Remote

Setting Up a Remote HF Station: The Essentials

Remote HF operation is incredibly rewarding, but there are a few things you’ll want to sort out before you go “fully remote.” Here’s what I’ve learned running a FlexRadio remotely:

Remote Power On/Off

The FLEX radios have an RCA connector on the back that handles remote on/off switching. Wire this up correctly and you can power cycle the radio without being physically present. This is non-negotiable for a reliable remote setup.

AC Power Control

You need a way to **** and restore AC power to the whole station remotely. Here’s a tip that might surprise you: search Amazon for a pool heater remote control. These are robust, inexpensive, and designed to switch heavy AC loads reliably. They work beautifully for this application and cost a fraction of what “official” remote power solutions run.

If you have a lot of things to turn on/off, consider building a more robust station with the SRS Station Controller. https://www.packtenna.com/station-controller.html#/

Lightning Protection

This one is critical and often overlooked until it’s too late. I strongly recommend the Lightning Protection Switch from trueladderline.com. It gives you the ability to disconnect your antenna from the radio remotely, which is exactly what you want when a storm rolls in. Don’t skimp here.

A PC at the Remote End

Put a small PC at the remote site. A mini PC or even a Raspberry Pi-class machine will do. You’ll thank yourself when a SmartSDR update drops, when something needs a reboot, or when you’re chasing a connectivity gremlin at 11pm. Remote desktop into that machine and you have full control of the environment without driving to the site.

The Big Picture

Think of your remote station as a system, not just a radio. Power control, lightning protection, and a local compute resource are what separate a frustrating experience from one that just works.

Do you have more than 1 or 2 antennas? Rotator?

I hope this helps. 73