Radio guides / Hermes-Lite / Hermes-Lite 2

CW599 ORIGINAL OPERATING WORKFLOW

Hermes-Lite 2CW Operating Guide

Hermes-Lite 2 is a network SDR project available as manufacturer-built hardware. A working station also needs the appropriate filter board, power, enclosure and computer setup. This guide uses the project-linked Thetis workflow and keeps external-keyer responsibilities explicit.

MODELHermes-Lite 2FOCUSNetwork SDR, external CW keyer and Thetis setup

Hermes-Lite Hermes-Lite 2 radio product photograph

Project External Connections and Thetis Setup wiki; Thetis installation guide v9, 14 May 2024; confirm gateware and Thetis build. Checked 2026-10-04; base-board project gateware; optional Companion/I/O boards excluded. v9 pp. 3–6, 8–10, 61–62 and current project wiki sections; author examples are not factory defaults.

START HERE

A five-step CW setup routine

Use this order as an operating checklist, not as a replacement for the radio manual. Controls and available options can vary by firmware and region.

Connect and select

Use TRS key wiring and an external keyer if using a paddle.

Check the test setup

Confirm filter-board routing and a dummy load before enabling RF.

Set rhythm and tone

Set external keyer speed and local sidetone; verify PC receive audio.

Tune one signal

Discover the radio in Thetis and tune a clear CW signal.

Send and listen

Check TX frequency, drive and PTT release; then operate with the intended antenna.

MODEL SETTINGS INDEX

CW settings, paths, and starting points

Search by setting or menu path. Manufacturer defaults and recommendations are labeled separately from CW599 advice; references identify the checked manual or software version.

Keyer

Wire CN4 before enabling transmit

Access path: CN4: tip KEY / ring PTT
Options or range: TRS; straight key / external keyer
Factory value / operating start: CW599: disconnect power before inspecting the plug.

CW599 note: CN4 takes a 3.5 mm stereo TRS plug: tip is KEY, ring is PTT and sleeve is ground. The base hardware has no internal paddle keyer or sidetone. Connect a straight key or an external keyer with local monitoring. A mono plug grounds the ring and can hold transmit. Check contact release into a dummy load at low power.

Manual reference: External Connections: CN4; Thetis v9, p. 61

System / power

Select the correct software and radio profile

Access path: Setup > General > H/W Select > Radio Model
Options or range: HERMES LITE; Region
Factory value / operating start: CW599: record the Thetis build and gateware before changing settings.

CW599 note: Use the Hermes-Lite-compatible Thetis build linked by the project and follow that release’s installation notes. Select HERMES LITE and your actual Region, then Apply. Confirm the detected radio and version. The manual’s IP addresses, region and optional HL2 I/O Board checkbox are examples, not universal defaults. This guide covers the base board, not an add-on keyer.

Manual reference: Thetis Setup wiki; Thetis v9, pp. 3–6

Memory / PC

Establish the network connection first

Access path: Ethernet; Thetis radio discovery
Options or range: DHCP / documented direct connection
Factory value / operating start: Project default: DHCP; CW599: start on the same local network.

CW599 note: Connect Ethernet and verify that Thetis discovers the intended radio before diagnosing CW. A direct PC connection needs the project’s network procedure. If discovery fails, check the cable, power and local network configuration; changing keyer speed or copying the manual’s example IP will not solve a missing radio.

Manual reference: External Connections: Ethernet

System / power

Match the filter board and RF path

Access path: Setup > General > OC Control > N2ADR Filter; ANT
Options or range: N2ADR filter board / main ANT path
Factory value / operating start: CW599: confirm the fitted filter board and dummy load before RF testing.

CW599 note: For the N2ADR board, use N2ADR Filter to load its pin mapping. Change bands while receiving and inspect Hardware Pin State. Use the assembled station’s filtered main ANT path; RF1 is a low-level output, not an interchangeable antenna socket. The PA Enable and drive settings must match the actual hardware. Do not copy the author’s maximum-power example for a first CW test.

Manual reference: Thetis v9, pp. 8–10; External Connections: RF1 / RF3

Receive

Tune one CW signal before narrowing

Access path: Thetis console: CW mode / receive filter
Options or range: CW mode; installed software filter controls
Factory value / operating start: CW599: start with no unintended split or transmit offset.

CW599 note: Select CW, tune one clear signal and inspect the receive passband. Narrow gradually while keeping that signal audible. Before answering, read the transmit frequency and any split state separately. If the signal disappears, widen the filter and retune; filter settings do not add received-text decoding.

Manual reference: Thetis v9, pp. 61–62

Receive

Separate receive audio from keyer monitoring

Access path: Setup > Audio > VAC1; external keyer monitor
Options or range: Enable VAC1 / PC sound device / local sidetone
Factory value / operating start: CW599: begin with a low audio level.

CW599 note: The project’s setup enables VAC1 for PC receive audio. Choose the actual audio device and confirm a received signal is audible. For paddle timing use the external keyer’s local sidetone. The software Sidetone checkbox is not evidence of a sidetone generator in the base board; PC audio can add delay. If silent, check device selection, mute and volume one at a time.

Manual reference: Thetis Setup wiki: Audio; Thetis v9, p. 61

Keyer

Set speed on the keyer actually in use

Access path: External keyer: speed / monitor
Options or range: External keyer controls; no universal WPM range
Factory value / operating start: CW599: use a familiar low speed for the first test.

CW599 note: Set paddle speed on the external keyer and listen locally. Check complete dots, dashes and spaces into a dummy load at low power. The page-62 example uses a Companion board for paddle monitoring: that optional board is outside this base-hardware guide. Changing a Thetis speed field does not add a hardware paddle keyer to CN4.

Manual reference: External Connections: CN4; Thetis v9, pp. 61–62

Break-in

Check keying and PTT as one complete path

Access path: Setup > DSP > CW > CW Break-in; CN4 PTT
Options or range: SEMI / Delay (ms); gateware-specific PTT behavior
Factory value / operating start: The manual screenshot is an author example, not a default or range table.

CW599 note: Thetis shows SEMI and Delay (ms) in DSP > CW. Start conservatively and verify that the first element is intact and receive returns after release. Gateware 71p2 introduced combined ring-PTT/tip-key operation; earlier versions behave differently. Match the installed gateware and external keyer. COM9/RTS, pitch 650 and delay 306 in the screenshot are examples, not settings to copy for every station.

Manual reference: External Connections: CN4; Thetis v9, p. 61

CW599 RECOMMENDATIONS

Three operating starting points

These are original operator-oriented starting points. They are not factory presets and intentionally avoid claiming model-specific default values.

First contact

Check one change at a time.

Keying: Match the actual key and verify clean spacing
Transmit: Check the documented RF-off or dummy-load setup first
Receive: Use a comfortable tone and moderate volume

Difficult reception

Keep the wanted signal audible.

Tuning: Center the wanted note before narrowing
Filter: Compare changes at a similar audio level
Copying: Ask for a repeat when a callsign remains uncertain

Repeated calls

Leave a clear path back to receiving.

Sending: Verify any supported message and its stop action
Listening: Leave time for an answer
Station: Confirm frequency, power and transmit recovery

Questions and troubleshooting

Does it decode received CW?

The checked documentation does not provide a built-in received-CW text workflow for Hermes-Lite 2 hardware. Any received-text decoder belongs to separately selected PC software.

Can I plug a paddle directly into CN4?

CN4 is KEY/PTT, not an internal paddle-keyer input. Use an external keyer and the documented tip/ring wiring.

Why is transmit held as soon as I plug in the key?

A mono plug can ground the PTT ring. Disconnect and inspect the TRS wiring before changing software timing.

Official model resource

Use the manufacturer-controlled product and support pages to verify your region, firmware, menus, connector wiring, operating limits, and safety information. CW599 does not host, mirror, or reproduce the manual.

Makerfabs Hermes-Lite 2 hardware and ordering Project wiring and connector documentation (English)Project Thetis setup guide (English)Thetis installation manual v9 (English)Product photograph: Makerfabs product page

Independent CW599 operating guide. Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. This page contains original workflow advice, not manufacturer instructions or an official endorsement.

Search and filters run locally in your browser and do not connect to a radio. Version 1.0 (2026-10-04): four-language guide and sourced product photo. Revisions are retained in site Git and release backups; no separate archived page.