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For remote site is there any need to have a power disconnect?

Dale97
Dale97 Member ✭
edited January 2023 in Remote Operation (SmartLink)
I am working with a Flex 6600 that will be moving to a mountain top repeater site when the weather improves. This will be a club station, completely remote controlled. The radio will be on both Internet and a microwave network. A Raspberry Pi will be on the same network as the Flex. When users make a VPN connection to the Flex radio it will activate a relay connected to the Flex power-on connector.

At the moment the Flex is always connected to DC power and the Raspberry Pi watches for a VPN connection and will turn on and off the Flex radio when a VPN connection is active.

I am considering adding a latching relay such that the Flex normally has DC power but in the event that "something goes wrong" I can have the Raspberry Pi disconnect power to the Flex and then restore power. I want to know if there is any need for this ability. I would use a latching relay so I was not wasting current through a relay coil all the time.

I did have one experience in which the Flex radio did not boot up. I investigated and found that the red light on the power switch was giving 3 blinks then a pause which I believe indicates boot failure. I have the Flex and Raspberry Pi on a VLAN and think the error may have been caused by some firewall changes that messed up my network. I resolved this by disconnecting DC power to the Flex momentarily.

I do not know if toggling the remote power connection on the back of the Flex will do everything that actually power cycling the radio will accomplish. Does anyone know if a remote site should have the ability to power cycle the Flex radio other than using the remote on connection?

I am really enjoying this radio. I am a long-time ham but this is my first experience with a waterfall display and also my first experience being able to operate from the comfort of my office while the radio is out in a somewhat cold shack. This is a great new experience.

Thanks, Dale, K7FW

Answers

  • Mike-VA3MW
    Mike-VA3MW Administrator, FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager, Super Elmer, Moderator admin

    Hi Dale

    I have been running remotely since 2005. For my FLEX-6600, I use the remote RCA connector for powering it off.

    When I really want to shut down things, I use another relay to turn off the Power Supply (70Amp Astron).

    I use a combination of KMTronic web switches to manage this which work very well if you want to keep it simple.

    https://info.kmtronic.com/kmtronic-lan-ethernet-ip-8-channels-web-relay-board.html

    There are many IoT remote switches that will work as well.

    I think you will find that there are many answers to you question.

    73

  • Dale97
    Dale97 Member ✭
    I spoke with someone at Flex and the answer is that for a remote site some way to power cycle the radio beyond just the auxiliary power jack is useful. There is always a chance that something could get messed up - this is a computer after all - and a power cycle would be desired. So for our remote site the radio will normally use the aux jack to switch power on and off but we will also have a large normally closed relay that we can open to remove power from the radio should we ever find that necessary to force a full reset.
  • Bob KC9RF
    Bob KC9RF Member ✭✭

    It is useful to have both the remote contact closure for the remote on/off and a complete power down. There are times where powering off the radio is needed. I recently upgraded the firmware on my 6600 remotely. a complete power cycle is necessary to reset .

    There are many ways to achieve the remote power on with a relay contact closure. I have used the Microbit 1216H which has 5 relay contacts and each relay can be energized with port forwarding. Also I use the Denkovi 16 output relay module as a backup to my power on contact. I've also used other ethernet relays output cards to control the remote power on over the years. I have found that the WEMO Wifi outlets have not been reliable over the years and have switched to hardwired Ethernet relay cards with no failures this year at all.

  • David Decoons, wo2x
    David Decoons, wo2x Member, Super Elmer Moderator

    I use the DLI Web Switch Pro at two remote sires. They have 8 individually switchable outlets. I use two DLI AC relays at each location. One for Radio Remote On and other for remote control of Aux PTT. Aux PTT needed for SmartLink registration changes.

    A PC at each location set up in bios to turn on when AC is applied.

    A Raspberry Pi at each location running Node Red server.

    Both AC Relays, PC, Pi, rotor controller, SteppIR controller, 12 v supply, and fiber gateway/router are plugged into the Web Switch Pro. All equipment interfaced to Node Red which has a web based dashboard accessible from any web browser.

    Over time, you learn what can go wrong at a remote site.

    73 Dave wo2x

  • Neil D Friedman N3DF
    Neil D Friedman N3DF Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2023

    I have used WEMO Wi-Fi outlets on a nearly daily basis for 5+ years without issue. A very easy solution (with the inexpensive FLEX kit) for remoting the radio’s power switch and the power supply.

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