[TowerTalk] Remote station operation

[David J Rodman MD <rodman@buffalo.edu>]

Hi, I believe that my station is the most complex full featured internet 
control station anywhere.  The project started when I had a high voltage 
short at my house which took out half of my ham equipment.  When I 
rebuilt the station, I decided to go from analog station control 
features to digital.  Moreover, the changes had to be usable if one was 
actually operating at the station and not via internet.  There are lots 
of ways to do this.  My situation was pretty unique because I have 12 
antennas, 8 rotors, now 5 listening antennas, steerable parasitic 
elements for 160m, low band preamplifier, battery backup for the 
transceiver.  Several of the yagis are stacked and I use a WX0B with a 
dual feed line to control a 3 yagi array for 10m.  I have a 4Square for 
80m and an amplifier.  I wanted it all accessable over the internet and 
I wanted everything to work transparently. 

I use PCAnywhere for station control.  I have been using EyeBall Chat 
for audio.  The transceiver is Ten-Tec Orion.  The amplifier is 
Alpha87A.  The Orion control software, the Alpha and the TIC ring rotor 
software is available commercially.  All my antenna switching is via 
special program coded for me using the Alpha DAS box (I have 5 of 
them).  I interfaced the station slowly and made one or two functions at 
a time.  It took months to make work properly and has been up and 
running for about a year now.  I do not show this off.  I do not have a 
web site or brag.  It just works and I use it.

Most important problems and observations to overcome was the creating of 
latching interfaces with the DAS boxes.  They are ON/OFF controllers.  
For example, one might want to switch and hold a receive antenna while 
changing a transmit antenna.  I chose this method.  I have lots of CMOS 
boxes and relays to hold functions so that the DAS box can go to some 
other spot.  One might also write and use software to directly control 
COM or USB port switch interfaces.  Also, the audio is slow.  There is 
about 1200 to 1500 msec delay by the time the signal goes from my office 
to the station.  This is fine using CW or especially RTTY or PSK.  
Pileups are a bit difficult as I come back slowly and often find myself 
calling when I shouldn't.  In the old days we called people like that 
LIDS.  This is not a contest setup.  I have to be physically at the 
station for that activity.  I have worked SSB DX also, but the audio has 
some digital characteristics I would like to modify, but haven't had the 
time.  I am mostly a CW fan and to be honest the maintenance on this 
setup is very exhaustive.  The station is in a remote location and when 
I service it on the weekends, typically I get up at about 3AM, drive to 
the site, work all day and return "home" by dinner time.  Family 
functions often interfere and the workload is staggering.  I will be 
happy to offer specific details later but right now, I am out of time.  
Good luck.
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