Question about SmartSDR for iOS v1.0.7 - How are you logging in contests or every day DXing QSO's?

Clay N9IO

I am considering a purchase on an IPad Air2 128GB to be used on my local LAN.
The idea is to run say a RTTY or CW contest from the living room simultaneously spend time with my xyl.
I just want to know the limitations or should I concentrate on using my laptop with SSDR for Windows instead?

Mark_WS7M

Hi Clay,

Not an expert here but I think if you wanted to CW and you copy well in your head/paper and don't need to use skimmer an iPad will be ok although logging is kind of an issue.

I am not sure you can do the audio redirecting needed to run RTTY on iPad unless you are using some TNC type device that does the RTTY encode/decode and you are just connecting to it via some program on the iPad.

With respect to logging via an iPad I think the easiest answer is to use a web based log where you can just access the page in Safari.   Alternatively you would use an app like Jump Desktop which would allow you to remote desktop into your computer and control it.  The problem with this approach is screen space.  I find with my smaller iPad that if I Jump Desktop into a computer I end up scrolling all over the place to run apps.

Overall my general recommendation would be a Windows laptop as I know all the things you are mentioning can be done without problems including running some of the popular loggers.

I use my iPad to run CW but just for easy going QSO.  The recent updates to the iOS offering by Flex have made CWX available on the iPad.  It is still not easy to use and hitting the right buttons all the time sometimes is s chore.  I have the iPad mini.

Anyway I have a MacBookPro that I use for work (development) and I have Bootcamp installed so I can reboot into full blown Windows.  The laptop is a 13 inch and handles everything needed for using my Flex just about anywhere I want.

Hope this helps!

Mark - WS7M

Clay N9IO

Thanks Mark.  Everything I was looking for. 
IOS definitely has great purpose, excellent rag chew rig for remote ops.
You can easily log a casual DX contact on paper too.
If I only had high speed internet available here. 
1MB max, that's it.  Don't take your bandwidth for granted.
I'm just happy to be past the dial-up days but wouldn't live anywhere else so I deal with it.
LAN is it for now.

Mark_WS7M

Ya... I guess I'm an internet ****.  As a software developer by trade I need it and would not do without it.

I am not sure the internet is ready to support the data needs of a FlexRadio however.  I've VPN'ed to mine a few times from typical hotels and it just doesn't work well.  Sometimes but not always.

I was hoping to spend some time working from my outdoor picnic table this summer but it was a rather busy summer.

Hope you get your laptop or iPad figured out.

KY6LA_Howard

I have VPN'ed  via SmartSDR for iOS from all over the world.. it mostly works very well

Free Hotel WIFI usually sucks and most paid for Hotel WIFI is not much better..

But for $10 per month in the USA I have enabled 4G LTE Cellular on my iPad - which works substantially better than any Hotel WIFI

Internationally I use a portable 4G LTE MIFI box with a local country's SIM so data charges are not outrageous (Typically €8 per GB in Europe and about $5 per GB in Asia)

BTW... we pay the most expensive data rates in the USA

Again my MIFI box works significantly better than any Hotel "Free" WIFI 

No problem at all catching rare DX - albeit rapid fire contesting is a challenge.

Ken - NM9P

I have found that my iPad and iPhone running SSDR-IOS, or K6TU Remote are wonderful for casual remote operations.  I have used my router's OpenVPN from the office and many other locations to have a lot of remote fun.  But there are few good loggers available that run natively on the iPad/iPhone, especially contest worthy loggers.  I am not aware of any serious RTTY programs for the iPad/iPhone.

But If you are planning to do any serious remote contesting, I think your best bet would be a laptop, running SSDR-Win via VPN and your favorite logging program on the laptop.  You could also use MMTTY or your favorite Digital program as well.  

I don't think you could efficiently operate a contest with only an iPad and achieve any serious contest rates.
But you CAN have a whole lot of fun in casual operations and DXing with them....at present....but things DO change!

Just my 2 cents...

Ken - NM9P

mikeatthebeach .

Ken,
  What are your Upload/Download Speeds from your home
Stuck with DSL right now at home
Mike

Ken - NM9P

I also have uVerse DSL at home. My speeds are marginal. 3Mb down and 756K UP. The download is OK, but the upload speed is marginal. But if I tune the waterfall off or down to about 6, then I get ok performance. I also take the display FPS down to about 6-7 as well if things start breaking up. Performance suffers if my nine year old son decides to watch something on Netflix while I am running remote!