Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Picokeyer (Ultra)

Category: Keyers & CW Keyboards

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Picokeyer (Ultra)
Reviews: 6MSRP: 29.00
Description:
This keyer has all of the features of the latest PicoKeyer Plus - and plenty more! You get four buttons, one for each message for super easy message recording and playback. A built-in sidetone audio jack lets you plug in your ear buds, headphones, amplified speaker or just pipe the sidetone audio into your homebrew rig's audio section.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.Hamgadgets.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0064.3
N4MU Rating: 2017-02-24
PicoKeyer Ultra - Best thing since sliced bread! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I was looking around for a small memory keyer (I live in an RV and every square inch, that is, cubic inch is important) and almost bought another tiny keyer until I saw the Pico Keyer Ultra. For just a few bucks more I got ALL required components (no sourcing of components!) and an enclosure to boot!
The keyer went together in about 45 minutes and it rewarded me with the "73" message as soon as the battery was inserted...a built-in reward for a correct construction job.
Anyway, except for getting used to a very slight quirk in programming the memories the thing works like a champ. (The "quirk" is only that during programming it is best to pause a LONG time, 2 seconds or so, between each word as you send. That way the keyer has time to put its' own space in the program resulting in perfectly timed playback of your message.)
I placed the keyer inside a "riser" I made for my FT-450D so it is basically out of sight except for the face of the enclosure seen on the side of the riser.
Very pleased with performance and I'm thinking of buying another for my QRP portable suitcase gear. This keyer is a "10" all the way!
WA6MOW Rating: 2016-08-30
Great keyer at any price. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I built this in a short evening. The memory is great for automated CQ's. I kick back while the keyer calls CQ for me. I used it with my IC-7200 and now with my FTdx-1200. For $29 bucks it is almost free. By the way the battery seems to last forever.

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by WA6MOW on 2015-11-26

This is an amazing full function memory keyer for an extremely reasonable price. A fun project that builds quickly. I use it with my rigs that have a menu to access keyer functions and with older rigs with no memory keyer. I have two of these keyers and highly recommend them for anyone that prefers using an external keyer.
KC7YE Rating: 2015-11-26
Easy, worked first try Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ordered last Friday, Shipped Saturday, received in WA on Monday, assembled Thanksgiving day. Took more time to locate the soldering pencil then stuff board. Worked first try. Good looking board, unit size is small. This is replacement for 25 year old CMOS keyer, needed to replace push buttons. Kit was just a little more then cost of new switches so went modern.
N8YA Rating: 2015-11-26
Great product @ a super price! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
For the money it is an excellent kit. Great as a practice oscillator or to operate a QRP kit. I love that it has 4 memories which are easy to program.
The instructions are easy to follow. A good kit for a beginning builder and you end up with a very useful device! I recommend getting the box with the kit.
KC3BKJ Rating: 2015-11-25
Good, but watch it. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I was looking for a keyer that I could use between my paddle and a few of those cheap Chinese transmitters that are sold on Ebay which I built from kit form. They normally are limited to a straight key.

It seemed like a good idea until I burned out one of the output transistors in the Picokeyer.

I contacted Dale at HamGadgets and he sent me some replacement transistors along with the advice that these Chinese transmitters have a key-jack current which is too high for the PicoKeyer.

With a little struggle I got the PicoKeyer running again, but I won't make that mistake again.
K4ERA Rating: 2015-10-02
Does not work with straight key Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is the replacement for the Picokeyer Plus. Kit was easy to assemble and is very compact. However, the unit does not perform as advertised. Works fine with an iambic paddle, but has a problem with straight keys. When I plugged in a straight key the unit sent constant dashes even without touching the key. The seller, N0XAS, was always too busy to resolve the issue, so after 30 days I sent the unit back and got a refund. Not recommended for straight key use.