[CQ-Contest] Wireless devices, radios and logging programs

George Fremin III geoiii at kkn.net
Tue Dec 4 15:53:17 EST 2007


On Tue, Dec 04, 2007 at 03:46:28PM -0500, Robert Shohet wrote:

> I am currently using several WIN XP computers with
> regular connected keyboards and mice.  I would like to switch to
> wireless keyboards and wireless mice, but am wondering whether
> or not this will work.  How does computer A with wireless mouse
> A, not get confused with computer B and wireless mouse B,
> or computer C / Mouse C, especially if they are all the same
> model made by the same manufacturer?
> 

I have done this and I have had interference between the two wireless
keyboard/mouse systems on the same desk.  It could usually be solved
by moving the receiver closer to it's keyboard - but not always.  This
setup exists at at an office that I do some tech support for.  The
really dumb thing is that there is no reason to have wireless
keyboards/mice since the computers are under and/or on the same desk
and the wires would be a non issue.  In fact the receivers are within
6 inches of the keyboards/mice so the 'wireless' gap is pretty small
and the use of them is just silly.

I would not try to use two wireless keyboards in an SO2R setup.

I would just use one computer.


> Does transmitted RF in a multi-radio situation potentially compound the
> situation further?  With "wired" keyboard and mice, I use ferrites to
> good effect.  What can you use with wireless devices?

I think it might depend on how much RF you have in your shack and on
the frequency or even brand of wireless device you use.  I have used
some wireless keyboard in my station and I did not have any RFI issues
that I can recall.  I will note that over about three years or so I
did have two wireless keyboards stop working at my station.  I do not
know if some nearby RF broke them or if they just died of old age.
These keyboards were being used for a number of years before at an
office.

I have pretty much decided that wireless keyboards/mice are not that
useful in my life.  You have to replace battries and the ones I was
using would sometimes loose it's connection to the computer.  I first
bought them to run a computer that was across the room and hooked up
to a large monitor - for that they were very useful.  

YMMV

-- 
George Fremin III - K5TR
geoiii at kkn.net
http://www.kkn.net/~k5tr




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