Beginner remote operations with an amplifier - Get me started

Paul Lourd

I currently run my 6300 with an Ameritron ALS-600 and an LDG AT-600ProII tuner. I have three wire antennas on an Alpha Delta manual switch (40m, fan dipole, and OCF Windom).  I also have no problems running remote from my iPad or PC, as long as I don't use the amp or have to change the antennas.

I am going to be spending three months of the year in the South, and of course want to remote into the shack here in CT.

Right now, I can't swap antennas (its a manual switch), or use the amp. The amp has to be switched to standby manually to do the tune, then switched back on.

So I am thinking of a new SS amp (Acom? Palstar? etc) and tuner. But it seems there are many ways to attack this. For example, remote controlling an Arduino or Raspi based thing to switch antennas and do other stuff. Or letting Flex control things via its USB functionality.

Assuming I'll not have more than 3 antennas (likely), should I use an antenna switch, or look for an amp with 3 or 4 outputs?  How do you tell the amp to be "offline" when you hit Tune in the flex?  

I was sort of thinking of playing with the RemoteQTH system, but maybe it is more than I need. Not a contester, just play radio single op.  I use the amp about 25% of the time. I have played a lot with Arduino's and Pi's, so not afraid of that either. 

Just looking for a little sense of direction here!

Thanks, Paul WB2JVB

JohnSweeney

Buy an Expert amplifier. They are fully remotable - software works great. You can select up to 4 antennas remotely. Remote power on/off, remote operate/standby, etc.

Mark_WS7M

Steven WA8Y

I really like my RF-Kit, superior to all others in my biased opinion.

Norm - W7CK

Larry Loen WO7R

Having operated my Flex remotely and successfully for about 5 years, I can state that you want fully automatic solutions. You want automatic band switching in the amp. You want automatic antenna switching. Because you are not there, you will not hear, smell, or see the results of any mistakes or omissions. You want also to see status, remotely, from the amp, including SWR and "which antenna" despite having designed in remote switching. The auto switching can be like the Alpha 9500 that senses the RF and makes the change or like the Expert amps that are instructed by the Flex over dedicated USB. I have managed to create the odd spark out the back of an amp over the years. You don't want this when nobody is there.

Paul Lourd

K1UO Larry

Larry Loen WO7R

If your amp is dropping out of auto tune, you need to understand why. Something is wrong somewhere and it could affect manual, on site operation as well. There's a loose connection or some such. Find it. Maybe the antenna design, in actual practice, has some unforeseen interaction at so and so a frequency because of who know what. Whatever it is, track it down.

Remoting is a harsh mistress. It has a way of forcing you to pay attention to issues you might be able to finesse when you are operating manually. You should not need to "tune" explicitly at all. Not routinely. You need to set a freq on the Flex, maybe touch a CW key at most, and then just start transmitting. This needs to be 99.9 per cent true or you don't have a solution. Have you done any needful "training " of the amp so it can auto tune based on prior settings in the relevant sub band?

Paul Lourd