In the early days of satellites, this was a popular way to work CW... split band with a cw receiver on the downlink and keying an FM rig (usually on 2 meters) on the uplink. The resulting synthesizer generated signal tended to "swing" on each element of of a character giving it a distinct "bird chirp" sound.
QSLs with signal reports of 569 or 559 were common but well accepted as access to 2 meter CW rigs was somewhat limited.
I'm not sure how today's purists would accept such going's on but with the limited number of CW artists on the satellites I myself would readily respond to a chirpy CQ.
My last chirpy CW contact was during a Field Day contest 440 up and 2meters down. We were having no luck on FM and I secured the 100 points on CW for the club.
Roger WA1KAT
On 1/10/2013 6:10 PM, Hector, CO6CBF wrote:
Hello all!
You could always cut off the internal mic and use the PTT as a crude CW key since an on/off keyed unmodulated FM carrier is theoretically identical to a CW signal. I think some people have done this, or at least have contemplated it.
Yes, it works!! I had my first contact on the analog birds (AO-7A) running a modified Yaesu FM transceiver.
I disconnected the MIC preamplifier circuit, I kept the Tx activated and switched the PA drive transistor by a switch circuit added and commanded by the CW key. Despite the tone was FMing a bit, I had some contacts.
73!
Hector, CO6CBF EL92sd