Mortty – Features

Key Features

  • Inexpensive, off-the-shelf, readily available components (except for the Mortty board itself)
  • Small, portable, USB-powered
  • Rugged RFI-resistant metal enclosure
  • CW Keyer emulates the widely supported Winkeyer protocol
  • RTTY FSK keying via widely supported TinyFSK protocol
  • Optional Dual-Mode Sketch CW and RTTY operation using nanoIO and fldigi
  • Construction requires only common household tools

Setting Expectations

    • What’s missing from this miniature design?
      • For CW – No speed potentiometer, no macro pushbuttons, no monitor speaker
    • Standard Mortty v3 Single-Mode Sketch configuration, CW or FSK – but not both?
      • Mortty operates either CW Keyer by K3NG or TinyFSK by K0SM
      • Switching between modes involves: closing the logging program, unplugging the Mortty output cable, launching the Arduino IDE, uploading the desired sketch (CW or RTTY); re-inserting the output cable
        • Elapsed time for switching modes – about one minute
        • Maybe you should build two Morttys? 😉
    • Optional Mortty v3 Dual-Mode Sketch configuration using nanoIO and fldigi – both CW and FSK
      • Optional assembly configuration provides for separate PTT, CW and RTTY outputs (three wires)
      • Requires using nanoIO by W1HJK with fldigi for CW and RTTY operation
      • Switching between modes accomplished via menu selections in fldigi
    • Degree of mechanical difficulty – low (if you use the 3D printed plastic end caps)
      • The Mortty board fits very tight in the metal enclosure. You may need a file or sandpaper to adjust the Mortty board for a snug fit in the case
      • If you decide to use the metal end caps, you will need to make five holes in the enclosure end caps
        • Use this documentation or the plastic end caps as a drill guide
        • Drill four round holes for paddle input, keyed output, and two LEDs
        • Drill / notch / file one oblong hole for the Arduino Nano USB connector
    • Degree of soldering difficulty – medium
      • To achieve Mortty’s miniaturization, the components are tightly packed on the circuit board
      • There is only one surface mount part, the paddle jack. Its solder pads are as large as standard circuit board components and will be no more difficult than soldering the other components
      • You will need some type of circuit board holder and parts stabilizer to assist in soldering parts to the small Mortty board (small vice, tweezers, hemostats?)
    • Degree of computer expertise – low
      • No programming required
      • The are many excellent resources on the Internet to assist you in loading the proper drivers for the Arduino Nano and uploading the desired sketch onto the board
      • Based on your PayPal order, we will preload the Arduino Nano with your desired sketch (TinyFSK, CW Keyer or nanoIO)

A close-up view of the assembled Mortty v3 circuit board with its 22 installed components