[CQ-Contest] [NCCC] TXRX of the Future is here Now!

[Richard (Rick) Karlquist]

You don't have to have a computer at the remote
for all other radios.  On the contrary, you
can get a Lantronix remote terminal server
(~$70, Digikey) and make any radio's serial
port look like a LAN connection.  So the built
in LAN port is merely a convenience, nothing
to get excited about.

Also, I don't see any big problem about having
a computer at the remote site unless it is running
on solar panels or something where the power consumption
is an issue.

The built in audio over IP is convenient, but the latency
is a showstopper for contesting, if you do it over the
internet  (I don't know about point to point links).
I experimented with operating my Galt station remotely from Cupertino
during the recent DX contests.  The delay of several
hundred ms each direction was a rate killer.  I could
still make contacts, but I wasted a lot of time trying
to anticipate when to respond.  And there was no way
I could call CQ.  I found myself "cheating"
by listening on the Cupertino radio to get rid of the
receive delay.  For the record, I was using SM5VXC's
"IP sound" program for the audio over IP.  It is much
better than Skype.

Subsequent to that, I installed a phone patch in Galt
and measured the delay over a POTS phone line.  Essentially,
zero delay.  Of course, you can connect the phone patch
to any radio.  I will be experimenting with this setup
in some future contests.

For the record, I am using a TS-570 for the remote radio.

Rick N6RK

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nccc-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:nccc-bounces at contesting.com]On
> Behalf Of Eric Hilding
> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 7:04 PM
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
> Cc: nccc at contesting.com; writelog at contesting.com
> Subject: [NCCC] TXRX of the Future is here Now!
> 
> 
> For those interested in, or working on, a remote station venue 
> like myself, major Congrats to TenTec for their Visionary action 
> step into the future.
> 
> The new TenTec OMNI VII has just raised the bar for all TXRX 
> manufacturers.
> 
> (From the website - http://radio.tentec.com/Amateur/Transceivers/TT588 ) 
> 
> =======
> OMNI-VII is the first truly Net-Ready ham transceiver. No PC 
> required at the rig to operate remote! Locate your OMNI-VII 
> anywhere you have wideband Internet access. Simply connect its 
> built-in Ethernet port to your router with our exclusive One Plug 
> connection. Delivers live receive AND transmit operation from 
> anywhere else in the world from another wideband Internet access! 
> A simple GUI (Graphical User Interface) written for the OMNI-VII 
> will be available for download at no charge from our firmware 
> update website. That's not all:  the latest GUI source code 
> (written in Visual Basic) and complete programming instructions 
> can be downloaded to build your own GUI. 
> =======
> 
> The added turn-on here is they will be making the source code 
> available for operator customization.  Most remote control 
> software vendors are not Contesters, and just "don't get it" with 
> respect to some of the operating nuance needs (especially when 
> operating 35WPM CW contests).  At least now TenTec has changed 
> this.  Being able to re-tweak the software yourself (or via hired 
> gun) is beyond cool.
> 
> A quick test from California hooked up to the rig in Tennessee 
> worked well, and the built-in audio was fine.  No need for 3rd 
> party clogs in the wheel like Skype, etc., which is fantastic.  
> For those bypassing traditional Net services and going with low 
> latency point-to-point gear (less than 5ms), all ya gotta do is 
> plug in a couple of Ethernet cables.  This *is* the future, here and now.
> 
> A remaining task, however, is to get the Contest logging software 
> authors to "get with the program" and either release partial 
> source code, or build in clever interface(s) to eliminate the 
> need to manually swap window focus back and forth between a 
> logger and the rig control software when operating an intense 
> high-speed CW Contest format,  'cuz that just plain sucks ;-(
> 
> Bravo to TenTec for advancing part of what's been missing in the 
> remote venue a big step into the future.
> 
> FYI & 73...
> 
> Rick, K6VVA
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