Controlling HF rig from VHF rig? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / rf-microwave

author: djacobow
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2018, 12:34:39 am
content: I've been toying around with the idea of making some kind of interface that would go between VHF and HF rigs to allow me to use my HF rig remotely over VHF/UHF. Interface might take DTMF tones over the VHF link and convert them to CI-V commands. For example, you could dial in frequency/channel, filter settings, etc. Audio would be forwarded both ways. When to trigger the HF PTT would be tricky, potentially awkward, but perhaps not unworkable. (example: VHF PTT dial 123456 then unkey to exit command mode and go to tx mode, then the next time you key it keys the HF rig until you unkey, then goes back to "command mode".A quick search didn't show any commercial products like this, which makes me think perhaps it's not a great idea. Then again, most of my projects are not great ideas, so...

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2018, 01:52:36 am
content: Quote from: djacobow on June 07, 2018, 12:34:39 amI think it has been done, & there are no insurmountable technical obstacles.One which may be a problem is that, in some jurisdictions, it may be regarded as a crossband repeater, & require a separate licence.I remember, quite some years back, a temporary 2m to 10m SSB "gateway" being set up in VK6, which worked OK.It was followed up by another gateway, this time 2m to 40m.Unfortunately,the licensing authority refused a permanent licence on the grounds that people without an appropriate licence grade would be able to access HF.We do have crossband FM repeaters now, but the "gateway" idea seems to have died, with the advent of Internet linking to remote transceivers,

author: Melt-O-Tronic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2018, 02:41:06 am
content: Kenwood tried to market this commercially as Sky Command with the TS-2000, TM-D700 and other radios. Unfortunately for them, it's not legal, so they don't support it now.More information here:https://www.eham.net/articles/14260

author: djacobow
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2018, 10:32:56 pm
content: Thanks guys. I guess I didn't even think whether this was legal. I scanned the eHam thread and I have to say, I'm not sure I understand the issue much better. (Aside: Why are e-ham discussions so often rancorous?)Anyway, I'm going to look at 97.201 myself and see if I can make sense of it. It looks like maybe if I stick to 70cm, maybe it could be legal. And I wasn't planning on the control and audio on separate channels, but instead on separating them in time.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2018, 07:15:45 am
content: I'm surprised it's not legal in the US but legal her ein the UK, section 2, Part 10 of our licence details remote operation conditions:https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/62991/amateur-terms.pdfAllows us to use a 500mW link as long as it's secure enough to prevent it becoming a public access repeater and the remote radio can't fail in a state that it's transmitting uncontrollably, I'd be surprised it wasn't matched with something equivalent in your licence?We can also use the 'net for remote operation too which I think is fairly 'universal'?As for 'rancorous', it's been that way as long as I can remember talking to hams, there's a lot of 'special' in the ranks of the hobby and they just don't know how to reign themselves in when their opinion is questioned or proven wrong so it leads to some spectacularly heated discussions.

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 15, 2018, 12:05:05 pm
content: Beside of the legal Status why not Digital? In theorie you can send over DMR and other Systems IP Data.