Remote Power On Options for the FLEX-6000

mark1161

Good Morning All,

If I use, for example, an Amazon smart plug to power on the power supply which is connected to the radio is there any risk of damaging the radio? I am aware of the Remote Power On Input in the back of the radio but I don't understand why I would need to use it if I have this Smart Plug. What am I missing here?

73

Mark

KK2L

John K3MA

It takes time for the processors inside the radio to properly shut down. Removing the DC power does not allow for this proper shutdown process. I can't comment if hardware damage might result but certainly, a whole host of strange conditions affecting the operation condition of the radio and SmartSDR setting might come up that causes you to scratch your heading wondering why.

I personally have a IP switch on both the DC supply and the Remote port as sometimes you need to hard shutdown the DC supply.

mark1161

Ok so that might not be a good idea to use the Amazon Smart Plug in this application. If I employ the Remote Power on Input, on the back of the radio, to where, or what device, would I be connecting with the RCA cable? This isn't clear to me. I was told that the MHCOZY 4CH WiFi RF Wireless Switch Relay, would be the correct interface but I don't see how that would work in this instance. It would be helpful if there was a block diagram to show how this works.

 

73

Mark

KK2L

KD0RC

Hi Mark, the WiFi gizmo has a button for each channel. Pressing a button toggles the corresponding relay on or off. So if you connect channel 1 to the REM ON jack, you can turn the rig on or off using button 1.

When you first set up the switch, it takes you through a simple procedure to connect it to your WiFi and to an app (eweLink) on your phone.

If you are away from the switch, you start the eweLink app on your phone and it presents you with the same buttons, and shows their current state (on or off). Pressing the buttons in eweLink is equivalent to pressing the physical buttons.

Does this description make sense?

mark1161

Hi Len,

Thanks. I appreciate the clarification. The reason for my original question was more basic...How does the RCA cable, from the radio, connect to this device? It seems like there is no RCA input for the WiFi gizmo. What is the interface for the cable to attach to the gizmo?

73

Mark

KK2L

Mike-VA3MW

Using the RCA Connector on the back provides for a clean shutdown of the computers in the radio.

When you turn off your PC, do you just pull the power plug ?

Odds are, you will be fine if that happens, but it is well known that file system corruption can happen if you don't shut down cleanly. This is how it relates to all computer systems with files systems.

KD0RC

Hi Mark, there are s.c.r.e.w terminals for normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC) operation. You would need to build or buy an RCA cable with pigtails. You connect the pigtails to the NO connection of one of the channels and plug the RCA connector into the REM ON jack on the radio.

mark1161

I was talking about the remote power on/power off for the radio. I only power down any PC using Windows. When I operate remotely, I would be using a different PC, from the one in my shack, since the radio is on my network. The Wifi switch will only be employed, to turn the radio on and off, when I am not at my house and using the radio remotely. How does one connect the RCA plug from the REM ON input to the Wifi switch since there is no RCA input, as far as I can see, for that switch? When I am in the shack, I will be using the regular power switch on the radio.

73

Mark

KK2L

mark1161

Hi Len,

Thanks for clarifying. With the RCA connection made, can I assume that the Power Supply, for the radio, will always be turned on, even when I am not home, to allow for this connection to be made remotely?

73

Mark

KK2L

KD0RC

Hi Mark, When I operate remotely, I just leave my Astron RS-70 M powered up. If you want to shut your supply down, you could use the Smart Plug referenced in your original post to do that.

The procedure would be to exit SmartSDR (or Maestro), use the WiFi switch to power off the radio, wait a couple of minutes to allow it to fully shut down and then use the Smart Plug to shut off the power supply.

To power everything up would be the reverse. Power on the supply, wait a minute or so to be sure that it got the command and is producing stable power, then use the WiFi switch to turn on the radio. Wait 2 or 3 minutes for it to come up, then start SmartSDR or a Maestro.

mark1161

Hi Len,

I think you have given me the answer. I will simply leave the power supply on all the time when I know I will be operating remotely on that day. Thanks again for your patience in clarifying this for me. My KPA500 also has remote capability via Elecraft software but I will leave that one for the Elecraft Groups to discuss.

73

Mark

KK2L

KD0RC

Hi Mark, I also have a KPA500/KAT500 combo. Take a look at DDUtil. It will let you control your tuner and amp in concert with your Flex radio.

When I operate remotely, I leave my old laptop connected to the tuner and amp via USB cables and to the network with an ethernet cable. The amp has a second USB port that I connect directly to the radio. The laptop runs DDUtil, and TeamViewer. I also run my antenna rotator control here (DDUtil can do that as well...).

On the remote laptop, I run SmartSDR and TeamViewer. I connect to the radio using SmartLink, and I drive the amp, tuner and rotator using TeamViewer. It is almost harder to explain than to hook up and use...

mark1161

Hi Len,

So, you don't use the Elecraft software to control/monitor the amp? Yes, I will also be connecting the KPA 500 to the LAN at my house with the intention of using that software. However, I haven't studied, in depth, the capabilities of that software at this time. I just ordered my third FLEX 6400 and intend to wire up the rig and amp for remote applications. I have a vertical antenna so I am covered in that dept. Yes, I agree about the complexity of the explanation. If only there was a block diagram of this to follow. When you are using TeamViewer what are you seeing on your screen for control points?

Thanks again

73

Mark

KK2L

KD0RC

I use DDUtil instead of the Elecraft software because it lets me set the power output of the radio automagically when I switch the amp between operate and standby.

TeamViewer just shows me my laptop screens and lets me operate any software that is running. So if I have DDUtil running, I would use DDutil (as viewed by TeamViewer) to put the amp in standby or operate, depending on what I am doing. DDutil would then change the Flex power output accordingly. Likewise, I can put the tuner through a tuning cycle this way.

If I get a fault on the amp or tuner, I use DDutil to clear it.

There is a diagram on my QRZ page. It is geared towards my TeensyMaestro, but may help you to visualize what I am doing. You can ignore the TeensyMaestro box in the diagram. Everything else is the same as we are discussing here.

I recommend looking at some YouTube videos by Mike, VA3MW about setting up a remote station. He runs his all the time to avoid the RF noise at his QTH near Toronto.

KD0RC

Hi Mark, I am finally home and have access to my computer... Here is a diagram of my remote operation. I don't show the WiFi switch, but it would be at the Home Station, connected to the REM ON jack of the 6400. I should probably add the USB connection from the amp to the 6400. The T2X is the control box for my T2X Tailtwister antenna rotator. It has the RotorEZ board in it to provide a serial connection to the computer.

The KAT500 has 3 antenna ports, so if you have multiple antennas, you can use DDUtil to switch among 3 antennas. Note that I use the SoftEther VPN to allow my TeensyMaestro to connect to the radio. You will not likely need this in your setup.

mark1161

Hi All,

It's me again. I purchased the Sonoff 4chPro WiFi Switch and have the RCA plugs with pigtails as advised by Len KD0RC and have connected it to my WAN. Trying to be proactive and not damage anything...Is the RED pigtail the NO connection and the BLACK pigtail the NC connection for the switch? BTW, I was successful in setting up my network and am working DX, remotely, from my office PC in Philly.

Please advise

73

Mark

KK2L

KD0RC

Hi Mark, Is this the unit that you have?

SONOFF 4CH Pro R3 Wi-Fi Smart Switch 4-Channel Din Rail Mounting Automation,Self-Locking/Interlock Home Appliances,RF/APP/Voice/LAN Control, Compatible with Alexa, White - - Amazon.com

The circled relay connections show the NO, NC and COM connections. You can use an ohmmeter to verify if you are not sure.

mark1161

Len,

Yes, this is the unit I have. While waiting for a reply, I did figure it out. I am using a DC input to power the switch so the wiring for the RCA plug is to put a pigtail in the NC slot and a pigtail in the COM slot. If it was an AC input to power the device, the pigtails would go in the NO and NC slot. Anyway, it's working. I don't think it matters whether it's the red wire or the black wire in either slot. The FLEX 6400M boots up in 1.5 minutes. The eWeLink app on my iPhone controls the device for switching on and off the FLEX.

73

Mark, KK2L

David Decoons, wo2x

You do not use NC and NO.

If you was the radio to be on when the relay is off you use the Common and Normally Closed.

If you want the radio on when the relay is on, use the Common and Normally Open.

There is no continuity between Normally Open and Normally Closed.

73 Dave wo2x

mark1161

Dave.

Thanks. I eventually figured it out by reading the manual for the switch. I am using a wall wart DC input which the instructions stated to connect the RCA pigtail to NO and COM. It is working and the radio is in sync with the switch. I was wondering if it made a difference which pigtail (red or black) was connected to NO or COM.

73

Mark

KK2L