1. Remote HF Operation
HamCon 2010
Ron Rossi, KK1L

2. Maybe you are stuck here...

3. Maybe have a little time on a business trip...
Only a little bit of time on a business trip...

4. Maybe you have all the time in the world...

5. Wherever there is internet access you can get on the air!

6. Initial Questions Is it legal? Where am I actually operating from?
What do I need?
How does it work?

7. Is It Legal? – Part 97 Basics
§97.3 Definitions (partial)
(5) Amateur station. A station in an amateur radio service consisting of the apparatus necessary for carrying on radio communications.
(13) Control operator. An amateur operator designated by the licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions from that station to assure compliance with the FCC Rules.
(14) Control point. The location at which the control operator function is performed.
(38) Remote control. The use of a control operator who indirectly manipulates the operating adjustments in the station through a control link to achieve compliance with the FCC Rules.
§ Control operator duties (partial)
(a) The control operator must ensure the immediate proper operation of the station, regardless of the type of control.
§ Station control (partial)
(c) When a station is being remotely controlled, the control operator must be at the control point. Any station may be remotely controlled.

8. Is It Legal? – Part 97 Basics
§97.5 Station license grant required (partial)
(a) The station apparatus must be under the physical control of a person named in an amateur station license grant on the ULS consolidated license database or a person authorized for alien reciprocal operation by § of this part, before the station may transmit on any amateur service frequency from any place that is:
(1) Within 50 km of the Earth's surface and at a place where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC;
§ Station identification (partial)
(a) Each amateur station, except a space station or telecommand station, must transmit its assigned call sign on its transmitting channel at the end of each communication, and at least every ten minutes during a communication, for the purpose of clearly making the source of the transmissions from the station known to those receiving the transmissions. No station may transmit unidentified communications or signals, or transmit as the station call sign, any call sign not authorized to the station.

9. Where Am I?
When operating a station remotely use the call sign appropriate to the physical location of the station.
You are the control operator of the amateur station.
Follow the rules where the station is located.

10. What do I need? Radio physically connected your computer
Software to control your radio and other stuff
Broadband internet connection
Internet bridge for computer control
Internet bridge for sound

11. The Physical Connection
The basics...
Radio with computer interface
Computer with sound card interfaced to radio
Computer controlled keying & PTT
Nice extras...
Antenna switching
Rotator control
Amplifier control
Power on/off control

12. The Basic Station

13. Radio Meets Computer
PTT & CW
Serial RS232 / USB

14. Radio Meets Computer PTT & CW Serial RS232 / USB Sound Card LineIn
Sound Card Output
Sound Card Mic Input

15. Hardware Examples Commercial Units WinKey (K1EL)
Parallel Port Keying
Commercial Units
WinKey (K1EL)
RigBlaster (West Mountain Radio)
DX Doubler (TopTen)
YCCC SO2R+ (K1XM)
Several others...
Serial Keying and Audio Connections

16. Station Control Software
Ham Radio Deluxe (HRD)
DXLabs Suite
Commander (rig control)
DXKeeper (extensive logging capability)
WinWarbler (RTTY, CW, etc)
N1MM Logger (the top choice for contesting)
n1mm.com
Many, many others...

17. Station Control Software
Features
Radio status (band, mode, etc)
PTT on/off
CW generation
Voice keying
Mode selection (CW, LSB, USB, etc)
Frequency selection
Antenna selection based on band
Rotator control
Others ... (vary by program)

18. HRD Main Screen

19. DXLabs Commander Screen

20. Radio Met Computer PTT & CW Serial RS232 / USB Sound Card LineIn
Sound Card Output
Sound Card Mic Input

21. Let’s Build the Bridge

22. Putting It All Together

23. Putting It All Together
QRZ
Kilo Five Delta UP UP

24. Putting It All Together
...QRZ
Kilo Five Delta UP! UP!
Sound Card Mic Input

25. Remote Computer Control
Remote login software – FREE!
LogMeIn
Relatively easy to set up
VNC
Requires Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Microsoft NetMeeting, etc
Too slow

26. Remote Sound Voice over Internet (VoIP) software – FREE!
Skype
Very easy to set up
Mono only
IP-Sound by SM5VXC wireless.org.uk/software.htm
Requires VPN or Port mapping
Stereo (good for two radio work)

27. Advanced Control Serverless Connection GlenTek www.glentekcorp.com
Hardware TCP/IP interface
Directly connects sound and radio control to the internet

28. Okay...Show Me!
Demo time...

29. KK1L Station Diagram TS850 CPU FT1000 *MicroHam type controller YCCC
Serial Control
TS850
YCCC
SO2R
Controller*
Audio RF
2x6
Antenna
Switch
USB
CPU
PTT/CW
Audio
Audio
FT1000 RF
PTT/CW
Serial Control
*MicroHam type controller

30. KK1L Station

31. KK1L Station

32. Audio Control and Antenna Switching

33. Okay...NOW Show Me!
Demo time...