[LOGic] More on remote operation

K0DAN k0dan at comcast.net
Mon Dec 1 20:12:41 EST 2008 

This is an interesting thread, with good points all-around.

I too am implementing a remote base, and haven't got far enough into the 
final design to consider power control beyond what my TS2000 provides via 
remote software. But as previously mentioned, even shutting off the rig does 
not address whether it's "really" off (or "virtually" off), much less the 
router, PC, power supplies, and other powered devices that support the 
remote radio.

At some point in the design, it seems to me there's a need to do a true 
"cold boot" of everything at the remote location. Much of what this thread 
addresses is "warm boot" or "unknown boot". If you can trip the breakers, 
and get remote ACK of same, you know the power's off. Then you can just 
power it all up or power it back in stages. (And maybe fire off the HALON 
system if your CO, IR, and smoke detectors are telling you house or 
outbuilding is on fire!)

Even sitting beside my PC, there times when it gets so hosed, that a reboot 
is no longer reliable. Even the on/off switch is not 100% reliable, and 
tripping the power strip or pulling the plug and leaving it all of for 60 
secs is the only way to be sure that baby is really ZZZZZZZ. No, you don't 
want/have to do it all the time, but it's needed a few times a year for some 
goofy reason or other.

With a remote radio (especially if it's REALLY remote), this seems to be 
another safety & diagnostic level.

Personally, I hadn't planned for it in my design (my remote will be about 
150' from the hamshack) but I think I'm gonna add it to the design, just cuz 
the cost/benefit seems to be there. In my case, I'll probably use some kind 
of X10 remote device.

73

Dan
K0DAN

PS I have not useda remoted UPS, but if they provide remote monitoring & 
control, that might be a good place to tap in to interrupt primary AC, test 
the UPs backup, and maybe even take the UPS offline. Have any of you IS guys 
done this on an amateur budget?



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "J.A. Wolf, MD, K6JW" <k6jw at scdxc.org>
To: "LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic logging 
program" <logic at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 2:59 PM
Subject: Re: [LOGic] More on remote operation


>   Well...maybe I am being overly cautious. The computer that leaked its 
> smoke (you know: if the smoke leaks out, the machine won't work anymore) 
> was new and hadn't been running more than a couple of hours when it 
> happened. It's true that I've never seen anything like it in any "run-in" 
> computer I've used over the past 25 years. Maybe I should reconsider...
>   Thanks.
> --Jeff, K6JW
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mel Martin" <ve2dc at videotron.ca>
> To: "LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic logging 
> program" <logic at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 12:27
> Subject: Re: [LOGic] More on remote operation
>
>
>> Well that's unusual. I have been responsible for literally thousands of 
>> computers over the years, always left on, and I have never seen or even 
>> heard of one catching fire. I have seen them fail with some pretty funky 
>> smells, but never actually catch fire. I know such things can happen... 
>> but most of the fires I have heard about are to do with laptops and their 
>> batteries. Perhaps you are being overly cautious. A smoke detector 
>> coupled to a breaker might be a solution... such things must exist.
>>
>> Regarding security, my caution stands... when you power up after a long 
>> interval your computer is vulnerable. It takes time for all the updates 
>> to be done. The biggest risk is OS exploits which need to be patched as 
>> soon as fixes are available.
>>
>> J.A. Wolf, MD, K6JW wrote:
>>> Hi, Mel!
>>>   The simple answer to your question is that I once left a computer 
>>> running that suddenly developed a short in the power supply and caught 
>>> fire. Fortunately, I was in the house and smelled the smoke before the 
>>> fire spread. It's made me a bit nervous about leaving town with a 
>>> computer running. Of course, a fire could happen anytime the computer is 
>>> running, but it seems to me that the risk would be reduced if it were 
>>> only running when I was using it.
>>>   Anti-virus updating is automatic, so that's not really an issue. The 
>>> UPS is well advised.
>>> 73,
>>> Jeff, K6JW
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mel Martin" <ve2dc at videotron.ca>
>>> To: "LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic logging 
>>> program" <logic at mailman.qth.net>
>>> Sent: Monday, December 01, 2008 10:51
>>> Subject: Re: [LOGic] More on remote operation
>>>
>>>
>>>> Why would you not leave your computer running? This is the proper 
>>>> course of action... Shutting down computers on the Internet for a long 
>>>> period of time means that when you wake them up their OS patches, virus 
>>>> signatures and such are out of date. Modern computers can be configured 
>>>> to go into a very low state of activity after a prolonged period of 
>>>> activity. I would also strongly recommend a UPS for your computer and 
>>>> router.
>>>>
>>>> Mel, VE2DC
>>>>
>>>> J.A. Wolf, MD, K6JW wrote:
>>>>>   Glad someone opened the general topic on the reflector. I'm using 
>>>>> TRX-Manager with LOGic8 for rig control with a Mark-V. CW is 
>>>>> accomplished via parallel port, and sound/voice via Skype. Digital 
>>>>> modes go through a RIGblaster. Remote access is through logmein.com. 
>>>>> I've been researching ways to turn on the computer and rig remotely 
>>>>> but haven't yet settled on a final scheme. There are several 
>>>>> possibilities and commercially available devices to accomplish this. 
>>>>> Some work strictly via the internet and some use telephone activation.
>>>>>   Once the computer is booted, it can be used via USB porting very 
>>>>> easily to trigger relays that will turn on the radio and SteppIR 
>>>>> controller. The real question is that of the best way to turn on the 
>>>>> computer. Does anyone on the reflector have any recommendations based 
>>>>> upon actual experience with the commercially available circuit boards 
>>>>> that will do this? I hate to go away and leave everything running for 
>>>>> a week or two at a time with no one at home.
>>>>> --Jeff, K6JW
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "N6FM Ben" <n6fm at oregonfast.net>
>>>>> To: "'LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic 
>>>>> logging program'" <logic at mailman.qth.net>
>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 13:23
>>>>> Subject: RE: [LOGic] LOGic - Remote control and port sharing
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Well, then I would suggest a remote desktop application like VNC from 
>>>>>> which
>>>>>> you can shutdown ARCP and start TRX, or merely disconnect the ports 
>>>>>> from
>>>>>> each (they do that) without shutting one down.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What specifically do you wish the program to do??
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ben
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: logic-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
>>>>>> [mailto:logic-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
>>>>>> On Behalf Of K0DAN
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 12:36 PM
>>>>>> To: LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic 
>>>>>> logging
>>>>>> program
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [LOGic] LOGic - Remote control and port sharing
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks Ben, I have TRX MGR but unfortunately it doesn't do all that
>>>>>> ARCP2000 does, nor all that I need.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 73
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Dan
>>>>>> K0DAN
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "N6FM Ben" <n6fm at oregonfast.net>
>>>>>> To: "'LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic 
>>>>>> logging
>>>>>> program'" <logic at mailman.qth.net>
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 2:30 PM
>>>>>> Subject: RE: [LOGic] LOGic - Remote control and port sharing
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The TS-2000 only has one serial port. You can't control with two 
>>>>>>> programs
>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>> the same time.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I would suggest obtaining TRX-Manager' use that instead of ARCP. It 
>>>>>>> has a
>>>>>>> great number of features to control the 2000 (since the author owns 
>>>>>>> one)
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> can be linked to Logic. That way, setting the rig in Logic will 
>>>>>>> cause TRX
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> respond. Only one serial port is required.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Ben
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: logic-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
>>>>>>> [mailto:logic-bounces at mailman.qth.net]
>>>>>>> On Behalf Of K0DAN
>>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2008 9:55 AM
>>>>>>> To: LOGic is open to all radio amateurs for discussion of LOGic 
>>>>>>> logging
>>>>>>> program
>>>>>>> Subject: [LOGic] LOGic - Remote control and port sharing
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have two rigs interfaced to LOGIC:
>>>>>>> a) An FT1000MP using a derived USB-Serial port
>>>>>>> b) A TS2000 using a "real" serial port
>>>>>>> Right now every thing is in the hamshack, local control. All this 
>>>>>>> works
>>>>>>> fine.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm in the process of remoting the TS2000 via WIFI.
>>>>>>> I'm using Kenwood's ARCP2000 control software, which requires a 
>>>>>>> serial
>>>>>>> port
>>>>>>> to interface the rig and PC (this steals the serial port from 
>>>>>>> LOGIC).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Need another serial port so the TS2000 can talk to LOGIC while also
>>>>>>> talking
>>>>>>> to the ARCP2000 software.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I searched the LOGIC archives but couldn't find any discussions on 
>>>>>>> how to
>>>>>>> share serial ports. Or add a USB hub plus more derived USB/Serial 
>>>>>>> ports?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Any suggestions for "best way" to let the rig control software and 
>>>>>>> LOGIC
>>>>>>> talk to the TS2000 simultaneously? ("Best way" =
>>>>>>> cheap/simple/inexpensive/reliable!)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tnx
>>>>>>> es 73
>>>>>>> Dan
>>>>>>> K0DAN
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>> LOGic mailing list
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> Mel, VE2DC
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>
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>>
>> -- 
>> Mel, VE2DC
>> _______________________________________________
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>
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