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ZL3AI > APRDIG 26.02.07 22:55l 221 Lines 8732 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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To : APRDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Remote HF SkyCommand on the air (Bob Bruninga )
2. Re: Remote HF SkyCommand on the air (Stephen H. Smith)
3. RE: Re: Remote HF SkyCommand on the air (Robert Bruninga)
4. Cheap Solar Panels (Kriss A Kliegle)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 15:20:12 -0500 (EST)
From: "Bob Bruninga " <bruninga_at_usna.edu>
Subject: [aprssig] Remote HF SkyCommand on the air
Our SkyCommand remote base is now on the air:
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/USNAremoteHF.html
It works great! From the front panel of my Mobile D700 or D7 HT I can now
control the TS-2000 HF rig at work. Here are lessons learned:
* Does the VHF link ever time out? [Yes, after 10 min)
* What does #1 ON/OFF command do? (I see no change.)
* Can others share my rig? [Yes! Use CMDR call!}
* Can we chat on UHF for coord? [YES, w different PL]
* Can all D7/700's see HF freq? [yes!]
* what is safe TS2000 VHF TX pwr? [5w only gets warm]
* How to remotely band change? ?????
* How to delete char in callsign? [CLEAR key on TS2000]
* What about PATH? [must be direct]
I'm still stuck on 20 meters and just cannot seem to get it to band change.
For a few tests, direct freq entry worked, but now it wont anymore again.
I enter 14.123.11 and it goes to 14.123.11 MHz, but if I enter ANY OTHER
BAND including 21.123.11 even with the same number of digits, it simply
will not change bands.
THis is where I started. But then for several tests it DID QSY to any BAND
by direct frequency input, but now it is back to no-band change. Must be
some setting on the TS-2000...
Lots of fun now commuting and being able to listen to something new for a
chnage.
Bob, Wb4APR
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Sat, 24 Feb 2007 14:32:19 -0800
From: "Stephen H. Smith" <wa8lmf2_at_aol.com>
Subject: [aprssig] Re: Remote HF SkyCommand on the air
bruninga_at_usna.edu wrote:
>Our SkyCommand remote base is now on the air:
>
>http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/USNAremoteHF.html
I started playing around with remote HF control about 20 years ago with an
ACC "Shackmaster" and a Kenwood TS-940. The Shackmaster is a dedicated
Z-80 based controller that accepts DTMF commands on VHF and communicates
with the Kenwood via it's serial port. It actually exceeded the
functionality of SkyCommand in that it could also control the VHF/UHF rigs
of the day that used BCD thumbwheel frequency controls, activate and read
back the heading of antenna rotators, read the S-meter of the HF rig, do
X-10 household remote control, and a lot more. (I used the X-10 to turn the
AC power on to the HF rig.)
One feature that (to me at least) was always an issue was how to remotely
select HF antennas, and how to trigger the tune cycle of automatic antenna
tuners.
The Kenwood transceiver had a front-panel "TUNE" button that would start
either it's internal tuner or an external coupler. The problem was that
there was no serial port command to remotely trigger the tune process. I
finally would up connecting an opto-isolator's output across the front
panel "TUNE" button's contacts, and used one of the general-purpose
single-bit outputs (similar to a KPC3's) accessible with a DTMF code that
the Shackmaster provided, to remotely "push it".
Later, when the SGC 230 Smartuner arrived on the scene, things got vastly
simpler. Unlike any other automatic couplers, Smartuners don't require any
kind of tune cycle or handshaking. You just provide 12VDC power and dump
RF into them at any power level from 5-150 watts and they tune. The first
time on a given band or freq they make take 10-15 seconds to tune but they
memorize the settings. The next time on the same freq, they will re-channel
in less than a second. You just whistle on SSB for a second or so and the
wire is tuned!
[All other autocouplers I have played with use handshaking tune cycles
that command the radio to key up at reduced power (typically 10W CW) and
then pull in a 10-20 dB pad so that the radio's finals see a constant 50
ohms, and the relay contacts see only .1 to 1W while switching. When the
tuner's SWR sensor sees the magic 50+j0 condition, the tuner unkeys the
radio, switches out the pad, and restores the radio to full power in
whatever mode it was in before.]
I was always amazed that SGC got away with the rapid-fire hot-switching of
relays (used to short and unshort sections of coil and to select various
values of capacitors in the L-network) with up to 100 watts of RF on them
without frying the contacts but somehow they do.
I notice that the SkyCommand menu conspicuously lacks a menu choice to
function the "TUNE" button on the 2000's front panel that triggers the tune
cycle of either the internal limited-range "line-flattener" tuner or an
external coupler that plugs into a 6-pin Molex jack on the rear panel.
How are you going to tune/match the slopers:
Fixed networks?
SGC "just dump RF into them with no control/handshaking
required"autotuners?
And select one of the three (or antennas for other bands):
Single contact outputs on a KPC3 with packets sent separately from
SkyCommand?
An external decoder responding to DTMF from the mobile mic?
On the text file linked from the URL above, you seem are citing a path
to a file apparently on your LAN.
\\coyote\bruninga\web-docs\USNAremoteHF.html
Doesn't do us much good out here on the Internet.......
--
Stephen H. Smith wa8lmf (at) aol.com
EchoLink Node: 14400 [Think bottom of the 2M band]
Home Page: http://wa8lmf.com --OR-- http://wa8lmf.net
NEW! TNC Test CD
http://wa8lmf.net/TNCtest
JavAPRS Filter Port 14580 Guide
http://wa8lmf.net/aprs/JAVaprsFilters.htm
"APRS 101" Explanation of APRS Path Selection & Digipeating
http://wa8lmf.net/DigiPaths
Updated "Rev G" APRS http://wa8lmf.net/aprs
Symbols Set for UI-View,
UIpoint and APRSplus:
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2007 08:08:34 -0500
From: "Robert Bruninga" <bruninga_at_usna.edu>
Subject: RE: [aprssig] Re: Remote HF SkyCommand on the air
>One feature that (to me at least) was always an issue was
>how to remotely select HF antennas, and how to trigger
>the tune cycle of automatic antenna tuners. ...
>How are you going to tune/match the slopers:
>SGC "just dump RF into them..."autotuners?
Bingo! I finally got funding and have an AGC on order.
Antenna selection will be via DTMF selection. We used to have an ATV
camera on top of the water tower right outside the gate here and it was fun
to operate from mobiles with DTMF, since you could look at boats on the
river, or traffic at the gate, or even look at the Football statium. But
then I discovered APRS and have not gotten back to ATV in 15 years.
An when they painted the water tower, the contractors chucked my entire ATV
system over the side (everything was up there, the RX, TX, CONtrol system,
everything to keep cables short). I have the damaged goods, but any effort
to put it all back would require a zero start. That was the basis for
APRS, Automatic Picture Relay Network... But then that is another story...
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/aprn.html
Thanks for the feedback!
Bob
WB4APR
>And select one of the three (or antennas for other bands):
>Single contact outputs on a KPC3 with packets sent
>separately from SkyCommand?
>An external decoder responding to DTMF from the mobile mic?
I thought about the KPC-3, except that the mobile, once he is in skycommand
mode, cannot send any packets of his own, so it will have to be DTMF since
the Mic still works. I'm coming up with ideas for SKYCOMMAND III so that
we have more controls and have the changeable PL so that operators can chat
and coordinate on UHF without keying the HF rig if they need to..
Bob
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2007 11:09:01 -0500
From: "Kriss A Kliegle" <kliegle_at_comcast.net>
Subject: [aprssig] Cheap Solar Panels
Unfortunately they're not cheap, even at HarborFreight they get $8/watt!!!
At Solar-electric.com (Northern Arizona Wind and Sun) you can get large
panels for $4.70/watt. Still, no bargin though.
I purchased all of mine used from Ebay and local word of mouth sales for
about $2.00/watt. You just have to look around at those Want-Ad type
magazines at the local quick mart store, because I've purchased them from
there too!
Kriss KA1GJU
KA1GJU-3 Solar Powered WX digi
W1WQM/R Solar/Wind Powered Voice 2M Repeater
------------------------------
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