A Crummy Commercial

The DSWK chip is back in stock: http://wb9kzy.com/dswk.htm Previously I had used the PIC16F628a chip for both the DSWK and the various Zerobeat kits.  But then I went to a PIC16F627a chip as a cost reduction for the Zerobeat kits.  Since the DSWK doesn't sell quite as well as the Zerobeats (there is a point with any item where everyone who wants one has gotten one) I just keep 2 in stock.  So after two DSWK orders last year I had been waiting on re-ordering the blank chips for no particularly good reason and got caught without any in stock.   The DSWK is the last "brain replacement" type of "kit" that I'll ever try.  The DSWK began as a request by a customer who didn't care for the stock DSW keyer.  He also wanted some other features.  Looking at the DSW kit, it was a big job to replace the stock PIC, lots of DSW kit variations and changes along the way.  The DSWK is a clean sheet design, I didn't have any technical knowledge of the stock PIC othe...

I've mentioned the LTC1799 before: https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2022/09/ltc1799-rc-oscillator-chip.html https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2025/10/looking-at-pictures-of-new-junk.html Note that the LTC1799 is used by our fellow travelers, the electronic musicians: https://www.circuitbenders.co.uk/tutorials/LTCinstallation1.html I got out the DATAK kit from the second purchase of junk on Ebay, it seems complete and unbuilt (although the SMT chips are already soldered): board top board bottom with installed ICs But no instructions were included.  I searched on the web but found nothing.  Finally I emailed DATAK and got this quick response: Interesting but no help.  I'll just put it back in the junk box for now. Best Regards, Chuck, WB9KZY http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm