The three main points from this post:
1. The adapter I got doesn't work.
2. There is a work-around.
3. Does anyone have a suggestion or experience for an adapter that does work?
I finally got a Venus SW-3B (well, it was a few weeks ago) and after re-reading the manual, I realized that all of the reviews and comments I've seen about it online are from people using it with a paddle of some sort. While I have some paddles and use them occasionally, I generally use and prefer a straight key for CW operations. According to what I have found, the only (official) way to get the SW-3B into straight key mode is to have a mono plug inserted into the key jack when powering on the rig. It sure would be nice if there were button combination to do this. Since I knew I would be wanting to use a straight key with this radio and (because some rigs require a stereo plug even for a straight key to avoid shorting out things in the radio) all of the cables that I have are stereo cables I found and ordered a mono to stereo adapter to use with this radio. Today I finally got out to a park to get this little radio on the air for the first time.
The first thing I discovered is that the adapter I got doesn't work for this application. I ordered it from Amazon but it is a Monoprice adapter. The Monoprice part number is 7128. It appears to be a reasonable quality adapter and has a large number of good reviews. However, when plugging it in to the radio, it does not put the radio into straight key mode. After getting home and looking at things a bit closer, I tested the adapter by plugging it in to a stereo cable and using my multimeter on it and it does function as expected in that both the tip and ring are connected to the adapter tip and the shield connects to the adapter shield. In this way, I would say this still seems like a reasonable choice for a mono-to-stereo adapter for other applications. This is purely speculation, but I suspect that the insulating ring between the tip and shield is wide enough that it prevents the ring and shield contacts in the key jack from shorting out.
Now, this section is my fault for not testing things out a bit more at home first. Here I am, at the park, my antenna is deployed, with a straight key and no paddles along, and when I turn on the radio to operate with the adapter plugged in, I only get paddle mode and no straight key ability. After a brief moment to figure out what is going on and realize that it's in paddle mode, then a couple rounds of unplugging and plugging things in and using my phone to take a quick look at the manual I momentarily started to wonder if I had another radio in the car to use for this activation. I also started thinking if I had anything along that I could plug in or make a way that I could fool the radio into thinking I was using a mono cable instead of a stereo one. While evaluating my options (including just pack it all up and go home) I realized that I could unplug the cable from the key (leaving it plugged in to the radio) and use the tip of a spare cable to short between the ring and sleeve when powering the radio on. It took a few tries, but I was finally able to hold everything just right and when I powered on the SW-3B I heard 'dah dah' instead of 'di dah' and it was in straight key mode. Then i just plugged the key back in to the cable and it worked fine. All this to say, it IS possible to get the radio into straight key mode without an adapter (but a working adapter would make things much easier and more convenient) or having a mono cable for your key. I didn't consider it at the time, and wouldn't have done it for this particular situation anyway, but another option could have been to cut the cable and connect the wires so that the ring and sleeve wires were shorted and the tip was wired by itself. If you find yourself with a Venus SW-3B and a straight key but no mono cable or adapter, there IS a work-around to be able to use it.
Finally, the reason that I decided to post all this (I know, it's really long) here in the first place. If you have an adapter that you have used with your SW-3B to get a straight key to work, I'd really like to know what you got or where you got it. I want to get one that will work with it and rather than risk ordering something else that won't work, I'd like to see if there are any recommendations of ones that are known to work. Also, if you have any that are known to NOT work, that might be good to post here as well to help myself and any future readers avoid them for this application.
In summary:
1. The Monoprice 7128 does not work to put a Venus SW-3B into straight key mode.
2. Venus SW-3B can be put into straight key mode with a stereo cable by shorting the ring and sleeve on the other end (or somewhere along the length) of the cable
3. Please post experience of mono-to-stereo adapters that are known to work or not work for the key jack on the Venus SW-3B. Any SW-3B owners that are willing to experiment with adapters they have would be appreciated, but only useful if the source/model of the adapter can be identified.
SW-3B and Straight Key
Re: SW-3B and Straight Key
Why not just use a stereo plug where you have soldered the ring and sleeve together? Maybe mark it with red tape or something so you don't plug it in to a different radio?
73,
Mike, KL7MJ
73,
Mike, KL7MJ
Re: SW-3B and Straight Key
Re: KL7MJ
That would certainly work if I were building a kit specific to this radio or wanted to have an additional cord in my kit. Although, if I was going to do that I would probably just build or buy a cable with mono plugs at each end. As it is, I don't have a specific kit or even key for each radio and would rather just have the adapter and use the same cable I use with my other radios.
Update to my previous inquiry:
After waiting a few days for any replies here, I grew impatient and decided that since experimenting is part of this hobby I should just order a couple more adapters and try them out. One of them arrived Friday and the other yesterday (Saturday) and I gave them a try last night.
The two adapters that I tried are:
Brand: MCM - Part Number: 27-320
Brand: CUI Devices - Part Number: IA-MS3535
Both of these, upon initial visual inspection, have a much narrower insulating band between the tip and ring than the previous one. With high expectations, I grabbed my SW-3B and got ready to test them. I am happy to report that BOTH of these adapters work for putting the SW-3B into straight key mode. For good measure, I also tested them each with a meter and confirmed that in both cases, when connected to a stereo cable, they function as expected in that both the tip and ring are connected to the adapter tip and the shield connects to the adapter shield.
I did also realize that, due to the way the adapter is configured, this adapter could be used with a paddle on this radio if you were wishing to operate using your paddle as a cootie.
As I have not used either of these beyond testing them for functionality, I cannot at this time make any suggestions or recommendations about whether one of them is better than the other or which one someone should get if they are looking for one. I only know that either one should be alright and I now have a working adapter to use for plugging my straight key into my SW-3B when I take it to the field.
That would certainly work if I were building a kit specific to this radio or wanted to have an additional cord in my kit. Although, if I was going to do that I would probably just build or buy a cable with mono plugs at each end. As it is, I don't have a specific kit or even key for each radio and would rather just have the adapter and use the same cable I use with my other radios.
Update to my previous inquiry:
After waiting a few days for any replies here, I grew impatient and decided that since experimenting is part of this hobby I should just order a couple more adapters and try them out. One of them arrived Friday and the other yesterday (Saturday) and I gave them a try last night.
The two adapters that I tried are:
Brand: MCM - Part Number: 27-320
Brand: CUI Devices - Part Number: IA-MS3535
Both of these, upon initial visual inspection, have a much narrower insulating band between the tip and ring than the previous one. With high expectations, I grabbed my SW-3B and got ready to test them. I am happy to report that BOTH of these adapters work for putting the SW-3B into straight key mode. For good measure, I also tested them each with a meter and confirmed that in both cases, when connected to a stereo cable, they function as expected in that both the tip and ring are connected to the adapter tip and the shield connects to the adapter shield.
I did also realize that, due to the way the adapter is configured, this adapter could be used with a paddle on this radio if you were wishing to operate using your paddle as a cootie.
As I have not used either of these beyond testing them for functionality, I cannot at this time make any suggestions or recommendations about whether one of them is better than the other or which one someone should get if they are looking for one. I only know that either one should be alright and I now have a working adapter to use for plugging my straight key into my SW-3B when I take it to the field.
Re: SW-3B and Straight Key
Another option - modify your key. If your straight key has a 3.5mm TRS socket as many do, and it's accessible, connect (solder probably) a very short jumper between the ring and sleeve terminals on the socket. I did that with one of my straight keys. Easier to just use a mono (TS) cable, of which I have several lying around...
73, geoff, N3CFX
73, geoff, N3CFX