[Elecraft] new K3/0 Mini

Thu Mar 7 12:40:14 EST 2019

Not true, Jorge!

I have used it mobile, at conventions, and many radio club demos.

Don't forget about the Android client for RRC (Nano) (they need a new one,
but old one works).  If you have your station fully automated as far as
band switching,
the NANO client works perfectly on your phone.

I understand what you are asking for -- and it will come!

73,

Gerry W1VE / VE1RM

On Thu, Mar 7, 2019 at 12:26 PM Jorge Diez - CX6VM <cx6vm.jorge at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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 (<gerry at 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
>> gerry at w1ve.com ph: 1-617-CW-SPARK (find me)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 28, 2019 at 11:56 AM Barry Baines via Elecraft <
>> elecraft at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>
>> > Fred:
>> >
>> >
>> > > On Feb 28, 2019, at 8:20 AM, Fred Massey <fhmassey at 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.jorge at 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
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>
>
> --
> 73,
> Jorge
> CX6VM/CW5W
>