[SCCC] Remote Control/Audio (was CQWW CW WA7BNM SOSB15 LP)

[Bruce Horn]

Thanks to Mike and Dana for sharing their remote audio experiences. I avoided using TeamViewer because of many postings indicating that the free version wasn't viable for ham radio contesting due to company policies and the paid version was too expensive. I selected RemotePC based on some Wirecutter (as I recall) reviews and a really inexpensive introductory price. I recently saw a reference from another 3830 post of someone using Murmur and Mumble for remote audio. These programs are open source and specifically designed for low-latency VOIP - seem to be popular with gamers. Much experimentation remains to be done.

73 de Bruce, WA7BNM   (bhorn at hornucopia.com)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dana Roode K6NR" <dana.roode at gmail.com>
To: "Michael Tope" <W4EF at dellroy.com>
Cc: "SCCC Reflector" <sccc at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 3, 2020 10:36:48 AM
Subject: [SCCC] Remote Control/Audio (was CQWW CW WA7BNM SOSB15 LP)

Hi Mike - throwing my 2 cents in - I use a phone connection for audio to my
remote station in Phelan, but I use REMAUD when that's down.  It works OK,
except the latency makes it near impossible to use in contests without
confusing the heck out of folks I am calling.  I suspect that is due to my
poor Internet connection (which I use to control everything else).  Sounds
like your connection is better or you have found a way around the latency
issue.

Teamviewer worked well for me (RDP had issues with WSJT display, I don't
know why).  But I gave up with Teamviewer after they hassled me about
"commercial use" by abrupting turning off my access.  I cleared that up but
moved to VNC, which works very well.

I have never tried to do paddle CW over the network, I use use the keyboard
interfaces.  The remote phone connection provides real time feedback, which
is nice.  Congrats on working out remote paddle CW.

  dana


On Wed, Dec 2, 2020 at 10:38 PM Michael Tope <W4EF at dellroy.com> wrote:

> Bruce,
>
> I am having good luck with DF3CB's Remaud program. I had a little
> trouble at first, but it appears that was related to a faulty router on
> the server side. At present it is working great. I am using TeamViewer
> for remote desktop (I can also use Windows RDP if the folks at
> TeamViewer start jerking me around again regarding alleged commercial use).
>
> I now have two Winkeyers at the station. One of the Winkeyers (WK#1) is
> interfaced with N1MM+. This one takes care of all the computer generated
> CW coming from N1MM. The 2nd Winkeyer (WK#2) is interfaced with the
> Winkey Remote utility on a separate COM port. This allows me to send CW
> by hand if I need to send something that isn't already loaded into a
> N1MM+ function key. For a while I tried using the keyboard for this with
> the "Ctrl-K" function in N1MM+, but I found it awkward and I often ended
> up butchering whatever I was intending to send.
>
> I have a 3rd Winkeyer (WK#3) at my client side operating desk that is
> synchronized with WK#2 via Winkey Remote. My bencher paddles are plugged
> into WK#3. Since I can't send worth a darn using the delayed sidetone
> coming back from the remote site (the delay totally throws me for a
> loop), I needed a way to get a local sidetone into my headphones when I
> am sending. To do this I added an extra RCA connector to WK#3 chassis
> and tied it in parallel with the output of the Winkeyer's internal
> sidetone generator circuit. To route this sidetone into my headphones, I
> built a little external circuit that uses the PTT output of WK#3 to
> energize a reed relay that makes the connection to my headphones (and
> cuts off the remote audio) when I am sending with the paddles. This did
> the trick.
>
> It's starting to feel like I am actually at the station instead of 50
> miles away.
>
> 73, Mike W4EF..................
>
>
> On 11/29/2020 10:09 PM, Bruce Horn wrote:
> >                      CQ Worldwide DX Contest, CW - 2020
> >
> > Call: WA7BNM
> > Operator(s): WA7BNM
> > Station: WA7BNM
> >
> > Class: SOSB15 LP
> > QTH: S.Calif
> > Operating Time (hrs): 15.5
> > Remote Operation
> >
> > Summary:
> >   Band  QSOs  Zones  Countries
> > ------------------------------
> >    160:
> >     80:
> >     40:
> >     20:
> >     15:  240    22       45
> >     10:
> > ------------------------------
> > Total:  240    22       45  Total Score = 44,555
> >
> > Club: Southern California Contest Club
> >
> > Comments:
> >
> > I was able to get CW integration of N1MM+ and the Flex 6600M/Maestro
> working
> > before the contest, so I was able to implement my plan to operate the
> second day
> > of the contest by remoting back to my home station after doing the first
> half in
> > the home shack. Next challenge was hearing the CW sidetone when operating
> > remotely.  Based on VE6WZ's experience, I connected the audio line out
> of the
> > 6600M to the PC I used to control the rotator, used Audacity to make the
> audio
> > on line in audible on the PC and then used remotepc to access the audio
> > remotely. Unfortunately, this was not a robust solution, so I spent most
> of the
> > contest not hearing the CW I was sending.
> >
> > Nice to have some fun on 15m. Primarily S&P, but was surprised to be
> able to
> > do some CQing with 100 watts.
> >
> > Rig: Flexradio 6600M/Maestro - 100 watts
> > Antennas: SteppIR DB-36 at 105 ft and Optibeam OB16-3 at 72 ft
> >
> > 73 de Bruce, WA7BNM   (bhorn at hornucopia.com)
> > _______________________________________________
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> > SCCC at contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/sccc
>
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