This is a problem but several of the more common rigs that folks have
work excellent for remote rigs:
The TS-2000 and TS-480 rigs are excellent rigs for remote control. Just
about all the features can be controlled as well as turning them on/off
remotely.
The Elecraft K2 and most of the recent Icom rigs, 756pro,II and III are
excellent rigs for remoting. These rigs do not have a software command
to turn them on and off, so another scheme is needed for power on/off.
I'm currently using a TS-480 ( due to its combination of DSP and crystal
filters) with a program called TRX-Manager. I can control just about
every feature the rig has via remote. To take it a step further I'm now
using a serial/ip server made by Lantronix. This is basically a box
with serial ports that is communicated to via tcp/ip. I'm now
controlling my rig and rotor without the need for a computer at the
remote end.
For antenna switching I'm using a Microham Band Decoder connected to my
480 and antenna switch. For audio I'm using Skype.
I guess my point is that remoting a station is becoming more plug and
play and its available today. Of course most of the newer remoting
systems are taking advantage of high speed internet connections which
may get in the way of a station located out in the boonies. I did have
a Kachina remoted via the phone line but the audio was terrible. Their
system was trying to send data commands as well as audio via a normal
phone line. There just wasn't enough band width and the audio suffered
terribly in that system. Let alone the constant disconnects due to rf
getting into the modem.
In my case I can't have antennas at my home qth, but I have a nice
office building with a very large concrete roof thats perfect for
towers/antennas.
73,
Rich - N5ZC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux@earthlink.net>
To: "Bob Kellow, W5LT" <W5LT@comcast.net>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] remote stations
> At 11:39 AM 7/23/2005, Bob Kellow, W5LT wrote:
>> Facinating topic, but doesn't it take a special, or at least a very
>> modern
>>HF radio (and antenna(s)) to do this?
>>How would one 'tweak' the notch, or the APF tuning, or others of the
>>myriad
>>of controls on a FT-1000xx class radio from a keyboard/mouse?
>>I am certainly showing my ignorance of the subject, but would like
>>enlightenment.
>>
>>Bob, W5LT
> That's precisely the problem, today. The radios are built to have the
> op
> sitting in front of them. There are some radios suited for remote ops
> (e.g.
> the no longer available Kachina) and some of the TenTec radios. The
> SDR-1000 and other similar software radios are also ideally suited to
> remote ops, since the entire control system is a PC (much like modern
> test
> equipment, which has a standard PC motherboard inside, and a VGA
> display on
> the front).
>
> As for mouse and keyboard... That's more a matter of good interface
> design. Some people love mouse and keyboard. I personally like knobs
> and
> sliders. Either way, there's dozens of computer input devices in all
> manner of physical forms. The music business has tons of inexpensive
> "controlinterfaces that can easily be used to control your radio.
>
> There's also people building customized controller hardware (in the
> sense
> of buttons and knobs) to interface to the SDR1000, which does most of
> the
> functions totally in software.
>
> However, there's a fairly large installed base of not-suitable for
> remote
> use radios out there. Or, marginally suitable for remote use: The
> origin
> of my illfated efforts to flip sidebands using DSP was because I
> wanted to
> use my FT-757 remotely.. I could set the frequency with an RS232 link,
> but
> couldn't change the mode switch from LSB to USB when crossing the 9MHz
> divide.[Now there's an operating practice based on an old and archaic
> hardware implementation for SSB.] I actually contemplated ripping the
> front panel off and building a interface board (all the switches and
> knobs
> are mostly analog voltages, for which one could use a digipot or logic
> levels to the internal microprocessors.)
>
> The SDR-1000 concept is very appealing (I actually have one), but,
> while
> the radio works fine, the software is still in a state of flux.
> Frankly, I
> think it probably will be that way for quite a while... it's too easy
> to
> tinker, and since it's not a commercial product, there's no incentive
> to
> stabilize on a "final version" with formalized testing and release.
>
> The demand, in the ham market, appears to be for boxes with knobs, not
> for
> blank front radios with an ethernet connection, and a separate "radio
> front
> panel" (also with an ethernet connection) so that's what's getting
> developed and shipped by the big makers.
>
> Certainly, if you've got the bucks, you can buy high quality
> commercial HF
> radio gear with total remote control (WJ, Racal, etc.), but that
> concept
> hasn't penetrated the ham market very well. For instance you can't
> get the
> Ten-Tec Pegasus any more (however, the Jupiter is essentially the same
> radio, with a front panel, and I imagine you can not use the panel).
> Most
> of the new HF rigs are obviously digitally controlled (since the front
> panels removable with a cable connecting the panel and the radio) but
> don't
> necessarily have the control protocol published, nor is the interface
> at
> all standardized. Again, no ham demand, apparently.
>
> Maybe it comes back to that I'm not the only one with an uneasy
> feeling
> about remote stations, so there's just not much demand for things to
> support it.
>
> Jim,W6RMK
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers",
> "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free,
> 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
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> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
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