With new softwares being written and made available for the digital modes at a rapid pace, there are some that are really "World Class" softwares being produced.  One of these new softwares, which I might add is FREEWARE, has been recently given the real "Smoke Test" by my wife Carolyn (N8ST), and myself, and found that it is truly a top of the line software.  Seems to me that the freeware that is being produced is better and easier to use than the commercial or sharewares.

The software that I refer to here is:  Hamscope V1.5 and was written by Glen Hansen, KD5HIO.
Glen's software will do: PSK31 (BPSK & QPSK), MFSK16, RTTY, ASCII, Packet, and CW.
Most modes are straight up, but the RTTY and ASCII modes use the MMTTY Engine, by Mako, and Packet uses the AGW Packet engine. The external programs are all top of the line freeware as well. The mode that I want to expand on is the CW mode of the software.

Soundcard CW does work well for the most part, but is not allowed on the HF bands, so it is limited mainly to receiving on those bands, and it is a bit slow in transition for working contests, as the program needs to switch back to receive from transmit, which can take perhaps a couple of seconds from the time you send  "K" until you are receiving. The operator on the other end is seldom aware that you need that extra time before he/she starts to send.
Enter Hamscope.... Glen added the option for hard keying, using a serial port. If you are a CW operator, and have done any interface work, then you are aware that the DTR line is the best choice for switching CW.  If you use the DTR to send CW, you will want to use VOX to achieve full break in keying. Naturally, you will want this isolated, just like you do for regular interfacing.

I tried this wonderfal software recently, and found it to do everything that I need, and it works well in the normal interfacing that most of us use. To get around the pause between exchanges on CW, I improvised an addition for our Kenwood TS-570DG to do hard keying, via keyboard.   It consisted of no more than what is used for the PTT circuit of the isolating interface. I have only one serial port available, but this was no problem. The computer was receiving CW, via the interface, and I used this improvision to do my keying.

The extra circuit was a DB9 socket, of which I used a shielded cable, connected to the DTR line (pin 4) and the Ground (pin 5), which went into a 4N32 optocoupler, and the output was connected to a 3.5mm mono plug for the keying socket of the rig.  Below is a drawing showing the circuit.