Is it possible to have a separate SmartLink Login account for multiple users?

jehill39

We are considering upgrading the Remote HF Station at the Gloucester County Amateur Radio Club in Mullica Hill, NJ to use a Flex 6000 Series transmitter. It makes sense to have a separate Login for each member that desires to use the remote connection.

ka9ees

No.

John KB4DU

This is the main reason why my club isn’t using a flex as a remote club station.

KD0RC

Unfortunately, SmartLink only supports multiple users for one radio by sharing a single login/password. One solution is to use a VPN with a unique login/password for each user. Use the VPN to control a switch to turn the rig on and off. A Raspberry PI, Teensy 4.1 or Raspberry Pi Pico W are inexpensive devices that could be used for this purpose. I haven't thought this all the way through, but I believe that something along these lines would work.

If you or your club members don't have the experience to do something like this, there are several regular contributors to this community (including myself) who would be able and willing to help.

Not ideal, but perhaps a workable solution.

jehill39

Sorry to hear that the answer is no. Thanks for your input

Mike-VA3MW

At this time no.

However, that has not been an issue for a large number of clubs.

It is not different then when you handed out the keys to the station to people and everyone had access.

The benefits do seam to outway this limitation as it is a much easier implementation for each end user.

Mike

Ha Gei

This is a real Problem for Clubs.

When we bought ours in 2019, this was a ..surely, we will implement very soon... answer on the ham-radio booth, which lead to the decision to buy a flex .

When you have a user that you want to lock out for some reason , you must change the password for all users. When you have a request for a temporary usage...no way, this also influences all users.

When you use the radio for contesting you allways have an idiot who logs on and starts to fiddle around without looking who is online.

And there have already been thoughts in Germany that control BY USER shall be a requirement for legal usage of remote stations in future.

jehill39

Thanks for you input! Needless to say, I am very disappointed. We have been using the RCForb server/client software for several years now. It provides us with complete and total control over out users. Right now we are using a Kenwood TS-480/Elecraft KPA1500 combo, which works well EXCEPT that the CODEC included is not suitable for FT8 operation and an option for a Panadapter/Waterfall is not provided. This is understandable, considering that the RCForb server/client software is FREE! However, many users are familiar with these features and would like to see them included.

jehill39

It appears that our best solution is to continue using the RCForb server/client software should we decide to replace our Kenwood TS-480 with say a Flex 6400. The server software includes a driver for a Flex SmartSDR radio. That way, login would continue to be via the client and users that desire to use the Panadapter/Waterfall could do so with screen sharing software such as TeamViewer.

Any thoughts?

W4AFK Bruno

https://community.flexradio.com/discussion/comment/20605667#Comment_20605667

There are options. Our club setup a Layer 2 VPN and gave selective access to authorized members to our mountain top Flex 6400. Admin can still access the Flex via SmartLink but we went away from that for a couple of reasons:

• We don't want each member to install SmartSDR on their computers as we would become their "IT" support persons.
• By using the VPN approach, we only need to manage one radio and one computer, plus we control who can access the radios (we also have OpenSDR receivers up there. One for now but setting up 8 more, which we have all that's needed).

If the link to the radio breaks, then it's in our court and not tied to FRS' validation server. We set up a high speed microwave link from the mountain top to the Internet gateway. If there is a heavy rain storm, the speed drops, but that's not very frequent here in SoCal (San Diego county).

jehill39

More food for thought. Thanks!