The Kenwood TS-480 comes with free Internet Remote software that provide
FULL FUNCTION of the radio, including VOIP for the audio. I run two
Internet Remote Stations one on a dial-up 50 miles south of WDC and one in
Arlington, VA using DSL. Both using TS-480SAT. Even run RTTY. Not a
problem.
Ran a TS-2000 the same way. You just need a PC at the remote host site.
W7KW is using LANTRONICS hardware to eliminate the need for a computer on
the remote host side so it gets even easier.
73,
dave
wa3gin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Lux" <jimlux@earthlink.net>
To: "Bob Kellow, W5LT" <W5LT@comcast.net>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 3:04 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
> "control surfaces" with knobs, sliders, and buttons, all with USB or MIDI
> interfaces 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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>
_______________________________________________
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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