[Elecraft] K4D purchase

[Rick Tavan]

Port forwarding is required only on the server side.

In addition to this elecraft at mailman.qth.net reflector, there has been lots of conversation on the Elecraft-K4 at groups.io reflector. There is also a K4-Remote at groups.io reflector but it hasn't been very active lately.

I am anticipating a separate doc from Elecraft on the subject of remote control when the code is released for production use, maybe as soon as open Beta testing. It will consolidate a lot of wisdom and detail that has so far been part of the "oral tradition" (which these days is more of a "typed tradition.")   ;-)

As with most Elecraft products, you can expect incremental releases with the most important features provided initially and growing over time. (This tends to frustrate those who want a perfect product to emergefully-grownfrom the forehead of Zeus. Me, I'm happy to get a basic product at first and watch it grow through periodic, downloadable releases.) Right now, any K4 on the planet can control any other K4 provided both are connected to decent Internet and have an appropriate firmware update loaded. In field testing, I find it quite adequate now for high-rate contesting, DXing, and general QSOs. Considering ease of use, performance, reliability, complexity, flexibility, and community, I'll give it four and a half stars with promotion to five stars coming when VK4 (app-to-K4) and "K4/0" (physical front panel-to-K4) are available. Ease of use alone qualifies it for the Remote Control Honor Roll.

73,

/Rick N6XI

On 3/25/24 6:13 AM, David Christ wrote:
> Is the port forwarding needed on the client side or the server side or both?  This could be a game killer.  The retirement community I live in is resistant to allowing port forwarding.  This would be the client side.  I have full control at the server side/
>
> How do I keep track of this?  Is there a listwerv whereit is discussed?
>
>
> David K0LUM
>
>> On Mar 24, 2024, at 11:05 PM, Rick Tavan <rick at tavan.com> wrote:
>>
>> ...and remote control is working well K4-to-K4 in limited field test,
>> coming soon to open Beta test. A computer app "VK4" is coming after that.
>> It's the simplest remote control architecture in the industry -  fill in
>> remote IP address and password on the client side, 1 or 2 port forwards and
>> specify a password on the server side. It's a game changer.  A little more
>> complicated if the server-side ISP uses CGNAT but manageable by anyone who
>> has access to a teenage gamer.  ;-)
>>
>> /Rick N6XI
>>
>> On Sun, Mar 24, 2024 at 7:03 PM Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 3/24/2024 4:15 PM, Kevin McQuiggin wrote:
>>>
>>>>> Comments from owners of k4D
>>>
>>> I've had mine for 18-24 months. Like it a lot. Compared to K3S, better
>>> filters, sound of the radio improved, thanks to what chips were
>>> available 16 years later.
>>>
>>> Only issue is RF feedback at rear panel 3.5mm jacks. I suspect it's
>>> because the style of switched jacks the industry has used since at least
>>> the '50s are no longer available, so they couldn't bond the shield at
>>> the point of entry and had to add circuitry to do the switching.
>>>
>>> And some features have yet to be implemented, like remote control.
>>>
>>> 73, Jim K9YC
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>> -- 
>> --
>>
>> Rick Tavan
>> Truckee and Saratoga, CA
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-- 
Rick Tavan, Saratoga & Truckee, CA