Remote control KPA500 & KAT500 from MacOS?

K8MEJ

Alan

Not sure of your specific application.  Perhaps this would work.  I use mac / ios homekit to operate a 110vac outlet, such as iDevice, to operate a 110 VAC relay.  I then use the relay contacts to operate various ham gear functions, such as remote on/off on the Flex.

K8MEJ

Hi Alan. I do this to turn on the Flex and a power supply. But that won't work for the amp. It has a soft power switch and also an oper/standby that I would like to toggle. Thanks for the reply.

Alan

Scott Russell - N1SER

I think you mean Windows 10? Not 11, no such thing.

K8MEJ

Keeping a Windows machine running 24x7 locally in the shack just so I can operate the amp is something I will not do. The next best thing would running the utility software (rather than remote software) on a Linux machine running 24x7 or open up my desktop Mac to do this. I wish I could find a serial-to-ethernet converter that would support a Mac. This would be my preferred route. Thanks for the reply.

P.S. I have both Parallels and VMware Fusion. I just don't want to leave a Windows machine running.

Burch - K4QXX

If you are going to go the virtual Windows route, take a look a VMware Fusion.  I used to use Parallels and it works great.  However, if you have multiple Mac computers, you have to buy a license for each Mac.  With Fusion, as long as it is for personal use, I can run on as many Macs as I own.  Also, at least when I ran Parallels, I had to pay a yearly upgrade fee.  You don't have to do that with VMware Fusion.  They both run very similar.  The only time you have to pay an upgrade to Fusion is when they come out with a new version but you don't have to upgrade.  

Burch - K4QXX

K8MEJ, it looks like we posted at the same time!  I can see you already use Fusion.

K8MEJ

It's off topic, but after having used both Fusion (for work) and Parallels (at home) for the past 6 years, Parallels performs much better in terms of speed. Frankly, I like it much better overall, but since we are a heavy VMware partner (at work), I get Fusion for free and use it there. But I find Parallels work so much better that I choose to pay for a license at home rather than use Fusion for free Still, I try to never, ever run Windows at home if I can help it. If Don Ago didn't write DogparkSDR as a client for Flex I wouldn't own a Flex. :-) 

Scott Russell - N1SER

Burch - K4QXX

I didn't notice much difference in performance between Fusion and Parallels.   I thought the disk access was a bit faster on Parallels but once programs were open, I didn't notice much difference.  I thought the user interface was more user friendly on Parallels. I got ticked off at Parallels because after I used it for a year, it wouldn't open anymore until I paid more money.  I have 3 Macs at home so I wasn't going to pay for 3 licenses for Parallels when I could just purchase one Fusion for all 3 Macs.  I also don't have to pay any yearly update fee.  Maybe that has changed now with Parallels?

I agree with DogparkSDR as I use it more than I do SSDR.  

I am curious to how you are getting Fusion for free.  I work in IT and we have been a VMware client for 10+ years.  Have 3 host servers, a SAN and about 25 virtual servers.  

Burch

K8MEJ

We sell VMware and as a partner we are allowed a certain number of NFR (not for resale) licenses. 

K8MEJ

Hi Scott. I have the cables and the Utility software. But that software is not meant to run client/server like their Remote software is. The Utility software does run on a Mac, but the Remote software does not. I would like to use a serial-ethernet converter to present the serial port over the network and then use the Utility software on a mac laptop to connect to that virtual serial port as if it were local. I don't think it's possible. So the fall-back position will be to use something like Teamviewer with a mac in the shack.

Scott Russell - N1SER

I gotcha now.

George KF2T

I haven’t tried it, but http://virtualhere.com/ looks like it might do the trick.

K8MEJ

Thank you! That looks intriguing and will give me something to research.