Congratulations on making Elecraft your radio of choice and adding K-Keys to your library of radio software.  K-Keys runs from the system tray on computers equipped with MS Windows 7 and Vista operating systems (32-bit and 64-bit), and enables the user to program up to 10 keyboard macros for rapid access to nearly any remotely controllable function on Elecraft K2 and K3 transceivers using the computer's Function keys, or CTRL / ALT key combinations. 

K-Keys is written by Ken Nicely, a member of the VE2DXY Zone 2 contesting team.   It started as a simple program to control the Elecraft K3 KDVR3 digital voice keyer.  It was the number one operating convenience our team felt would help us work more contacts faster and earn a higher score, which was more than enough inspiration to motivate Ken to write K-Keys.

Once we found out how well K-Keys worked however, Ken made additional refinements that made it even better.   This fantastic little program allows the operator to call CQ and give contest exchanges with the CW memory keyer built into the Elecraft K3 and with the optional Elecraft KDVR3 voice keyer (if installed in your radio), and can also access numerous additional functions including band and mode changes, select filter bandwidths, even tune the radio... without having to reach for a knob or button on the front panel of the radio hundreds of times during a contest. 

Imagine that you are working a contest or hunting DX while using your favorite logging or multimode software…  you clicked on a spot for a rare station posted on the DX cluster and your rig control program has set your radio to the correct frequency and mode.

You may think you’re ready to work the station, but without K-Keys  you may still have to reach for the bandwidth control, the memory keyer button or another control on the radio to make adjustments or activate a function.   With K-Keys however, you can change filters, activate the auto tuner and send from a CW or KDVR3 memory (if installed in your radio) with just a keystroke or two… and this is just the beginning. 

K-Keys is user configurable, with up to 10 function key or CTRL / ALT / Shift key combinations that are selected from convenient drop-down menus.  It is simple and easy-to-use, and runs concurrently with logging, rig control and multi-mode programs.  You do not need to change active screens on your computer or take your hands off the keyboard to activate a radio function. 

K-Keys is small, sits silently in the background and co-exists gracefully with other ham radio programs to share the same keyboard without interfering with each other.  It does this by assigning user-selected keys on your keyboard to specific rig control commands.  When you press the key or keys for the assigned function, that command is sent to your radio, even while you are working in other programs.  (User must take care to ensure that keyboard commands set-up in K-Keys are assigned carefully so as to not over-ride built-in function keys in other programs. Any key sequence on the keyboard may be assigned to a K-Keys function.)

If you would like to give K-Keys a try you may download it here.       

For more information see the Help File

If you have questions please post to the K-Keys reflector or Contact Ken Nicely (KE3C)