Setting up a Remote Operation operator list with restrictions

Stan VA7NF

Clubs and leasing operations need a sign on process that can set operation parameters depending on the operator's license conditions.
My club (Surrey Amateur Radio) has 100 members with different classes of licenses.  For example, in Canada, there is "Basic" with VHF only, "Basic with honours" that extends HF authorization and a 500W power limit, and "Advanced" with all bands and 1500W power limit.
Applying "just a matter of programming" it seems the SmartLink sign on grants authorization to use but not the operating characteristics of band, mode, and power.
The simplest and most inclusive operating mode I see is for SmartLink to notify the radio of the user's ID and the Turf file is temporarily modified by an administrator's table setup.
Community: Thoughts and alternatives are invited.
This is a restriction in SARC opening up general remote operations; finding a simple solution will likely open this market to FRS, at least one more silver bullet.
  

Neil D Friedman N3DF

Gee, for many decades clubs have loaned rigs to members and/or allowed the use of a club station while trusting the member to operate within his or her license privileges.  

Bill -VA3WTB

As you may know, multi client is being planed for a future release of smartlink. It will be interesting how they will accomplish it.

Stan VA7NF

Neil,  Yes and we continue to find equipment and loan it as appropriate.  There is a twist in the decades and that is Strata aka HOA depending where you live.  Here in Western Canada, of the total population, over 50% live in Strata controlled areas, including myself.
We are currently working through remote operations for the club station which has a 6600 on order, OEM radios, and a loan of my 6700.  Quoting one of your departing senators, "I do see the irony in this" by asking about controls while espousing no software solutions to management problems.  That is brought around by the IOTC regulation that the owner of a station maintains control.  That regulation does not effect a ham with a loaner radio as, by statue, s/he is the temporary owner whereas a remote operated station the owner and liability remains with the club or group offering the remote operations.  This type of operation demonstrates the owner is sensitive to control.

Bill, multi-client adds an additional layer in that now there can be two operators (but still just one transmitter.

All views are welcome, thanks for yours.   

Tim - W4TME

Some of this functionality will be in the upcoming Multi-User software feature.  However, transmit restrictions to enforce transmit frequencies by license class is probably not going to be included.  This is not a current feature of the radio and it is the individual operator's responsibility to operate within the limits their license class

Marc Lalonde

Hi  Stan 

here for my local Club  , i setup a Flex 3000  whit RCFORB   (remotehams.com)
it installed on the observatory of Mont Cosmos  in FN46kj

that setup work for more that a year now whit no issue  ;-)

i also have a 6700 in another remote location but this one is  my primary station that keep for myself ;-)

but for club RCFORB work good  ,and is the way to go , you may even embedded it on a website 
and it have a "chat" feature so user many manage access and  operating schedule 

Marc L.  VE2OLM/VE2PN

Ria

However, transmit restrictions to enforce transmit frequencies by license class is probably not going to be included.

Even though Flex says they won't do it, it is possible to write third party software to do it. 

You have the bits - query to QRZ.com XML, or download the FCC database. Set the band limits per license class. Let them log in before enabling the radio for them. Enable "TX inhibit" via ethernet API once they cross the prohibited range, taking into account filter bw. I've considered this idea for contest operation to stay within the band edges because it is too easy to go out of band. 

Stan VA7NF

Thanks again for replies,
Tim, looking forward to "Multi-Client".  In my misguided view (aka personal normal) it appears some form of third-party software may be needed.  
The usage model I see is:
1) User ->Signon to SmartLink
  SmartLink -> Radio Server authorize
  Normal usage via SmartLink
2) 3rd software -> local TCP connect to radio server
  Monitor for signon - Retrieve signon ID from radio
  Do whatever control or just log the signon - YMMV

Tim, do multi-user plans include a radio side logging function for userid and time (UTC from SmartLink)?  

Any application needs the SmartLink/Radio to at least make the current user(s) ID(s) available via local API/library query.  Additional would be for the radio to load the Turf file as the default and then permit API changes such as (if Turf already has MARS) adjust the band edges appropriately by user.  API band edge changes are never permitted to extend the Turf limits.