Hello Gerry Elecraft + remoterig works very good.
I think once´s VY1AAA setup was ready, you left it there for all this years. I am thinking about the case i need to travel every week, 3 days a week, and i want to take my remote solution with me. Something easiest to connect and get ready will be grate for this cases 73, Jorge El jue., 7 mar. 2019 a las 13:45, Gerry Hull (<ge...@w1ve.com>) escribió: > I have four years of experience using the RemoteRig boxes with both the > K3/0 Full-size box and the K3/0 Mini. > > One must remember that the RRC 1258 boxes are not purpose-built for > Elecraft, though the solution is elegant, and works flawlessly week after > week once it has > been configured properly. > > Comparing the Flex solution of the Elecraft + RemoteRig solution is > comparing Apples to Oranges. I would hold Flex to an even higher > standard: It's a one-company solution, designed way after the Elecraft + > RemoteRig stuff was on the market. > > Hopefully, the K4, or what is ever next from Elecraft, will have > a detachable front panel --- and the connection between the front panel and > radio chassis will be Ethernet! (One can dream). > > So Flex and Elecraft, I believe, pretty much own the Remote market, which > is growing rapidly. I'm sure Eric and team are not sitting on their hands > regarding remote. > > I just passed 25,000 QSOs from VY1AAA, remoting from 4500km away in New > Hampshire. The remote end is simple DSL. The technology rocks. > Packaging is the result of multiple vendors. > > 73, > > Gerry Hull, W1VE / VE1RM > Trustee, VY1AAA > Hancock, NH > > Gerry Hull, W1VE Hancock, NH USA > Member: ARRL, YCCC, YCCCN, CW Ops > ge...@w1ve.com ph: 1-617-CW-SPARK (find me) > > > > > > On Thu, Feb 28, 2019 at 11:56 AM Barry Baines via Elecraft < > elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote: > > > Fred: > > > > > > > On Feb 28, 2019, at 8:20 AM, Fred Massey <fhmas...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > > A K3/0 that could directly connect over the internet with a K3s (K3s+ > or > > > K4) is really needed. The remoterig is relatively difficult and old > > tech. > > > The client server architecture like flex is using is what is needed. > > > > > > I use the existing K3/0-Mini and Remote Rig with my K3 and the Flex-6700 > > through Maestro remotely. Both approaches have their advantages and > > disadvantages and in essence we’re comparing apples to oranges. > > > > The K3 approach through Remote Rig is admittedly ‘kludgy’ given external > > boxes, cabling, and settings. However, once up and running it is very > good > > and reliable. Most importantly, the system requires little bandwidth for > > radio control and audio. I can use the K3 remote system controlling a K3 > > station in rural southeast Georgia which has a DSL connection and max > > upload of 1.2 MBps. In most cases, it is 768 Mbps. In addition, it is a > > ’self-contained’ system where no one else has connectivity and the > > connection is directly between the remote and the K3. I am not dependent > > upon Elecraft to maintain a system for managing my connections. However, > > this approach also requires separate means to manage the KPA500 and > KAT500. > > > > The Remote Rig RC-1216H provides a web interface for the KPA500 and I use > > a second RC-1216H to control the rotor (Green Heron RT-21 managing an > Orion > > Rotor). Of course, there isn’t a panadapter remote option which would > take > > uplink bandwidth. What I miss is the direct controllability of the KAT500 > > which requires the KAT500 utility to be controlled remotely. I’ve done > > this using a Serial-to-Ethernet converter, but I don’t llke it because it > > requires a PC to run it. I hope at some point that Remote Rig would > > upgrade the firmware to manage the KAT500 so that I can use any > web-capable > > device (iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC, etc.). > > > > Overall, the system works very well and I’ve been using it since > September > > 2014 without problems. I now keep a K3/0-Mini system at two different > > locations (Texas and New England) both of which cannot support a ham > > station on site. > > > > The Flex System overcomes some of the weaknesses of the K3 approach and > of > > course it has a remote panadapter capabiity. But it has taken Flex over > > five years to provide the remote capability at significantly higher cost > > and requires greater upload bandwidth. SmartSDR 2.0 was introduced in > 2017 > > which means for four years I could only operate the Flex-6700 when at the > > shack. Flex’s approach is dependent upon a server-based system to > > establish a secure link, a license fee if you’re upgrading from Version 1 > > to Version 2 or Version 2 to (just announced) Version 3 of SmartSDR. > Flex > > Radio has to maintain a server system to control access remotely. The > PGXL > > amplifier can be controlled directly through Maestro or a PC running > > SmartSDR v2.xx operating from a remote site. However, the “Tuner Genius” > > that is promised to go with the PGXL has not been released, so I’m > limited > > to using my EFHW antenna to the KAT500 and the K3 setup since I do need > to > > use a tuner with it. I will say that the bandwidth requirements of the > > Flex under the current V2.49 SmartSDR is significantly less than in the > > past so it works more reliably in “Low Bandwidth" mode. I also keep a > > Maestro in both Texas and New England. > > > > Having two different remote systems with different feature sets does > > provide some advantages: > > > > -Redundancy. In the event one system has a remote issue, I have the other > > to use as a backup. > > > > -Flexibility. I like to ‘listen’ so much of my time is spent listening > or > > participating on nets. The K3 setup works well since I’m not > particularly > > “hunting” for signals where a panadapter would be useful. Simply turn on > > the K3 and I’m on the last frequency I was tuned or I can enter the > > frequency of interest. I have the tuner and amplifier as needed, and > 500W > > is usually more than sufficient for my needs. The Flex is more helpful > > if I’m searching the bands with a panadapter/waterfall, but the PGXL is > > only helpful on 10-15-20 where I have a yagi and don’t need to a tuner > > capable of handling the PGXL. Due to bandwidth issues, the Flex system > > does sometime ‘hiccup’ due to missed packets though this happens a lot > less > > than previously. > > > > -Space. I spend 90% of my operating time running remote. At my > locations > > in Texas and New England I have the Maestro and K3/0-Mini sitting on my > 30” > > x 60’ office desk by the 27” Apple Display with West Mountain Radio > > external speakers that can be used with either system. The Remote Rig > > equipment, cabling, network ethernet switch, 120 VAC surge protected hub > > that powers the Remote Rig equipment, network switch, Maestro, Speakers, > > K3/0-Mini are either sitting on the floor or held in place with cable > ties > > attached around the desk legs, out-of-the-way and out-of-sight. Of > course, > > the ham shack itself in Georgia is a different matter given the amount of > > equipment installed, but the operating position has the real estate to > > handle it. (approximately 12 ft. x 30” of desk space). > > > > -Equipment Complexity: The K3/0-Mini and Remote Rig RRC-1258 are > > relatively simple devices. I’ve not had any issues with these devices > and > > while there have been firmware upgrades they are few and not necessarily > > required. The Maestro is a much more complex piece of equipment which is > > essentially a device with built-in tablet that takes significant time to > > boot up and has firmware that controls the various knobs and indications > > and of course communicates with the Flex server to establish a connection > > to my Flex-6700. Any update to SmartSDR (the most recent was last > December > > 2018 to v2.49 while Flex has announced that v3.0 will be available in > March > > 2019) requires an update to the Flex-6700 and Maestro. This can be done > > remotely, but it also reflects the greater complexity of the system. > > > > My original Maestro (purchased new in 2017) has been recalled once at no > > charge and sent back once for non-warranty repairs. > > > > -Isolation. Running remote reduces the potential for surge issues where > > I’m actually operating as there are no external antennas. > > > > At the ham shack in Southeast Georgia, I have the K3 equipment physically > > separate from the Flex Equipment going through separate ethernet switches > > and isolated with Fiber Optic Converters for CAT5 connections to help > > reduce the probability of surge problems or a ethernet switch failure in > > the shack taking down both systems. RF connection of both systems to the > > antennas and dummy load is thorough an Antenna Genius which provides high > > isolation between antenna ports. The DSL modem and separate router are in > > the house while the ham shack itself is located in an air conditioned > room > > located in the detached garage. I run a fiber optic cable between the > > house and ham shack to further isolate the network equipment in the house > > from the shack. > > > > Bottom line is that I like both systems and each system offers > > capabilities that the other does not have. Given that I’m over 1,100 > miles > > from the ham shack most of the time, I’ve benefited from redundancy > because > > things can go wrong and cannot be fixed until my next trip to southeast > > Georgia. Over the past year I’ve had issues with one or the other system > > but usually the other system is still up and running. > > > > From the user’s perspective, I do suggest that one needs to to carefully > > consider how exactly they will operate their system and what level of > > investment ($$$, sweat equity, real estate) they’re wiling or able to put > > into a remote system. Flex’s approach is certainly successful, but it > is a > > complex and more expensive system that has taken many more years to > develop > > than what Flex initially announced. Electraft’s approach is ’simpler’ in > > terms of making it possible to operate remotely, but it does appear > > relatively ‘kludgy’ given that it could certainly be streamlined if they > > thought it is worth the time and effort. If one is focused on ’pickup > > and go’ remote operation, the Flex Maestro (or SmartSDR on a laptop or > > SmartSDR for iOS on an Apple iPad) is certainly easier to manage than > > taking the K3/0-Mini with remote Rig setup. i have transported both the > > Maestro and K3/0-Mini w/Remote Rig in their respective Pelican Cases > > between locations before so I appreciate the steps needed to take down > and > > setup this equipment. I later purchased used K3/O-Mini and Maestro > devices > > to eliminate the need to transport (and take up space in my vehicle) > > between Texas (Fall/Winter) and New England (Spring/Summer) when cargo > > space is at a premium when transporting the XYL, family dog and the > > clothing and other items needed at the other QTH. > > > > > > FWIW, > > > > Barry Baines, WD4ASW > > (Keller, TX) > > > > > > > > > 73, > > > Fred > > > AE4ED > > > > > > On Thu, Feb 28, 2019 at 8:12 AM Jorge Diez - CX6VM < > > cx6vm.jo...@gmail.com> > > > wrote: > > > > > >> Hello > > >> > > >> any idea if will be a new control radio for remote? Like K3/0 Mini > with > > >> remoterig integrated inside it? > > >> > > >> Maybe for Dayton will have it? > > >> > > >> -- > > >> 73, > > >> Jorge > > >> CX6VM/CW5W > > >> ______________________________________________________________ > > >> Elecraft mailing list > > >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > >> > > >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > >> > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > > Elecraft mailing list > > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- 73, Jorge CX6VM/CW5W ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
