Smartlink, N1MM+ and CW

K1ESE

I have several setup questions about using SmartLink with N1MM+ and CW in a contest. 

Assume a Flex 6500 at a remote site with big antennas.  The remote site also has a computer.

Assume two remote operators at different locations contesting tag-team style.  Each connects when it is their turn to the transmitting Flex with SmartLink and SmartSDR.

Should N1MM+ be running on the computer at the transmit site?
Should N1MM+ key the Flex 6500 directly or through a port created with SmartSDR CAT?
Do the operators log contacts using N1MM+  and TeamViewer at the transmit site or on their own computers?
Must all CW send by the operators be via keyboard or is there a way to use a paddle? 
What have I for gotten to ask?

Thanks in advance,
John K1ESE

Stan VA7NF

I am surprised there hasn't been another response before this.

For openers:  There can be only one operator on a radio (Multi-op a future feature); also N1MM+ only supports one operator; so the following will be for a single op station.

N1MM is at your operating location(remote or local) and runs through SmartCAT (Using several port setting)
N1MM function keys work  e.g. F1=RUN CQ
A paddle may be used but (currently) only plugged into a Maestro or locally into the 6000
Logging is on the operating station (local or remote) N1MM

BUT: You will not hear the function key CW send (unless local and plugged into the 6000 itself),
been that way since Beta_V1.0.24 which messes up CW contesting with a rack mounted 6700.

K1ESE

Glad to get some response.  Thank you.

There would only be one operator at a time but under contest rules that is a multi-op station.

The rest of the information is very helpful.

The inability to hear side tone would be a real handicap.  Does that also apply if the operator at home is using a Maestro?

John K1ESE

Stan VA7NF

When keying via the Maestro (local or remote) there will be a side-tone, but not when the computer (N1MM) is keying.
That is unless the phones/speaker is connected directly to the 6000

K1ESE

OK, got it.  

That seems like a serious flaw for CW contesting.  Maybe I'm just not used to it and I could adapt. 

I really appreciate the information.  Thanks!

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

I have been doing remote Contesting for three years now with a 6700 and no PC located att a small island.
Att my city QTH I have a PC wit N1MM or Writelog and a Maestro. When I work cw contest I can hear CW sidetone through the Remote Rig rig 1258 boxes which also have a built in Winkeyer. One box doing the cw keying through a keying Line to the 6700 and another box at city PC and Contest logger program.
This is the only way to do it in a simple way. No remote PC or team viewer sessions that would not be feasible with a 4G mobile network that gets overloaded at weekends with all "Netflix" users logging in.
My set up have worked flawlessly last 8 years after having got broadband Dsl and then 4G mobile service. The key is : "KISS...keep it simple...". 73 Kari SM0HRP See more att http://remotedxandcontestblog.sm0hrp.se.

K1ESE

We have a set of local and remote Remote Rig boxes.  They are for a K3.  I assumed that they were radio specific.  If they can be used with the Flex, that would be an easier solution.  For the second operator and a different location, we would need one more Remote Rig box I would guess.

Do you still use SmartSDR and Smartlink?  Do the Remote Rig boxes just do the I/O?  Do the Remote Rig boxes replace SmartLink?

Thanks in advance,
John K1ESE 

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Hi John, well I made it simple and only use the Remote Rig boxes for the CW keying. So I still use SmartLink CAT for connecting home PC VSP to the RRC1258 controll box. And I use the Maestro for SO2R with either N1MM or WriteLog. See configuration here (I used the Kenwood rig mode but it does not matter for only CW keying): http://remotedxandcontestblog.sm0hrp.se/2018/02/04/how-to-add-remote-contest-capability-to-flex-6000...
I plan to use the RRC boxes to compress the DAX channel when I work FT8 as it consumes so much bandwidth from my 4G mobile data plan (ca 1 GB per hour). I saw someone who had done this already on the RRC forum. 
I think we worked in some of the recent contests (CQ WW 160?) ..:) 73s  

K1ESE

In my log I see we worked during ARRL DX CW 2016 and 2017, as well as IARU 2016.  I may also have worked you as W1HIS or W1OO, contest calls.

I will study the information on the web page.  

Many thanks,
John K1ESE

Kari Gustafsson SM0HRP

Oh how nice. Your call in CW is easy to remember and requires some extra copying to get it right during QSB and QRM . GL with the implementation and see you in the contests. 
73s

BD8SZ

I think there is no sidetone because they want to sell Maestro, maybe have latency sidetone is more important than nothing.We can accept sidetone whit latency. It should be easy to implement this function because SmartSDR own pc sound.

K1ESE

If you follow Kari's suggestions above and use RemoteRig boxes, you get both local and N1MM+ sidetones without a Maestro.  That is the only reliable system we have found and have successfully used it in several contests.  With a Maestro you get local sidetone, but not the sidetone from N1MM+ CW messages.