Any FT 450D users operating cw?

During this latter part of lockdown with finding things to do, I thought I would try and get back into cw after many years away from it. I spent some time listening, got myself another key and oscillator and thumped out some cw.
Thought I would give it a go on air so plugged in the key. Went to call cq and nothing was happening at the tx end. I have checked at the plug end of the key and know that is working. I know plug is wired up correctly.
So I am thinking now there's a problem either with my settings or the ft450d. If there are any 450  cw  users out there I would appreciate what your settings are so I can can eliminate one or the other.
Rich

Hi Rich,

I don't have the 450d but did take a look at the manual out of interest - must've reread it several times and couldn't make out head or tail!?!? (One of the reasons I prefer old fashioned knobs and switches! )

I did come across the following though :-

https://ham.stackexchange.com/questions/9997/yaesu-ft-450d-how-to-troubleshoot-problems-with-the-keyer-jack


No idea if it's helpful at all to you, but might possibly be.


All the best,
Victor

Evening Victor,

Many thanks for the link you posted.
Sounds interesting. I have tried 2 different 3.5mm leads, even without the key connected and just touching wires together without any luck.

I know this is off topic - did you get fldigi going on the raspberry?


Thanks again

Rich

Hiya Rich,

Wasn't sure if the link would be helpful, sort of in the dark with not having a 450d to play around with. I do hope you get to the bottom of it all as there must be other CW ops using such a setup.

I was going to play with a Raspberry and I know plenty of others have got fldigi working on one. You'll have to forgive me mate, worked on so many different things recently the specifics fail me.....old age, memory and all that!
If it was part of my FT8 foray then good news is I got all that working on my Linux PC after building my own sound interface. I've upgraded that old PC too so can run FT8 and other things such as multiple webSDRs. Along with the two radios I can scan multiple bands and if the brain keeps up work two modes and bands at once!

Oh, BTW. Missed out on several Airlite 62's, but now the wife says she loves hearing the radios on the go.

Getting my 'ticket' was the best thing I've ever done, never enjoyed myself so much mate.


Do let us know if you crack your CW ops.

All the best,
Victor

Hi again Rich,

I stumbled across the following video which looked quite helpful :-




It does appear from further searching that a lot of people do forget to set the break-in to transmit, the 'F', 'VOX/STO' buttons mentioned in the first link I posted. Easily done I suppose. 


There's the usual complaints that abound with the 450d and all of them more of a fuss than they need to be. (Relay click and fan noise??? Just stick some headphones on if it bugs you that much!) Some forget the usefulness of the 'CW-USB' / 'CW-LSB' functionality as well as other features Yaesu cleverly provided.
Someone will always complain about not being able to copy on a busy band - filters do a lot but can't achieve the impossible. Simply QSY or try again another time. 


Finally, to all those CW operators that moan about 'lids' - give them a chance! 
Weren't you new to it all once and had to learn whatever fashionable 'etiquette' was expected at the time? The rhythm of someone's 'fist' is a beautiful thing but there's nothing wrong with the readability a 'keyer' functionality provides. Also, why send faster than the other op is sending?? Is it some sort of 'elitist' thing? (Then in the same breathe there's complaints about how Morse is disappearing.......Really?)


I hope you crack it Rich and that you get to find a good CW operator willing to give you multiple QSO's ready for unleashing into the wild


All the best,
Victor

Interesting reading Victor, still struggling but on the case.
I am quite certain now it is the socket, as I can use up/down keys on mic as a paddle.
It may end up in a workshop as my soldering/brazing is a blow lamp job.
Keep you advised.
Rich