The ‘Hilltopper-20’ Transceiver K1SWL rev. 15 October 2018
20
Operation
:
Startup
: Upon applying DC power to the Hilltopper, you’ll hear ’6 o R o’. In the headphones. This
indicates an operating frequency of 14060.0 Khz. If you tune above 14100, the readout will be in the form
of ‘1xx.x.
Frequency Readout:
Push the
‘Function’ switch briefly to hear your current frequency.
The readout is at the same speed as
your keyer speed setting.
Tuning step size:
Briefly pressing the tuning knob toggles the step size between 100Hz and 20Hz. The power-up default is
the 100 Hz step size.
RIT:
Push and hold the tuning knob down for at least a half-second. A two-
tone sequence, ‘boo-beep’
indicates that RIT is on.
Repeat to turn RIT off-
it’s annunciated by ‘bee-boop’.
TUNE Mode
Push and hold the Function switch for at least one second. (release the switch) The sidetone and
transmitter output turn on to allow adjustment of antenna tuners, etc. It stays in TUNE mode until:
• 5 seconds has elapsed
OR
either keyer paddle is tapped
Paddle Reverse and Iambic Mode A/B Selection (
current production
)
Applying DC power to the Hilltopper while pressing AND HOLDING the Function switch. Release the
switch
when you hear ‘R ?’. Tap either key paddle within 2 seconds to reverse the paddles. (
Do nothing
and there’s no swap
.)
Next, you’ll hear ‘B ?’. Tap either key paddle within 2 seconds to choose Mode B.
Do nothing, and Mode A is selected.
(Most operators prefer Mode A. )
You’ll then hear an ‘A’ or ‘B’ to
confirm your selection. Your selections are stored in non-volatile memory and the Hilltopper proceeds to
normal operation.
Straight Key mode:
Upon power-
up, the Hilltopper firmware checks the state of the ‘ring’ (middle) connection on the keyer
jack. If a ‘mono’ (2-pin) plug is used, that middle connection is grounded, and the Hilltopper automatically
follows the straight key or external keyer input.
Straight key ‘timeout’
:
After 5 seconds key-down, the transmitter output shuts off. Depress the
Function switch briefly to restore normal operation. The TUNE function works in Straight key mode but
returns to normal operation without operator action. The timeout provision is meant to protect the PA
devices
from a ‘stuck key’ situation.
Alternate Startup Frequency:
Pressing the TUNING switch down while applying DC power to the Hilltopper yields a startup frequency of
14030.0 kHz.. This saves a lot of knob-twisting if you usually work the low end of 20M
