From: "Swanson, Glenn, KB1GW" To: "'CQ-Contest (posting)'" Subject: Kn'wd DRU => SUMMARY Date: Thu, 18 Jan 96 11:53:00 EST Here's the responses received regarding the Kenwood Model "DRU," "Digital Recording Unit:" 'Thank you' to the many who took the time to reply! 73, Glenn, KB1GW - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Question: > In a survey similar to Dan, W8CAR's, regarding the W9XT card; I'd like >to ask for any feedback regarding the Kenwood DRU (Digital Recording >Unit), which is an option for the TS-950S(DX) and TS-850S(AT). >Anyone tried one for CQing in a CONTEST? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Replies: - - - - - - - - - - - Hi Glenn, Glenn here, I have two Kenwood 850's and one 870. All have the DRU-2....which is NICE! I built a nice little interface to go from the parallel port to the radio. CT and NA will BOTH control the voice keyer from the Function keys! It is nice. The repeat function, ESCape function, etc. all work really slick! This is what I use on DXpeditions and contesting from DX locations. At home I use the K1EA DVP.......controlled from the Function keys..... and IN ADDITION, by touching the radio controls, there are EXTRA pre-programmed messages. Specifically to answer your question about CQing, YES!, the interface I built works with the REPEAT function in CT & NA. Typing anything or the ESCape will stop the CQ sequence. The interface box I built was described a couple years ago in NCJ. 73, Glenn - - - - - - - - - I have the DRU-2 and it works just fine. 3 memories, 1 long and 2 short (I think). Great for contests. Only suggestion is that you will need the external keypad [ RM-1] to 'execute', as pushing the buttons on the front panel becomes very tedious after a while. Perhaps a better solution might be to 'computer control' the 850. Had no adverse comments on audio or anything else. I find the major benefits are : 1. you can operate silently (with headphones) a lot of the time. 2. you can eat/drink while operating. 3. avoid the post contest 'hoarse throat' complaint. Regards, George - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I use the DRU-2 in my TS-850S and am happy with it, except for one problem: I wired up an external foot switch to key it, and found it is quite sensitive to contact bounce in the switch. Pressing the foot switch once would often send the message two or three times. I tried all the simple cures -- a parallel capacitor, an RC network, etc., etc., but the only cure that worked was to make a timer circuit using a 555 chip. Pressing the foot switch triggers the 555 which triggers the DRU for about 200 ms and then lets go. That cured the problem and works fine, but was a lot of work for something Kenwood should have taken care of inside the rig. Surely they knew people were going to use all kinds of switches for this, not all of which would switch cleanly. My '850 is three years old, so perhaps newer production units have a fix. I'd call Kenwood first and find out though, because this is a REAL nuisance until you get it cured. By the way, using the front panel switch was not a problem -- it switches cleanly every time. On-the-air comparisons of audio quality indicate only the most minute distortion when using the DRU. It has a slight "fuzziness" due to digitization of the signal, but all the people who have heard it say it's very minor and they probably wouldn't have noticed if they weren't listening for it. All in all, I'm quite pleased with it, and it has the advantage of being independent of your computer, since it's entirely within the transceiver. 73, Bill - - - - - - Uh-huh....set up a keying interface with CT using the DVP/LPT outputs to the ACC [port] on the '850. Biggest problem was getting the timing straightened out so that the message was over and I had a chance to listen before it started up again. (I had to do this because my W2IHY voice machine was sick and awaiting surgery.) Oh yeah....audio levels were a problem too. The DRU is a lot hotter than the mic.....had to find a compromise setting....one just a little too hot, one just a little too soft. --Gary - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I use it regularly when I search and pounce as what ever you put into the recording is hard coded, ie, won't increment serial number etc. When I use it while calling cq, I have to give the other station's call with my voice then press a button for the exchange. I have never used the [W9] xt card but I think it works like a keyboard keyer in the cw programs. Generally, for a casual contester the dru works fine although you have to keep in mind what is programmed where. In cq ww ssb contest, I didn't even plug in the mike as I programmed 'my call' in #1, "qsl 599 04" in #2, and "04 04" in #3. Reports on the voice quality are excellent. 73, Jim - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Have one but when I first tried it, found you needed VOX active to even key the radio. I have no intention of using VOX in a contest, especially in a m/op environment. Plus poking the buttons on the face of the radio isn't handy - a remote keypad is needed (one can be built, I think they describe the method in the manual). I acquired an FT-1000 and its' voice keyer shortly thereafter so the '850 (at least the voice keyer part) has been abandoned. An MFJ 432 is also used (with the remote pad) and it works even better, very good audio at a reasonable price. That would be my choice - no computer needed and if you change radios - just change the jumpers. 73 de Don - - - - - - - - - Glenn, I have the DRU-2 in my TS-850. You can hear it this weekend in the NAQP. It's ok, but it sounds only fair to me in the monitor. People tell me it sounds quite good on the air, but I've never heard it myself. The DRU output level is considerably louder than the mike input, so I added a little attenuator network to the output. It's an easy mod. Kenwood uses a strange method for external playback triggering of the DRU. It involves different values of resistors to ground to select which memory to trigger. I have used a computer to trigger the memories, but usually use a little box with three pushbuttons on it right beside the keyboard to trigger the 850 directly. See you in the NAQP. 73, Dave - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I've never used one, but I've heard several on the air. Some are ok, but many seem to have serious distortion problems. I've been told that they are overdriving the audio input to the rig, and the only way to adjust this is to disassemble the rig. I can't speak for the validity of this, it's just what I've been told. Good luck & 73, Bruce - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Glenn, I have used the DRU-2 with my 950SDX in several contests including SS. Primary use is only for cq-ing. Maybe I will have the old DVP ready for this weekend's NAQP, but I will have the DRU-2 ready as a backup! 73, Rod - - - - - - - Hi, Glenn. I've used the internal TS850 voice keyer for CQing and exchanges. Works OK in a pinch and it's very nice to have for 'portable' operations, but the audio quality isn't as good as K1EA's DVP. --Bruce - - - - - - - -