Remote Disconnect

KY6LA_Howard

Now that 1.4 Remote is working there needs to be a way to disconnect a remote instance of SSDR that currently has control of the radio.

Example.   You start SSDR at the machine dedicated to the Flex 6000

Then you go to bed, pick up your laptop to get into SSDR remote from your bedroom only to find that you had forgotten to release SSDR from the dedicated machine.  So you would need to get out of bed, walk to the shack and release or disconnect SSDR

It would really save a lot of time and agony if one could click on the remote in SSDR to disconnect it so you could take command locally

I ran into this situation when remoting today (waiting for XYL) as I had left the 6700 remoted into one of the other computers in my shack, not the regular dedicated Flex computer... so I had to teamviewer into that computer to cancel SSDR..  I was lucky as it had teamviewer on the second computer...

Lee - N2LEE

Howard, I second this suggestion. And should not be very difficult to implement.

Jim Gilliam

Perhaps an auto-disconnect with no use. Sorta like a transmit TOT.

Jim

W5UN_Dave

Howard I use VNC Server/Viewer for this. It also lets me deal with the SPE 2K-FA amp which is controlled on the same server computer as my SmartSDR.

Now, if only I could find someone to help me implement that VPN setup that was described in another community post (I'm getting too old for this, hi)

Dave

Jim Gilliam

I want a remote in a hut on top of a mountain (with magical Internet service) that does not require a VPN. A remote that is stand-alone without any host computers attached. That was the whole purpose of "computerizing the Flex."

Jim

steve smith ka1sdr

how about being able to remotely turn radio on and off to

Jim Gilliam

There are I/P gadgets available that are stand-alone that do not require a host computer.

KY6LA_Howard

I already am able to do that with a WEMO Internet Switch Plus I have WEMO on the computer and DC Power Buses so I can shut those too.

Chris DL5NAM

It's MUST HAVE for remote operation via WAN
Wake ON LAN

Steve-N5AC

Howard, this is an excellent point (remote disconnect).  I've added this as a feature request (#1772).  Thanks for the great suggestion!

I don't believe WOL will be possible because of the way the radio is designed.  There is a single processor that is awake when the radio is off and it does not have visibility of the Ethernet state.  The rest of the radio would have to be running.  So what is the goal here -- are you hoping to reduce current while the radio is off?  If so, what is acceptable?  Just thinking aloud we could shut off much of the hardware and go into a low-power state when not in use rather than turn off the main processor.  This would save some current (probably cut down from 25 to maybe 10W).  Is this a really important thing to have?  This would probably be quite a bit of work that could be spent on other features if this is not very important.

Patrick

I see your concerns and questions, but it would be nice to have a single point shutdown or reset or both from the SmartSDR app both remote and local.  It would be OK to power up from the normal power button on the radio and not having remote start up would be OK.  A  standby mode would also be OK. 

Bob G W1GLV

Howard, I'm controlling my 6500 remotely off LAN via Parallels Access. SSDR is on inthe shack. I did this yesterday from the barber shop. My main computer is an Apple running Parallels. I'm running remotely on my iPad. Pretty neat stuff. Again thanks FRS.

Ken - NM9P

An important suggestion, Howard. I was testing remote from my living room on the wife's laptop and for some reason had a freeze-up. After closing and reopening SSDR, it said that it couldn't connect because it was already connected....to the same computer! Strange. I had to go to the shack and power off the rig and restart it. Then it worked fine.....except for some networking problems I am having that I am pretty sure are not rig or SSDR related..... Getting five-second freezes of pan and audio with associated reduction in the network load on the resource monitor. But not many dropped packets appearing in SSDR's network monitor, and the meter stays green..... Investigation time....

Chris DL5NAM

Remote operation is if i can switch my radio via WAN ON and(!) OFF.
Not with any other hardware or a Big Mac or i don't know what else at remote side.
If it works via WAN it works via LAN too.

This functionality is older then any of the Flex Radio. My ALPHA 87A has it and it's long time out of production! Via the RS232. There was no USB port. A small power supply inside is always on and wait for a Power ON command.
Every modern power AMP has it (OM-Power).
There are many Ham operator at Flex stuff i believe they know it well what is remote operation.

RemoteRig can do it with Yaesu, Kenwood, Elecraft ....
ICOM can do it with RS-BA1

Guys, do you really thing Flex build a high end super duper Ferrari with 1500 HP and forget to mount the 4. wheel? Never!
Flex not joking. They will offer with the 1.5
Flex 6xx is a radio for remote operation. The fan inside is so loud that the radio must take a remote place. Wait and see.

Jim Gilliam

I have an Icom 7800 and it does not turn off the radio with RS-BA!. It runs it in a low power stand by mode and the fan keeps running. That sucks!!! I remote power this radio on and off also.

I would guess there is no way to turn off RemoteRig...why would you want to...

Any one considering remote operation with a stand-alone radio, should seriously consider remote power on and power off the radio regardless of its features and  safeguards.

Jim, K6QE

Chris DL5NAM

I never say Turn OFF RemoteRig. But RemoteRig can switch this TRX ON and OFF.
In EVERY device that can be switched on via LAN/WAN or IR is always a small power supply running. Your TV at home ...

And also at Flex6xxx !!! There is a tiny push button (not a switch) at front panel. He toggle between ON and OFF but TRX is always under Power! If Flex6 is quiet he is in Standby.

If i not need RemoteRig longer for a TRX, theses functions must include in the radio.
Flexy sale the Flex6 with Remote functionality. Now i have this excellent RX over 18 month. And waiting for ...

Jim Gilliam

You should be able to turn it on and off...what if it locked up for some reason? No piece of equipment I have used so far that is remotable at one time or another locks up due to AC power failure or what ever, Remote rig is no exception although I have to say it is a nice piece of equipment. I think anyone running remote should have a remote power switch to control power to all units. Also, it should have an auxiliary form of control. Mine can be controlled from touch tones either on the land line or over the celluar network.

David Decoons, wo2x

Ken, I too had a freeze up on one of my laptops when testing last night. I think Howard's suggestion to have a way to release the readio remotely without having to remote desktop in is a good idea. The only concern is for the future WAN operation if someone were to make their radio available as a remote station. You wouldn't want someone else kicking you off the air. Maybe require a password to release?

Dave, wo2x

KY6LA_Howard

Steve - WOL is nice but NOT Necessary.  Power savings are NOT a real issue and can easily be accomplished by my solutions below.

From a practical experience point of view I have been running my 6700 and prior to that the 5000 remote since before 2011. 

There definitely needs to be a way to remotely turn the radio power on and off.  This is easy with the 6700 Remote Relay Input but was a PIA having to block the start button on the 5000.  There also needs to be a way to remotely reboot the computer and to remotely reboot power to all the peripherals.  

Since I am usually thousands of miles and many days away from my station, just shutting it down and then restarting it when I return is just not practical.  Nor is calling a friend to come to the house to reboot things very practical as they are sure to make things worse.

Here is my practical solution that so far has survived all **** ups.  I use 3 WEMO Internet Remote Power Switches to control AC to everything, 

1.  WEMO - connected via a relay to the 6700 Remote Power Jack that switches the Open Collector to Ground.   - I do not have a pull up resistor so it sometimes takes a couple of tries to shut down.  - this gives me the ability to restart the radio.  ( I do this a lot)

2.  WEMO - connected to the AC Power to the Dedicated Computer- computer set to reboot automatically upon power restore   - this gives me the ability to restart the computer (I do this a lot)

3.  WEMO - Connected to the AC Power to the DC Power Supply that runs all my 12V and 5V Wall Wart Power Bank Substitutes .and to a relay that cuts out the DC Power to everything - so that every peripheral and the Radio can be rebooted from totally off.  (never had to do that yet - but needed to be sure) 

Ken - NM9P

Excellent solutions, Howard. Exactly what I was thinking would give the greatest fail safe. The only thing I would need in addition would be a remote antenna relay to disconnect and ground everything due to the many thunderstorms here in Indiana!

Jim Gilliam

My two cents is this: There, also, should be something auxiliary to the famous WEMO solution. There will be times that Internet will go down and you would wish you could remove power from the remote just to be sure. A practical solution to this other than the WEMO is to use a device or similar from RemotePowerSwitch.com. Along with the Internet/Ethernet capability, it, also, can interface to a phone line. It has voice prompting to power-up, and power down devices connected to it with touch-tone commands.

Jim

Ron W4RDM

Jim,
 I've been using a PigRemote for about a year now while waiting on V1.4

KY6LA_Howard

@Jim

You are ASSUMING that people still have POTS (Plain Old Telephone Systems) ..

Unfortunately most people today have Internet based phone systems... I have 4 telephone lines into my house (2 from Vonage - i.e. Internet. 1 from Time Warner - i.e. Internet and 1 from AT&T... allegedly POTS but the installer told me that it was also Internet)  

So the only realistic backup "Telephone" system would be like our alarm company did to supplement the Internet by installing a Cell Phone... Basically POTS no longer exists..or will soon cease to exist.

I have been running for remotely 4+ years using Internet Only.. In case of a REAL Emergency, you can safely assume that the POTS phone lines will also be out.--- at least that is true in CA.

Jim Gilliam

PoTs?!! My system is interfaced to Verizon. I have had Internet failure in the last 3 months. Guess we all march to different drummers.

KY6LA_Howard

I have 3 different telephone providers so that at least one might stay operational in an emergency.

Jim Gilliam

I was not referring nor alluding to an emergency. I have Charter cable Internet service and it goes out on a regular basis. I hope they improve to your reliability. In the mean time I do what I can to have a back up.

Jim

Jon_KF2E

I'm resurrecting this thread in hopes of getting a remote disconnect  feature added sooner rather than later. My radio is in a detached building from my house and it is frustrating when I try to log on remotely only to fine I left the session running in the shack. I know I could use VNC or Teamviewer but it would be nice to just have a disconnect button in SSDR.

Jon

Jon_KF2E

Anyone care to "me too" this? We can now remote disconnect from Maestro and the IOS client. Can we please get the ability to remote disconnect from SSDR?

Jon

Dudley-WA5QPZ

Jon,

Have you tried 1.8.4..  There is a disconnect mode in SSDR too..  

Dudley

Jon_KF2E

Thanks Dudley, I'll check it out.

Jon