Possibility of a "Managed SmartLink" facility?

Steve K9ZW

Background - I have provided a Flex-6300 using a multiband vertical antenna setup for use by local active club members.  The available antenna is 80m through 10m only, and will be basically a remote operation.  Connectivity is piggybacked on my office's fiber. 


Suggestion - for a SmartLink "Administrative Manager" that would let a club designated administrator control and schedule member's usage. 

Would also like a "Silence All" facility where the setup could be silenced (transmitter inhibited and if needed interrupted) remotely by this administrator AND by myself as the sponsor. 


Administrator configured Watchdog Timers would be helpful.


If the facility could provide an automatic revision to a preset profile that is controlled by the Administrator.


If multiple log-in credentials could be made, they could be made valid only for when the schedule provisions them.


If that schedule could be read-only accessible by club members it would solve a lot of coordination issues.

Wouldn't be the worst to have an automatic identifier on a timer. 

Capturing statistics to a log file (who is reserved vs who used it, their on/off time, number of logins, errors) would help the administrator.

I am way okay with paying for these add-ons to SmartLink (actually the club would pay). 

Thoughts?

73

Steve
K9ZW

Rob Salsgiver

I would chip in on that one as well.  Lots of good thoughts there.

Neil D Friedman N3DF

I've been a member or officer of large ham clubs with club stations for 50+ years and don't believe we have ever had a problem with members abusing the club station.  

Bill -VA3WTB

We know multi client is coming for our radios. We don't know what that will look like yet. But all these questions I'm sure Flex has been discussing.

Steve K9ZW

@N3DF - agree - we've also had great luck with our club station, including providing Elmers when appropriate. 

Where this is different is the remote technology. 

It is more like a repeater scenario needing some oversight and management.

Credential confidentiality could leave the station very vulnerable to inappropriate use, without much recourse other than physically shutting the station down and redoing the SmartLink credentials & redistributing them. 

This may be only a theoretical vulnerability of course, but then if you listen on some of the HF frequencies you can hear those sort of theoretical sort of folk cussing & carrying on, for years. 

The main request I received was for schedule coordination.

I forgot that there was suggestion to limit band TX access according to the class of license in the user database, and also to inhibit bands/modes the station with remote software wouldn't be able to handle.

73

Steve K9ZW 

John WA7UAR

I pushed the “me too” button at the top of this thread because I can envision using this to authorize remote access to my city-sponsored EmComm “club/organization”. My plan is to set up my flex at a remote location that is managed by the group. Great idea Steve. https://SeattleACS.org

James Skala

These are GREAT IDEAS!

Steve K9ZW

By direct email another ham suggested planning to manage more than one radio. That added to the idea of doing schedule coordination. And to the suggestions of limit band TX access according to the class of license in the user database, and also to inhibit bands/modes the station with remote software wouldn't be able to handle. 73 Steve K9ZW