Connecting a Heathkit Electronic Keyer to Yaesu FD 450D

[W4JJA]

I am purchasing the above transceiver and I want to use my Heathkit Model HD 1410 keyer. I called Yaesu but got hooked up with a marine tech. I didn't get a good answer.
How do I connect it? What plug do I use? How is it wired?
Thanks,
Jack

[WB2WIK]

This is all clearly shown on page 44 of the FT-450D owner's manual.

You use a stereo (3-conductor) phone plug, plugged into the KEY jack on the 450D. Wire the HD1410 output to the tip and sleeve connections only, leaving the "ring" connection open.

Push the KEYER button to turn OFF the internal keyer (so the keyer icon on the display goes out).

Then, just use the HD1410.

[W4JJA]

I have the manual and there is nothing on page 44 abt hooking up a Heathkit keyer. On any page.

[K7MEM]

I have the manual and there is nothing on page 44 abt hooking up a Heathkit keyer. On any page.

The manual will not list any specific key (straight or paddles) or keyer. It is a pretty generic operation.

The output of the HD-1410 "looks" like a straight key. All of the dot/dash operation is done within the keyer so you only have to deal with the output. As WIK said, there is a 3 conductor phone jack for adding a external key. Since you don't need the internal keyer, first disable it. Then wire the HD-1410 output wires to the "tip" and "sleeve" connections on your 3 conductor plug. The "ring" connection on the 3 conductor plug should be left open (unconnected).

The HD-1410 is a good iambic keyer and very easy to fix, should it break. I got mine when Heathkit was still in operation, around 1982, and have been using it ever since. About a year ago I bought two HD-1410s for $10 at a swap meet. Both were in sad shape and were full of bugs and dirt. After I evicted the spiders and cleaned them up, it only took an hour to get them both working. One of them must have been very heavily used. It had tape marks around the body from being lashed to something heavy and, the knurled pattern on the paddle handles was worn off.

Do you have the manual for the HD-1410? If not, I have a PDF of the manual that I can send to you.

[WB2WIK]

I have the manual and there is nothing on page 44 abt hooking up a Heathkit keyer. On any page.

Of course there isn't. There are specific instructions about how to use a straight key, and the Heathkit keyer is emulating a straight key and works exactly the same way.

If they had to list how to use every keyer ever made, that would require a whole separate manual.

[W4JJA]

I have a manual, thank you. I bought the keyer in 1978.

[W4JJA]

Hooked her up and it works!!