Config for IC7600 1K Steppir & M2 2800?

[K8NY]

Hello everyone,

Well, I have been reading here a bit and I am now ready to pose my question.
Using RemoteRig products, what is a recommended hardware configuration for the following setup:

Icom 7600
SPE Expert 1K
Steppir Controller
M2 Orion 2800 rotor

From reading previous posts, it seems there may be several ways to accomplish this. I am open to any configurations.

Thanks so much

Bob - K8NY

[Kari SM0HRP]

Hello,
I used to run IC-7600 for quite some time. TRX-manager is by far the best software to use even though RS-BA1 plays quite well too with the remote VFO knob (RC-28). As is reported in another recent thread RS-BA1 seems to disconnect every now and then especially if the bandwidth is low.
With this set up you only have one extra COM port available (port 1) on the RRC that you may use for antenna rotor controll or the amp. Lantronix USD series of rs-232 to ethernet re-directors workd extremely well if you prefer to use them for the tasks as well.
73s Kari

[DF1NP]

Hi,
 
Long time I also used IC-7600. Software was N4PY (http://www.n4py.com/) and vfo was woodbox tmate2 (http://www.woodboxradio.com/tmate2.html).

73
Willi

[K8NY]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your responses.
Yes I have been looking at software options and I have a demo copy of TRX Manager on my PC and I have used it.
I have also looked at N4PY software and it is very interesting.

Let me further state my requirements:

I do not want to run a PC at my site for the length of time I will be away (3 months)-
I am considering RemoteRig RRC 1258MkIIs with RRC-Micro PC-Client.
I would like to know the amount of RS232/COM ports available from the RRC 1258MkIIs - again I need control of Expert, Steppir & 2800 Rotor.

I prefer using the RemoteRig solution vs a pure PC software solution.

Thanks

Bob

[dj0qn]

Bob,

There are two serial ports on the RRC, however one of them (COM2) is reserved for CAT, so only
COM1 is available for other devices.

I use serial servers for all my other devices that I have installed over the years (Amplifiers, SteppIR,
rotors, etc.). I prefer devices from Lantronix, but others do the job as well. They are simple to set
up and work seamlessly using a virtual serial port on the control end.

An alternative are the dedicated serial server devices from Microbit, the RC-1216H. See
http://www.remoterig.com/wp/?page_id=1010#tabs-3 for details. These have advantages with
ease of use, but are a more expensive solution and don't provide virtual serial port drivers for your
control PC.

BTW, this subject has been mentioned many times on this forum, so you may wish to use the search
function to find more tips.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[K8NY]

Thank you Mitch.
This is the info I have been looking for and especially the info on the serial servers. I was trying to avoid using them but I see that full control is better accomplished (and interface capability) using them.
I will continue my searching and will also seek out the info you have mentioned that is already posted on this site as well as the 3rd party device manufacturer's sites.

Thanks to everyone for their help

Bob K8NY

[OH2FT]

Hi,

You can run expert (at least 2K) without additional remote control, it just needs to listen to your cat line. And expert is able to drive ultrabeam, probably steppir likewise (without additional remote monitoring). And an RC-1216H can drive a rotator. I'm doing the same, no PC at station: webSwith-K3-band-decoder-expert-ultrabeam-RC1258-ERC-G2800. It's reliable, I have a few thousand remote QSOs. It's better if you monitor everything, but you can survive without. 73 Joni OH2FT