Help needed to set up a remote station.

[vk2mh]

This is my first post on this forum and I'm seeking some advice re hardware necessary to remote my station at my new QTH.

My station is an IC-706mk2, IC-PW1, Alfa Big-Rak rotator , SteppIR 4 element yagi and a Butternut vertical. My tower is 60 metres from the house and a WiFi LAN with wireless broadband access is already established in the house. I have tested WiFi access at the base of the tower using a laptop and have been able to get out onto the web through the house WiFi LAN.

My preferred set-up would see BOTH remote heads (IC-706 and IC-PW1- for its antenna switch) in the shack with everything else located at the base of the tower using WiFi for communication between the 2 sites. My computer system is Mac running both Lion and Windows XP Pro through an emulator (Parallels 7) - both running at the same time (the best of both worlds). I currently use MacloggerDX for my station log but have previously used a windows HamLog program.

My first question is "Can the control head from the IC-PW1 be operated through one of the Remoterig modules just like the IC-706?"

And secondly, "What Remoterig modules would I need to purchase (and how many of each) to undertake my outlined project?"

Many thanks,
73 de Mike - VK2MH

[dj0qn]

Hi Mike,

This can be a complex question that everyone would have a different opinion on.

A couple of inputs from my side:

- The IC-PW1 does not look remotable. I looked at the manual, and the connection from
the head to the amp is through what appears to be a proprietary connection. You need a
standard serial connection for this to work. I use SPE 1K and 2K's and Acom 2000a's as
remotable amps.

- You can remote the 706 and rotor with one set of RRC's.

- You may be able to use one of the COM ports of the RRC's for the SteppIR over the RRC.
However, the RC-1216H solution from RemoteRig is much better:
http://www.remoterig.com/wp/?page_id=636

- Get a WLAN bridge for the shack to provide ethernet and allow flexibility.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN / K7DX

[vk2mh]

 8)Hi Mitch,

Many thanks for the information. I'll keep on investigating and maybe find a solution one day.

The manual warns against connecting a computer AND the 706 + PW1 combination as conflicts occur as each device attempts to poll for information - the same is true for the StepIR. A way around this is to use a CI-V router but my main concern is to be able to have the PW1 front control panel in the shack. The separation cable supplied is 9 core but it is only 12 feet long so perhaps I need to design a means communicating the necessary information via WiFi between the control unit and the PW1.

At my previous QTH. I only directly coupled the 706 and PW1, manually operating the StepIR and computer logging program with everything located in the radio room in the house. Unfortunately, due to restrictions placed on me by "She Who Must Be Obeyed", I need to either be able to operate as a remote station (the cheaper option) or purpose build a shack alongside the tower.

I'll resolve it one day, in the meantime I'll continue to operate mobile.

73 de Mike - VK2MH