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Reviews For: Idiom Press/Ham Supply Logikey K-3 Keyer

Category: Keyers & CW Keyboards

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Review Summary For : Idiom Press/Ham Supply Logikey K-3 Keyer
Reviews: 65MSRP: 129.95
Description:
Although the Logikey K-3 Keyer has been replaced by the CMOS 4 and K-5 Keyers, K-3 repairs and support are offered by Ham Supply. See Website for details.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.hamsupply.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00654.7
N1MM Rating: 2002-04-01
330 ohms Time Owned: N.A.
Like everyone else I found the volume too loud. I tried 330 ohms, and with the cover off, I thought I had chosen too large a resistor value. Be sure to put the cover on and test to determine the actual volume.

A standard 1/4 watt resistor can replace one of the red wires feeding the speaker.

It's a great unit!

73,
Tom - N1MM
KB7OEX Rating: 2002-03-28
Best keyer - Best Service!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Some of the best advice I've received as a newcomer to the amateur radio community was to get a Logikey K-3 keyer. The advice came from highly accomplished CW ops and was repeated over and over again. Now that I've had one for almost two years, I find it to be just about the most valued piece of equipment in my shack. Some radios may come and go - but not my Logikey. Why do I like it? Because it is extremely simple and extremely fast to use. I can program it faster than any piece of equipment I have and THAT's because I can talk to it in code! As a beginner I was a little shy about this - but once you try it, you realize it's about as smooth and easy to use system as you can find. It has more memory capacity than I can figure out what to do with. Just try using a built in keyer on a rig like my beloved 756 PRO and then try the Logikey. It's like comparing a Ford to a Formula One car - built in keyers just don't come close to this capability and every built in keyer is different! I know I sound like I'm on the band wagon - but this is one of those products and companies (Idiom Press) that you want to brag about. The service and attitude towards customers is unbelievable. These folks care! It just doesn't get better - and no I don't work for Idiom Press - I just benefit form the genious who figured this little charmer out!!!
N3OO Rating: 2002-03-05
PURE MAGIC Time Owned: more than 12 months.
CW OP FOR 40 YEARS.......NOT A BETTER KEYER TO BE FOUND !!!!
IDIOM Rating: 2002-03-05
Manufacturer's comment Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hello - we are the manufacturers of the Logikey K-3 keyer.

Recently there have been complaints about the volume level of the Logikey K-3 monitor. This is a result of a change to a higher quality and more efficient speaker during the production run.

Effective immediately, we have modified the keyer by putting a 50 ohm resistor in the speaker lead so that the volume level is now the same as it was with the original speaker, for which we never had a complaint. In any case, in normal use the monitor is turned off, and users listen to the monitor in their transceiver.

If any user wishes an existing keyer modified, return it to us along with a check for $5 and a return mailing label. We will make the modification and return the keyer immediately via priority mail. Or, contact us and we will send instructions via e-mail for the modification. In this case, if desired, the resistor used will be supplied upon receipt of a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Logikey is simply the finest keyer available today. What is particularly important to the user is that the Logikey has the most user friendly feel of any keyer on the market. Because of the larger timing input gates, perfect CW is achievable at higher speeds and greater comfort than is possible with other keyers. And, the components used are generally better than those in other keyers, particularly the push buttons.

More Logikeys have been sold than any other keyer offered today. Yet - take a look in the used keyer classified ads - used Logikey keyers are very rare, and are quickly snapped up when offered. But you will see plenty of other keyers offered. There is a reason.

73

Idiom Press
KS3J Rating: 2002-02-28
Night and Day! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is an amazingly versatile little box -- looks can definitely be deceiving. Programming a keyer using CW is as natural as programming a computer with a keyboard. The embedded commands in message memory make this unit's possibilities limitless, and the code it generates is much better-sounding than what my IC-756PRO's keyer can do.

OK, it's not a 5 because of two things. One, there should be a volume pot for the monitor speaker. Two, I _HATE_ the 1/8" mini jack for the paddle. EVERYONE uses 1/4" TRS, and the jack is positioned such that adapters don't fit. I made an adapter out of the cable from the HK-1 cable kit, but will probably drill a hole eventually and mount a 1/4" jack.
W7BIA Rating: 2002-02-18
Excellent Keyer Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Great keyer, makes the internal Yaesu keyer look like a cheap code oscillator. Had to make my own cable between the Logikey and Yaesu, and take the 13 volts from the aux power connector on the rear of the rig, but all works great. Very good product.
Drawback is the monitor is too loud, but I turned it off (through the "M" command) and use the internal monitor in the Yaesu.
W6SZG Rating: 2002-02-02
Great keyer Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Very pleased with this keyer. Instructions and included tutorial are very good. Seems like there is nothing that this keyer will not do. Avoid frustration - if youy buy be sure you have a 2.5mm ID power plug for the 12 VDC it needs, this is not the most common size(most are 2.0mm). Also, you will need a 1/8" mini stereo plug to attach you paddles. Due to the configuration of the chassis and case, only a small size will fit (and only barely - most 1/4" to 1/8"adapters will not fit). Radio shack part numbers 274-284C and 274-1568C work. The keyer output is an RCA phono jack, so you need to make a cable to allow connection to the transceiver. I added a 1/4" phone plug to one end of an old stereo hook-up cable. Sure the speaker is loud but I operate with headphones and it is nice to be able to hear the porgramming code commands and signals as these do NOT key the transmitter and are therefore not heard in the headphones. As another suggested, duct tape on the bottom of the unit knocks down the volume just right.
WA0UDX Rating: 2002-01-13
great keyer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Like everyone else says, the speaker volume is way too loud. I inserted a 1k ohm audio taper pot in one of the speaker leads, and mounted the pot in the back wall of the box. I also opened up the plug/jack holes in the back wall because the plugs wouldn't always fully engage the jacks.
It is a very versatile keyer however, and is flawless in its code sending.
I highly recommend them.
KA0W Rating: 2002-01-13
GREAT TOOL! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using the K-3 since May of 1998. It continues to be a joy to use. One of the best features for me is the Keying Compensation. You can make most substandard rigs that claim to run QSK, sound good on QSK. The CW ops on the bands with the chopped notes should invest in one of these keyers. Same guts as the CMOS Super Keyer III.
AB2EZ Rating: 2001-10-05
Volume adjustment Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a great keyer, with a lot of great features. When I bought my FT 1000 MkV (a great rig!) about 18 months ago... I tried using its internal keyer. But, I was spoiled by my K-3, and went back to using it with the MkV.

To adjust the volume downward by about 15 dB (if you don't mind voiding your warranty)... take off the cover (2 screws), and cut the gray wire between the board and the speaker. Insert a 180 ohm resistor (or 150 ohms, or 220 ohms) in series. If you insert an adjustable 0-250 ohm resistor in series, you'll have a volume control.