[Elecraft] K4 Remote Lives and Breathes!

[David Gilbert]

I thought that what people really wanted was the promised app that would 
let users remotely control the K4 from their desktop or other device.

Buying two K4s seems like a very financially inefficient way to go.  
Bidirectionality doesn't sound like a practical plus.

Dave   AB7E


On 12/14/2023 9:19 AM, Rick Tavan wrote:
> Many ops have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of K4 Remote. Although
> it's not yet available for general release, several field testers have been
> exercising it. (K4-to-K4, not K4/0 or PC-based VK4 although those are in
> progress inside Elecraft.) I've made over a thousand remote contacts with
> it, mainly CW contesting but also DXing, ragchews, SSB and FT8, and can say
> this:
>
> *THE HARD STUFF IS DONE!*
>
>
> I have K4 radios at a mountain QTH and a valley QTH and either one can
> connect to and use the other. It feels almost like local, better than K3
> Remote with microBit RRCs. Some features and "corner cases" remain and
> Elecraft programmers are hard at work on them.
>
> Some highlights:
>
>     - Cabling changes required: *ZERO* - leave both stations in their local
>     configuration. You do need a way to turn on a remote K4. I'm using N6TV
>     "K-ON" dongles and remote power switches. I think you can also do it from a
>     connected KPA1500 and KPA1500 Remote. No need to leave anything powered on
>     when not in use.
>     - It's *dead simple* to connect - just specify an IP address on the
>     client (control) K4 and set up one port forward on the LAN router at the
>     server (remote radio) site. Passwords will prevent unwanted intrusion.
>     (Compare to over 100 parameters that have to be set up between pairs of
>     RRCs - and they only work one-way!)
>     - Connection takes about a second.
>     - It's bi-directional - any K4 anywhere can control any other K4
>     anywhere. No hardware asymmetry.
>     - CW sidetone and Voice monitor are local, so unaffected by latency.
>     - Use the keyer inside the client K4 or an external keyer.
>     - Plays nicely with loggers like N1MM. They see the local K4 and don't
>     realize it's controlling a remote radio.
>     - You can update the firmware in both radios from the K4 at either site.
>     - ... and more
>
> I've been an avid remote op for a decade now and this is better than I
> expected, like K4 itself well worth the wait. Hang in there, folks, it's
> really coming. Really.
>
> 73,
>
> /Rick N6XI
>
> --
>
> Rick Tavan
> Truckee and Saratoga, CA
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