[ICOM] IC7000 Remote Options?

[mikea]

On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 11:45:08AM -0500, Rossbach, David wrote:
> Hello, I have an IC7000 that I am currently using with the remote head
> and a Heil PSE6-IC headset with footpedal. I have the radio connected to
> a Mac via USB CI-V and utilize the MacLoggerDX program.
>
> The setup is currently on the first floor in my living room and Im
> wanting to move it upstairs into my office.. Both of the rooms up and
> down share a common outside wall.
>
> I was thinking of trying to get a cable run done with the 16foot OPC1444
> remote head cable and then extend the USB CI-V cable via a 16 foot 3.5mm
> cable. I realize that the capabilities of USB drop after 16foot and 16
> foot is really pushing the limits of the wall run distance.
>
> So I was wondering if anyone on the list has ran into something similar
> and wanted to know what you decided to use to remote your IC7000 to
> another room in the house?
>
> I suppose another option would be to use a program like HRD to remote
> the radio, but not sure how the audio and foot pedals etc would all work
> without purchasing additional hardware?

Interesting problem! 

A pair of USB-to-fiber-optic extenders would solve your problem very
neatly. The audio and foot pedals are a different problem set, but there
should be a way to map contact closures on some set of switches to relay
closures on the other end of a fiber. Be warned: these extenders are
_PRICEY_ -- enough so that it may be worth your while to build a small
Part-15 solution. 

An alternative for control of the radio is VNC, which gives you a direct
image on computer B of whatever's happening on computer A. If you have
wireless, this is a really good solution for control. It doesn't ship
audio, but there are things like icecast for that, and it doesn't do
switch closures. 

-- 
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin