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Menus and Settings

The CW firmware adds a block of menu items to the stock UV-K5/UV-K1 menu, all prefixed with CW on the radio's display. This page documents what each one does, the values you can set, and where the original UV-K5 (v1) hardware differs from the UV-K5 v3 and UV-K1.

Open the menu with M, then scroll (or press a number key to jump) until you reach the CW... entries.

Tip

The CW entries are the last ones in the menu, so when you first turn the radio on, you can scroll up to reach them immediately.

CW Tone Frequency — CWfreq

Sets the sidetone (and transmitted CW tone) frequency.

  • Range: 450 Hz to 800 Hz, in 50 Hz steps.
  • Default: 600 Hz.

CW Sidetone Volume — CWvol

Sets the volume of the sidetone you hear in your speaker while sending.

  • Range: OFF, then levels 1–6.
  • Default: level 4.

This only affects what you hear locally — it has no effect on the transmitted signal. OFF is only really useful if you're using an external keyer that has its own sidetone.

CW Keyer Mode — CWkmod

Selects the iambic keyer timing behavior used when a paddle input is selected in CWkin.

  • Mode A — Curtis iambic Mode A style, edge-triggered dit/dah memory
  • Mode B — Accu-keyer iambic Mode B style, dit/dah memory, adds the trailing opposite element when both paddles are released during an element, and Elecraft-style partial edge-triggering
  • Ultimatic — both paddles squeezed at once sends whichever one was pressed most recently, rather than alternating dit/dah like the iambic modes. No dit/dah memory.
  • Bug — semi-automatic bug keyer. The dah paddle behaves like a plain hand key (hold it down for a continuous dah, any length). The dit paddle auto-repeats dits at the configured CWwpm speed for as long as it's held, with no trailing element or extra gap when released.

Default: Mode B.

CW Keying Speed — CWwpm

Sets the keyer speed in words per minute. Applies to both the iambic keyer and the macro message playback speed.

  • Range: 10–45 WPM.

Default: 18 WPM.

CW Key Input — CWkin

Selects what hardware is used as the paddle/key input, and whether the keyer logic (iambic timing) is applied to it or the input is treated as a plain hand key.

When an input mode other than PTT or Side Btn is chosen, the firmware will test the iambic inputs. If a short is detected, the screen will show key err and will not accept the mode change.

The short-detect routine also runs at radio startup, and if a stuck key is detected the display will show CW KEY STUCK and revert to PTT HandKey input mode temporarily. To fix this: turn the radio back off, release the keys, and turn it on again to re-initialize the input mode.

Common input configs (all radios)

Setting Description
PTT HandKey PTT button is a straight key. No iambic keyer.
Port HandKey * External port acts as a straight key. No iambic keyer.
Side Btn Iambic PTT = dah, Side button 1 = dit. Iambic keyer active.
Side Btn Iambic Reversed Same as above with dit/dah swapped.
Port Iambic * External 2-pin port wired as a paddle. Iambic keyer active.
Port Iambic Reversed * Same as above with dit/dah swapped.
Port+Btn Iambic * Port paddle plus Side button 1, either can send dit/dah. Iambic keyer active.
Port+Btn Iambic Reversed * Same as above with dit/dah swapped.

Note

(*) The 'Port' input modes require rework

Model-specific input configs

Setting Description
CEC Cable Paddle wired through a CEC-style cable, detected by reading a resistor value on the audio/CEC line. Iambic keyer active.
CEC Cable Reversed Same as above with dit/dah swapped.
CEC Cable Handkey CEC cable input treated as a straight key on either paddle contact, no iambic keyer.

Note

The 'CEC' input modes require a custom CEC cable

Setting Description
USB Port Iambic Paddle wired through the USB-C connector. Iambic keyer active.
USB Port Iambic Reversed Same as above with dit/dah swapped.
USB Port Handkey USB-C TRS input treated as a straight key on either paddle contact, no iambic keyer.

Note

The 'USB Port' input modes require a USB-C to TRS cable

Default: PTT HandKey.

CW Messages — CWmsg1 – CWmsg4

Four programmable memory slots for short CW macros (callsign, CQ call, report exchange, etc). Messages may be up to 46 characters each, not including spaces.

Selecting a slot shows its current contents (or empty), and lets you choose:

  • Record new? — start recording. Key the message using your configured paddle/key input, then use the M button to save it. exit will exit macro recording without saving. An iambic input mode must be used; recording from handkey does not work.
  • Play — send the stored message once.
  • Repeat — send the stored message repeatedly, with the delay set by CWmrpt between repeats.

Recording and playback both require the radio to be in CW mode (TX modulation set to CW). Break-in (CWbkin) must be enabled for a message to transmit RF, otherwise it will play sidetone only. Messages will play with the WPM set in CWwpm.

Tip

Message play and repeat actions may also be mapped to a keypress, using the menu items F1Short, F1Long, F2Short, F2Long, M Long.

CW Message Repeat Delay — CWmrpt

Sets the pause, in seconds, between repeats when playing a message in repeat mode.

  • Range: 0–127 seconds.
  • Default: 4 seconds.

CW Break-in — CWbkin

When enabled, sending CW automatically keys the transmitter for the duration of your sending (full break-in / QSK-style behavior driven by the keyer), rather than requiring a separate PTT press.

  • Range: OFF / ON.
  • Default: ON.

CEC Cable Calibration (UV-K5 v1 only)

Note

These items are in the "hidden tech menu". Enable by powering on the radio while holding the PTT and first side button.

These three menu items only appear on the original UV-K5, where a CEC-style cable is used as a paddle input and is identified by an ADC reading of a resistor value in the cable rather than a dedicated digital input. They are not present on the UV-K5 v3 or UV-K1. See the CEC paddle cable page for how the cable works and how to build one.

  • CWcrd — ADC Read Check. Shows the CEC input value.
  • CWcLo — set the ADC threshold for the low value ("20k") contact.
  • CWcHi — set the ADC threshold for the high value ("10k") contact.

Connect a paddle via a CEC cable, then use CWcrd to read the ADC value for each paddle contact pressed individually. Set CWcLo and CWcHi to those readings so the firmware can reliably tell the two contacts apart.

Model-specific notes

Each model's CW mod firmware (v1 vs the v3/k1) is based on a different original firmware (see Upstream projects for more). Each adds unique additional menu items that are not part of the CW mod. See their respective documentation for more details about those non-CW features and menu items.

See the hardware overview and identify your radio pages if you're not sure which hardware you have.