seated and its bottom flush with the
surface of the PC board before soldering. You may have to tweak one or more of the five encoder leads in
order to get the part to fit in the PCB holes. Make sure each pin goes through the board before soldering.
Be sure to remove the protective film cover from the speaker so you will be able to hear the sidetone loud
and clear.
Figure 7 – RCA jack and Encoder installed

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 9
Install the battery holder. Two strips of double sided tape hold the holder to the PC board. Peel off the
protective film from each tape and press the holder in place, align the holder with the board’s silk screen.
Figure 8 – Two sided foam pieces on bottom of battery holder.
Install U1 in its socket, pin 1 (the one closest to the circular indentation) goes to the lower right. You may
need to straighten the IC’s leads as shown in the picture on the left. Push just enough to bend but not crush
the leads, using two hands helps. The silver dot on the IC signifies that the part has been programmed.
Figure 9 – Straighten leads on U1, then install in socket
The last task is pushing the plastic knob on the encoder shaft. The flat of the encoder shaft has to line up
with the flat of the knob. You will have to push pretty hard to get this to go on all the way. We recommend
putting something under the encoder when pushing the knob in place to avoid flexing the board and possibly
breaking copper traces.
This completes the assembly of the MTB board. Before continuing, carefully re-inspect your work. Please
check that Q1, Q2, and U1 are placed correctly and that all parts were installed. Make sure that all solder
connections have been made and that there are no solder shorts between pads. The completed assembly is
shown on page 10.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 10
Figure 10 – Assembled Morse Tutor Board
MTB Test Procedure
The simplified drawing below is labeled to make it easy to identify MTB’s main features. At this point neither
the power or network control jumpers should be installed. We will start by installing three AAA batteries in
the holder paying attention to battery polarity.
Figure 11 - MTB Components
Baseline Calibration
First, we need to run a baseline calibration to compensate for process variations in the PIC microcontroller:
1. Press and hold the encoder pushbutton down while you install a jumper on the 2 pin PWR header.
2. The keyer will send AR (di-dah-di-dah-dit) followed by an L(di-dah-di-dit)
3. Immediately release the encoder PB.
4. Press the left (DIT) paddle with your index finger and wait for the keyer to send an R(di-dah-dit)
5. Then press the right (DAH) paddle until the keyer sends an SK followed by the normal start up R.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 11
After calibration, you should find that pressing the DIT or DAH pads will cause the keyer to automatically
send a steam of Morse dits or dahs over the sidetone speaker. If you press both pads, the keyer will send
alternating dits and dahs. The keying LED should light at the same time as audio sidetone. Turning the
encoder will alter the sending speed; clockwise faster, counter clockwise slower.
Now push and hold the encoder button down until the keyer responds with an R. Release the button and
after a few seconds the keyer will respond with a ?(di-di-dah-dah-di-dit) A quick press on any of the three
message pads (M1, M2, and M3) will cause the keyer to send an MT (dah-dah dah) which signifies that the
message slots are eMpTy. We will cover message loading and other commands in a later section of this
manual. If you have an RCA cable, plug one end into the RCA jack and monitor the other end with an
ohmmeter. When you press the paddle you should see the meter move with Morse letters.
Output Keying Considerations
You are probably wondering about the second two pin jumper. The MTB is intended to be used primarily as
a tool to learn and practice Morse standalone or with others over a local CW network. To use it in network
mode, install the Enable Morse Network jumper which is next to Q1. Now you can directly connect two or
more MTBs to communicate back and forth in Morse. This is a great way to simulate on air QSOs to learn
both Morse and amateur radio CW operating procedures.
The MTB has all the features necessary to key a transceiver but always remember to remove the Network
Enable jumper to prevent damage to the MTB by a high keying voltage which can be present on some
transceivers. With the jumper removed the MTB can safely key up to 60 V which covers virtually all modern
transceivers. The MTB will not key vacuum tube type transmitters. The reason for this is that vacuum tube
transmitters use either a very high or negative keying voltage that is beyond the limit of the MTB output
transistor.
Safety considerations
For safety’s sake, do not touch or probe the output connector pins while connected to a transceiver.
ESD Considerations
The MTB touch pads have ESD protection resident inside the K16 controller IC. However, the safety margin
can be increased by applying a layer of plastic tape to the paddles. You will have to re-run the baseline
calibration to compensate for this physical change to the paddles.
Where do I go from here ?
The following is a simple checklist to help you get started with your MTB. As you become familiar with it,
you’ll also want to explore the many options that you can use to customize the operation of your MTB.
Be sure to Calibrate your board using the MTB Test Procedure on page 10.
Set your keyer’s speed to a comfortable level using the rotary control knob and practice sending
Morse Code with your MTB until you are comfortable using it.
Read the Command Mode section (page 13) to learn how to program your MTB before proceeding
to the following steps.
Program the Rotary Push Button (M4), M1, M2, and M3 buttons with your call sign, CQ sequence,
a signal report, or another set of messages that you want to use (page 18).
Consider setting your Farnsworth Speed (page 13) to something that is comfortable for you. Using
Farnsworth mode will cause the keyer to set the dits and dahs for individual charters at a higher
speed and the keyer will use the speed that you set by the rotary control knob to set the time
between characters to a slower rate. Farnsworth mode is a good way to practice learning Morse
Code. 15 – 20 WPM Farnsworth Speed is a good place to begin.
Try out the Practice Modes (page 16)
If you accidentally put the MTB into an undesired state, you can always Restore Factory Defaults
(page 20) to reset your configuration and start again

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 12
MTB Schematic Diagram
Figure 29 – Morse Tutor Board Schematic

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 13
Operating the MTB Keyer
Command Mode
Normally a novice Morse student will not need to make any changes to MTB settings other than change
speed which is done by turning the speed control. As the student improves, they will want to experiment and
learn more about the MTB. We recommend reading through the MTB tutorial on Page 22 before returning to
the detailed command descriptions outlined here.
Changes to the MTB’s configuration are made by entering values on the paddles. Before doing this, the
MTB must be put into command mode. If the encoder push-button (PB) is pressed down and held, the MTB
will respond after about two seconds with the letter R(di-dah-dit) in sidetone. This means the MTB is ready
to accept a command. Simply enter the command letter in Morse on the paddles and the command will be
executed. Some commands require additional parameters. In this case, the MTB will prompt you with the
letter E(for enter). When the MTB is in command mode, the KEY and PTT outputs are de-activated. All
commands provide some sort of feedback to tell you if the command was understood and executed
properly. If an illegal command or parameter is entered, the MTB will respond with a question mark (di-di-
dah-dah-di-dit). NOTE: If you press the encoder PB and it answers with an L, this means the batteries are
low and should be replaced soon.
Important Note ! In command mode, transmitter keying is disabled and replies are sent in sidetone only. If
sidetone had been disabled with the Acommand, it will be re-enabled temporarily during command mode.
Command Toggles – Many settings such as Paddle Swap and Transmit Mute have just two states, on or off.
These settings are turned on or off like a toggle switch. Issuing the command will change the state back and
forth between off and on. When a toggle command is turned off, the MTB will echo an Nfor “Not enabled”
Likewise when a toggle command is turned on an Ais echoed for enAbled.
MTB Command List
In the following command descriptions, the letter displayed in BOLD is the command and BOLD ITALIC is
MTB response. [pb] means that the MTB will wait for you to press one of the message pushbuttons.
A-Sidetone enable is a toggle command. Sidetone should be disabled when using a transceiver’s built in
sidetone. The MTB will acknowledge this command by responding with an A or N. Note: If sidetone is
disabled, it will be temporarily re-enabled when entering command mode.
B [n,dd] - Easy Beacon: Any message in the current bank can be repeated at a specified rate. After
entering B, the user is prompted to enter a single digit message number n(1-6) and then prompted to enter
a two digit beacon cycle time dd in seconds (01-99). A beacon can be interrupted by hitting either paddle.
The beacon is timed from start of beacon to start of next beacon. For example if you set a delay time of 10
seconds, the beacon will start every 10 seconds regardless how long the message is. If the message is
longer than delay time, then there will be no gap between messages.
C [nn] – Command WPM: The MTB uses different speeds for command transactions and keyed transmit.
Changes in transmit speed will not affect command speed. After the Ccommand is issued enter the speed
nn in WPM (05-99). If the speed is valid the MTB responds with an R, otherwise a ?See the Scommand
for details on setting transmit Morse speed.
D - Decrement serial number by 1, MTB responds with an E
E - Swap message banks: The MTB has two separate message banks, six messages each. In response to
this command, the MTB will respond with an Efor bank one or an Ifor bank two.
F [nn] - Set Farnsworth Speed: This is a used primarily for code practice. Letters are sent at the
Farnsworth speed while maintaining the default code speed. For example, if Farnsworth is set to 25 WPM
and the operating speed is set to 7 WPM, individual letters will be sent at 25 WPM while the spacing
between letters remains at a 7 WPM rate. To disable Farnsworth mode, set it to zero.
G[n] – Start Letter Group Practice: n = E, I, S, or H. This is just one of the practice modes that the MTB
supports. A full description of both practice modes can be found on Page 16.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 14
I[nn] – Set Letterspace Adjustment: nn is a value 0 to 31 that specifies an additional letterspace delay to
be applied between letters. Multiply nn by two to arrive at the actual adjustment percentage. For example a
value of 7 applies 14% additional letterspace between letters. The maximum adjustment is 62%.
J [nn] - Paddle Sample Delay: Normally the MTB waits one dit time after a paddle press has been sensed
before latching a second paddle press. The Jcommand allows this delay time to be adjusted. Shorter delays
can result in the keyer sending unwanted dits or dahs while a longer delay will slow you down. The value of
nn can range from 01 to 99 with a default value of 50 which specifies one dit time. A value of 99 doubles the
delay time while a value of 25 halves the delay. A value of 55-60 gives a more relaxed feel. If the paddle
sensitivity is set to zero, both dit and dah paddle memories are disabled. The delay, which tracks
sending speed, is calculated with this formula:
DELAY_TIME = (nn×DIT_TIME)/50 where nn is a value between 01 and 99.
K - Set Keying Mode: There are six different keying modes supported by the MTB: Iambic mode A, Iambic
mode B, Straight Key/Bug, Ultimatic, Dit priority mode, and Dah priority mode. In either iambic mode,
alternating dits and dahs are sent while both paddles are held closed. In mode B an extra alternate dit or
dah is sent after both paddles are released. In straight key/bug mode a dah paddle press will key the
transmitter for as long as the paddle is pressed and dits will be generated automatically when the dit paddle
is pressed. In Ultimatic mode when both paddles are pressed the keyer will send a continuous stream of
whichever paddle was last pressed. Hold dah then press dit->sends dits. Hold dit then press dah -> dahs are
sent. Ultimatic dit and dah priority mode will generate dits and dahs automatically in response to single
paddle presses, but when both paddles are pressed either dit or dah has priority.
After the Kcommand is issued the current mode is set by entering a single letter:
Iambic B: Enter B
Iambic A: Enter A
Ultimatic: Enter U
Straight Key: Enter S(This is also the Bug setting)
Dit Priority: Enter E(Ultimatic with dits always taking priority when both pressed)
Dah Priority: Enter T(Ultimatic with dahs always taking priority when both pressed)
L – Enable/Disable LED: This is a toggle command which controls whether the LED is turned on with
keying output. In response to this command, the MTB will echo an Awhen LED enable is turned on and an
Nwhen LED enable is turned off.
M – Mute Transmit: This is a toggle command which turns keying output on and off. When muted, the MTB
will send Morse in sidetone only. In response to this command, the MTB will echo an Awhen mute is turned
on and an Nwhen mute is turned off.
N [nnnn] - Load 4 Digit Serial Number: All four digits must be entered including leading zeroes. The serial
number is played by inserting a play message token /N into a message. The serial number is automatically
incremented after playing. See Embedded Command section for more details.
P[n] – Start Echo Practice: n = E, I, S, or H. This is just one of the practice modes that the MTB supports.
A full description of both practice modes can be found on Page 16.
Q - Query MTB Current Settings: MTB will respond with current settings sent in the following format:
WPM current operating speed is sent first
Nfollowed by Serial Number
Mfollowed by free msg memory space available in letter count
Cfollowed by command WPM
Wfollowed by weight
Ffollowed by Farnsworth WPM
Ifollowed by letterspace adjustment
Jfollowed by paddle Sample Adjust
Yfollowed by dit/dah ratio
Bfollowed by speed control min WPM
Tfollowed by speed control max WPM
REV followed by K16-PS firmware revision denoted by a single letter; A or B or C… etc.
The Morse readout can be stopped by holding either the left or right paddle until the listing stops.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 15
R [pb] – Review a message without transmitting: After the Rcommand is entered the MTB will respond
with an E. You then press the slot you wish to play (M1-M5). The contents will be sent in sidetone only. An
empty slot will play as MT. Embedded commands will be sent as entered which is very helpful for debugging
messages. In other words /S10TEST will be sent as DAH-DI-DI-DAH-DIT S10TEST
S [nn] - Set Morse Speed in WPM: The value nn is entered in WPM (05-99). This sets the speed encoder
to the selected speed. If you enter a value above or below the speed control range it’s ignored.
U - Toggle Autospace Mode Off and On: When autospace is enabled, the MTB will automatically force
correct inter-letter space between letters. When the Ucommand is issued, the MTB will respond with an A
for autospace enabled or an Nfor autospace disabled.
This is how autospace works: If you pause for more than one dit time between a dit or dah MTB will interpret
this as a letter-space and will not allow the next the next dit or dah to be started until the proper letter-space
time has been met. The normal letter-space is 3 dits however this can be increased by using the Icommand.
MTB has a paddle event memory so that you can enter dits, dahs, or squeeze both during the inter-letter
space and MTB will send them as they were entered. With a little practice, autospace will help you to send
near perfect Morse.
V - Toggle 50% tune duty cycle: The default tune duty cycle is 100% key down. This command allows
either 100% or 50% duty cycle to be selected. Some folks prefer a 50% tuning duty cycle to reduce power
dissipation thereby protecting transmitter finals and/or a linear amplifier. An Ais echoed when 50% is
enabled, an Nis echoed when set to 100%
W[nn] – Key Weighting: Can be adjusted in percentage from 25% to 75%. When set to 50% weighting is
normal. Values less than 50 reduce weighting while values greater that 50 increase weighting. Note that
weighting does not affect sending speed because any increase in keyed time is subtracted from spacing
time. Reduced weighting results in a thinner sound while increased weighting results in a heavier sound.
Since weighting tracks speed, a given weighting will sound the same at all speeds.
25 % weighting
50 % weighting
75 % weighting
Figure 34 – Key Weighting
X – Extended Keyer Commands
An additional set of commands is located in a sub menu for settings that are not changed very often.
Extended commands require two entries, an Xfollowed by a sub command.
A list of extended commands is provided in the next section on Page 16.
Y [nn] - Set Dit/Dah Ratio: nn ranges from 33 to 66. Entering Y 50 sets the standard 1:3 ratio. For
example a value of 33 selects a dit/dah ratio of 1:2 while a value of 66 selects 1:4. The ratio formula is:
Ratio of 1:N where N = (nn * 3)/ 50 example nn = 40 give a ratio of 1:((40*3)/50) = 1:2.4
Z - Change Sidetone Frequency: After this command is entered the sidetone oscillator will be keyed at a
steady rate with transmit muted. Pressing the paddles will raise or lower the frequency. The range varies
continuously from 300 Hz at the low end to 2000Hz on the high end. It takes a while to sweep through the
whole range. Pressing the encoder pushbutton down will end this command and store the new sidetone
frequency. Use the Preserve Settings extended command to store the setting in EEPROM.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 16
Extended Command List
An additional set of commands is located in a sub menu. Extended commands require two entries, an X
followed by a sub command. This is the Extended Command procedure in detail:
Press and hold the rotary encoder down and the MTB will respond with an R
Enter an Xand the MTB will respond with an E(command request)
Enter desired Extended Command with additional parameters, if required.
C - Toggle Contest Spacing: When contest spacing is enabled, word space is set to 6 dit times as
opposed to the normal 7 dit times. An Ais sent when CT space is enabled, an Nis sent when it is turned off.
F - Toggle Fast Command Response Time: Normally the MTB will enter command mode when the
encoder pushbutton is pressed down for 2 seconds. This may be too long for some operators. When fast
response is enabled, the delay time is reduced to 1.3 seconds.
M - Load Callsign: Use this command to load a stored callsign. It works just like a message entry and the
destination is the currently enabled user slot. Each user slot has one unique callsign. Since the callsign is
treated like any other message, embedded commands can be included if desired. The only way to play back
a callsign is by embedding the /M command in a message.
N - Select Cut Number for number 9: When enabled, an N will be substituted for the number nine when
sending a serial number. Command response: an A is sent when enabled, an N is sent when disabled.
R [nn nn] - Set Speed Control minimum and maximum: The MTB will prompt for two values, the
minimum WPM and the maximum WPM. An error will be flagged if the minimum value entered is greater
than the maximum or if the minimum value is less than 5 WPM. Maximum WPM allowed is 99.
S - Preserve Settings in EEPROM: will respond with a letter Rto signify that settings were saved
successfully.
T - Select Cut Number for Zero: When enabled, a T will be substituted for the number zero when sending
a serial number. An Aresponse means this cut is enabled, an Nresponse means it is disabled.
U - Swap Users: The MTB provides two complete user configurations, each with a unique callsign.
Messages are shared between users. For example a message like CQ CQ CQ DE /M /M K will send the
selected user’s callsign. In response to this command a single dit is echoed when user 1 is selected and two
dits when user 2 is selected.
V - Voltage Readout: The MTB will measure the current supply voltage and send it in Morse sidetone. For
example a voltage of 4.52 will be sent as 4R52 with the r indicating the decimal point.
X - Toggle paddle swap (Exchange dit/dah inputs): MTB will respond with a letter Ato signify when
paddle swap is enabled and an Nwhen turned off.
Practice Modes
A dual mode, multi-level code practice program is built into the MTB. The two modes are random letter
groups and receive/respond practice. There are four levels of practice, organized by level of difficulty:
Level 1: E T A N I M W S G D U K O R
Level 2: C Q P J F B V Y H X Z L including level 1
Level 3: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 including level 1 & 2
Level 4: ? / , . AR SK BT AS including level 1 & 2 & 3
The random letter group practice command is G. After you enter the command, the MTB with reply with an E
which is your cue to enter the level. Enter 1, 2, 3, or 4 dits to specify the level 1, 2, 3, or 4.
After you enter the level, random characters from the selected level are sent in groups of five with each
group separated by two spaces. The WPM speed can be changed at any time with the speed encoder.
To end this practice mode, press the encoder pushbutton down.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 17
The receive/respond practice command is P. The level is entered just like the Gcommand described above.
Enter P, MTB responds with E, you enter the level; E, I, S, or H. (1 dit, 2 dits, 3 dits, or 4 dits).
After you enter the level, the MTB will send a random character from the selected level. You will respond by
echoing that character on the paddles. If you get it right the MTB will repeat the first character followed by a
new character. Now you must echo both characters. The MTB will continue to add characters until a set of
five characters has been completed successfully. After that it will start over with a new set. If you miss a
character the MTB will respond with an Xand start over with a new sequence of characters.
When you want to end this practice mode, either respond with di-dah-di-dah or press the encoder
pushbutton down. The MTB will respond by sending SK.
In both Gand Pmodes, practice will be sent on the output key port. If you want to listen to sidetone only;
either disconnect the keying output cable or issue the transmit mute command M.
The speed encoder can be changed at any time but only takes effect between sequences.
Shortcuts and Speed Ups
The MTB design goal was to streamline command entry, here are some notable improvements:
Fast Command responses – MTB uses Afor positive responses instead of an Ror Y
Cut Numbers on Command Entry – When entering numeric values use cut numbers to save time. For
example when changing the command speed to 19 WPM, use C A N instead of C 1 9
These are the command cuts used in the MTB: T=0, A=1, U=2, V=3, 4=4, 5=5, 6=6, B=7, D=8, N=9
Single digit number entry – If you are entering a parameter that usually requires two digits but you only need
to enter one, just enter the single digit and the MTB will figure out that there is only one. For example instead
of entering T 0 7 you can simply enter T 7.
MTB will respond with an Eor I when swapping users, message banks, or output ports. Think of it as a
single dit for 1 and a double dit for 2. This is much faster than responding with a Morse 1 or 2.
Fast Message Entry – Just press the rotary encoder down till you get an Rthen simply press the message
button you want to load. To stop load mode, either press the encoder down or enter di-dah-di-dah.
Fast Tune Mode – Press and hold all three message pads (M1, M2, M3) to start tune. Press either the dit or
dah pad to end tune.
Fast Command Response – If you think the MTB takes too long to respond to an encoder press, enable fast
command reply mode which halves the delay time. (Extended command F)
Command Prompts – The MTB will respond to commands that require additional input with an E. The E
stands for “Entry Required” and is fast and efficient. For example if you enter the Weight command W, the
MTB will respond with an Eto let you know it is waiting for the value.
The default command speed of the MTB is 10 WPM. If this is too slow or too fast, it can be set to a different
speed with the Ccommand. Be sure to save your new default with the X S command.
Speed Encoder Configuration
Turning the speed control will change the Morse WPM rate with minimal lag. The entire sweep of the speed
control is called the range and it can be modified with the extended Rcommand which sets the upper and
lower speed control limits. This allows you to tailor the speed control to an area that you prefer. The
minimum acceptable value for speed bottom is 5 WPM and the maximum is 99 WPM. The default range for
the speed control is 5 to 25 WPM. If you need to set an exact speed; use the Scommand (see page 15).
To find out what speed the MTB is set to, run the query command Q. This will send a list of settings in
sidetone. The first number sent is the current speed. Hold either paddle down to stop the rest of the list.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 18
Message Functionality
Messages are loaded by first pushing the rotary encoder button down until MTB responds with an R, and
then pressing the message pad M1, M2, M3, or encoder PB (M4) to select the memory slot you wish to
enter. When MTB is ready to accept a new message it will respond with an E. If you wait too long, MTB will
respond with a ?and you will have to start over.
When a slot has been selected and the MTB responds with an E, a new message is entered directly on the
paddles at a steady rate, making sure to leave proper space between letters. To insert a word space simply
pause for longer than a word space and MTB will respond with an Eto signify a word space insertion. You
can force a wordspace insertion by entering di-di-dah-dah (IM). This allows you to put a wordspace at the
beginning of a message or insert more than one wordspace in a row. A ½ letterspace pad character can be
inserted by entering di-di-dah-dah-dit (IG).
If a mistake is made while entering a message, press and hold the rotary encoder pushbutton down and
MTB will backspace through the letters that have been entered. When you reach the position where you
want to stop, release the encoder and new letters can then be added starting at that position. If the
message memory becomes full while entering a message, MTB will stop further loading, respond with an F,
and end message entry. When a new message has been completely entered, press the encoder push-
button, or enter di-dah-di-dah (AA), and MTB will respond with an Rto signify that the message was
accepted and stored. There are 232 letters in message memory that can be distributed in any way between
14 message slots. The length of the individual message slots is not fixed. This means, for example, you
could have one message of 80 characters, one message with 5 characters, and a third with 10 characters
and still have 141 locations left to split among the remaining three slots. Keep in mind that each word space
occupies one memory location.
What if you want to insert one of the message controls (IM, IG, AA) into a message ? Simply precede them
with a /(DN) and it will not be acted on as a control code.
Usually when you want to finish a message, MTB will usually append a wordspace before you have a
chance to press the encoder pushbutton down. If you are chaining two messages together, you may not
want a wordspace at the end. The best way around this is to end a message with di-dah-di-dah (AA).This
will terminate the message without a trailing word space.
If you are having problems loading messages into MTB, make sure you leave adequate space between
letters and are not sending much faster or slower than current command speed. If, for example, you enter
an Afollowed by a Tand end up with a W, you are not allowing enough space between letters. It’s a fine line
though because if you allow too much space MTB will interpret that as an intentional pause and insert a
word space. Temporarily lowering the command speed (see command C) can help while you learn how the
process works.
To play a message back, simply press the desired message button, release, and that message will be sent.
If you press a pushbutton that does not have a message loaded, the MTB will respond with an MT, short for
eMpTy. If you want to review the message without keying the transmitter, use the R(review) command.
Note that review will ignore control codes and send them as entered, this is useful when debugging
embedded commands. To abort a message, press and hold one of the paddles and MTB will stop
transmission immediately.
Gap (Extra Space) Insertion
In messages, MTB interprets the IG prosign (di-di-dah-dah-dit) as a ½ dit delay time. The IG character can
be included in a text string to add extra emphasis to similar sounding sequences. An example is W1OMO,
sending it as W1IGOIGMIGO makes it easier to copy. To insert an IG prosign in a message without
translating it to a gap, enter it as /IG.
Word Space Insertion
In messages, MTB interprets the IM prosign (di-di-dah-dah) as a 7 dit wordspace delay time. The IM
character can be included to add a small amount of delay and is easier to use than a delay command. To
insert an IM prosign in a message without translating it to a wordspace, enter it as /IM.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 19
‘Two Press’ Message Button Functionality or Message 5 Access
You can load or play message five by pressing M1 and M3 simultaneously.
Embedded Message Command List
It is an easy procedure to embed commands in a message. The format is the fraction bar DN (D and N sent
together as one letter) followed by the desired command letter. If you want to insert the DN prosign into a
message but don’t want it to be interpreted as a command simply enter DN twice.
Example: K1EL/1 would be entered as K1EL//1
Embedded message command table
/Bnn Set a beacon cycle time of nn seconds (nn=00 to 99). Put this at the beginning of a message to set
the beacon period.
/Cn Call message in slot n (1-5), return and resume current message.
/D Decrement serial number.
/E Toggle message banks
/Inn Increase letterspacing within a message, nn is a value from 0 to 31 percent times 2.
/Knn Key transmitter for nn seconds. (nn=00 to 99)
/M Play user callsign.
/N Play Serial Number with auto post increment.
/P Pause and wait for paddle entry and then continue after one word space time. The pause is ended
three ways 1) paddle entry 2) Press a msg PB (1-5) or 3) Press the encoder PB to cancel.
/Snn Set a speed change within a message. (nn=WPM, 5 to 99)
/V Send the current voltage in Morse, useful for beacons.
/Wnn Wait for nn seconds. (nn=00 to 99)
/Xn Cancel speed override, for example cancel HSCW, QRSS, or /Snn speed.
/Yn Force a relative speed change up. Add nto the current WPM. n=(0-9)
/Zn Force a relative speed change down. Subtract nfrom the current WPM. n=(0-9)
/1 Jump to message 1 (M1) /2 Jump to message 2 (M2)
/3 Jump to message 3 (M3) /4 Jump to message 4 (PB)
/5 Jump to message 5 (M5)
AA End message load immediately (DI-DAH-DI-DAH)
IG Insert ½ letterspace pad (DI-DI-DAH-DAH-DIT)
IM Insert wordspace pad (DI-DI-DAH-DAH)
Embedded Command Examples:
/B60BCON DE K1EL BEDFORD NH will send BCON DE K1EL BEDFORD NH every 60 seconds
UR RST IS /P QSL will pause to allow the user to enter the RST then resume automatically
/K05 /W10 VVV DE K1EL will key down for 5 secs, wait 10 secs, and then send VVV DE K1EL
CQ CQ CQ DE /M /M /M will send a 3x3 CQ using the user callsign
CQ CQ CQ DE K1/I10TMT/I00 K will send message with 20% extra space in TMT. A more manageable way
of doing this would be to load K1/I10TMT/I00 in the callsign slot to get this spacing any time /M is used.
CQ CQ CQ DE /Z4K1EL K1EL K1EL/Y4 K send the callsigns 4 WPM slower then return to normal WPM.
QTH IS /E/C1/E NAME IS STEVE Will play the QTH from message bank 1 and then return for the name.
/B10K1EL BCON/W2/VVOLTS sends K1EL BCON, wait 2 secs, send XrXX VOLTS repeat every 10 secs
SOM/E/C3/E/S50K1EL//1/XEOM Send SOM, swap to msg bank 2, call msg 3, swap back to msg bank 1,
change speed to 50 WPM and send K1EL/1, cancel 50WPM send EOM.
Quick Tune Command
If you press all three message pads, M1, M2, and M3, tune mode is turned on. This keys your transmitter
until you press one of the paddle pads. Use the Gcommand to select either 100% or 50% tune duty cycle.
Quick Serial Number Decrement
During contest operation, it’s not unusual that a serial number has to be repeated. Since the serial number is
automatically incremented when it’s played, we need an fast way to decrement the serial number. This can
be done by holding down the encoder PB and pressing either the dit or dah paddle. As a signal that the MTB
has decremented the serial number, it will echo a single dit in sidetone.

K1EL Morse Tutor Board MTB
Morse Tutor Manual – v1.1 9/19/2018 Page 20
A serial number decrement command Dis provided (see page 13) but this is not used very often.
There is a third way to decrement a serial number, that is with a /D command embedded in a message. A
message can be built that predecrements the serial number before sending it. This may be the best way to
deal with serial numbers in a contest. For example the following two messages can be created:
Message 1: 5NN /N QSL ?
Message 2: /D/N QSL ?
Message 1 is the initial exchange, if the serial number needs to be resent, message 2 would be sent. This
message pre-decrements the serial number before sending it. Both of these messages leave the serial
number incremented after it is sent.
Message 3 will send the same serial number twice in one message.
Message 3: /N/D /N
Power On and Off
The MTB does not have a separate power switch. Even though the idle current is low, about 2 mA, it will run
down a set of alkaline batteries in about three weeks. It’s easy to turn the MTB off, simply press and hold the
encoder PB down until it sends an R (dit-dah-dit) followed by a K (dah-dit-dah). The keyer is powered off
after the K is sent so you can then release the pushbutton.
When the keyer is off it draws about 70 uA of current and a new set of alkaline AAA batteries will last over a
year. To turn it on again, press the encoder pushbutton for a couple of seconds until it sends an ‘R’. Note
that this will not cause a power cycle reboot, the keyer simply returns to the settings it had before it was shut
off. If you want to power cycle the MTB, remove and replace the power jumper.
Since it is easy to forget to turn the keyer off, a “snoring LED” indication will start after the keyer has been
active for about 4 and ½ minutes. The LED will slowly cycle on and off to let you know it is still on. All you
need to do is press the encoder pushbutton down as described above to turn it off or simply start using the
keyer and it will go back to normal operating mode and then wait another 4+ minutes before “snoring” again.
As mentioned on page ? the MTB will respond to a command PB press with an Linstead of an Rwhen
battery voltage is getting low.
Preserve Settings
MTB setting changes are not automatically copied into permanent storage. That means the settings will be lost if
power is cycled. To save the settings permanently, use extended Scommand. Press and hold the encoder down
PB until the Rand enter an Xfollowed by a S. This will save current settings in nonvolatile memory so that all
settings will be retained on power cycling. Note that messages are always saved directly into nonvolatile memory
so the Scommand is not required to preserve messages.
Restore Factory Defaults
If you want to restore the MTB to original “factory” settings, turn the MTB off, press both paddles, and then turn
the MTB on. After about 2 seconds, release both paddles and the MTB will send a Csignifying a cold reboot.
This erases all settings and messages and then restores factory settings. Baseline paddle calibration is not
changed by a cold reboot.
Factory Defaults are:
Fixed WPM: 15 Command WPM: 10 Sidetone: 700Hz Weight: No adjustment
Sidetone: On Interchar Spacing: Normal SampleAdjust: None KeyMode: Iambic B
TX Mute: Off Autospace: Off Extra Letterspace: None Serial Number: 0001
Dit/Dah Ratio: 1:3 User: 1 Message Bank: 1 Messages: All Erased
Speed Ctl Min: 5 Speed Ctl Max: 25 Farnsworth: Off Tune Duty Cycle: 100%