[WT-support] Sudden Keying Problems

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

This sounds like a stuck key problem, with RF getting into the keyboard or
the WinKey, not a Win-Test problem.

To confirm this RFI theory, back off power to 5W, then see if you can still
recreate the problem.  Then slowly increase power to 100W to see if the
problem returns.

You *might* be able to bypass the problem by going into the Windows Control
Panel, Keyboard, and setting the *keyboard repeat delay* to a much longer
value, but a better solution would be to reorient the cables, check that all
coax connectors are tight, and add ferrites on all cables connected to the
computer and WinKey.

73,
Bob, N6TV
On Fri, Jul 8, 2011 at 8:25 AM, Hal Offutt
<hal at japancorporateresearch.com>wrote:

> **
> Last night in the NCCC Sprint, Win-Test went crazy on me.  I set things up
> an hour in advance and when I hit F4 for my first contact, it kept repeating
> my call and esc would not stop it.  I shut off the rig (K3, 100 watts no
> amp) and when I turned it on again I got "key err" on the display.  I
> probably should have shut down WT instead of the rig.   Next I shut down WT
> and started it up again.  This time it wouldn't send at all even though it
> said "Win-Key detected."  I rebooted the computer 2-3 times but it still
> wouldn't key.
>
> Then I created a new log and everything was okay again.  I finished up the
> last 12 minutes of the contest with no problems.  This morning I tested the
> log file that gave me so much trouble last night and it works fine.
>
> This morning I have also been testing things to see if I could reproduce
> last night's problem and unfortunately I was successful on a different band
> with a different antenna.  I was using the F1 CQ message but it wouldn't
> stop sending and ESC will not work.  Rebooting the computer fixed the
> problem.
>
> The computer is  Windows XP Pro SP3.  The computer is less than one year
> old.  I am using Win-Test Ver 4.5.1
>
> I wonder if anyone has experienced something like this and what you did to
> fix the problem.
>
> I am planning a full effort in IARU tomorrow so I am worried that this
> issue could surface again during the contest.
>
> Thanks & 73,
>
> Hal W1NN
>
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