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Questions re K3 Remote

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Edward A. Dauer

Questions re K3 Remote

A couple of questions for anyone who might know either the answers or where I could find them . . .

My station location is at a weekend home in a remote part of Teller County, Colorado, about 100 miles from my weekday home in the city (Denver). Being able to operate the Teller County station from my home in Denver (where no antennas are allowed, etc.) would be the perfect hamming existence, hence the attraction of the K3 Remote.

However, the outback location is really outback - Internet is cell telephone link only so far as I know, and the contracts limit the data usage to 5 GB a month with substantial costs for overuse (there is but one carrier there with a cell tower that I can hit.)

The station is a K3-KAT500-KPA500 (and a P3).

Two questions:

(1) Any way to estimate the data usage per hour of operation before I invest in the remote? (I operate CW only, with heavy usage during contests.) Would the data transmission rate accommodate rapid CW QSOs in pileups etc?

(2) Would the K3 have to be operated "barefoot," and with only its internal ATU? That is, would info about the KPA-500 and KAT-500 be available somehow, remotely? I would have serious misgivings about trying to operate a 500-watt amp in the line without being able to meter its behavior.

Thanks for whatever guidance might be offered . . .

Ted, KN1CBR

On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 4:37 PM, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft <
[hidden email]> wrote:

> We have updated the K3Remote page with the K3/0-mini. See:
> http://www.elecraft.com/K3-Remote/k3_remote.htm
>
> We are also adding more K3/0-Mini info to that page and it will be further
> updated in the next 15-30 minutes.
>
> The ordering information is located in the K3Remote and K3/0 section of
> our order page. See:
> http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_prod_list.htm#k3remote
>
> 73,
> Eric
> elecraft.com

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Bayard Coolidge, N1HO

Re: Questions re K3 Remote

Ted, KN1CBR, said:

"My station location is at a weekend home in a remote part of Teller County, Colorado, about 100 miles from my weekday home in the city (Denver). Being able to operate the Teller County station from my home in Denver (where no antennas are allowed, etc.) would be the perfect hamming existence, hence the attraction of the K3 Remote.

"However, the outback location is really outback - Internet is cell telephone link only so far as I know, and the contracts limit the data usage to 5 GB a month with substantial costs for overuse (there is but one carrier there with a cell tower that I can hit.) "

If it's as rugged a path as I suspect it might be from this initial description, it's kind of a shame that not even a
VHF link (say, on 222 MHz.) would work, even with stacked Yagis and decent amplifiers. To me, that would be
a delicious solution, but it's probably not viable. (I live in Florida, but lived in NH for many years and had relatives
in Denver, and am well aware how rugged the terrain can be out there !).
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Edward R Cole

Re: Questions re K3 Remote

In reply to this post by Edward A. Dauer

I googled Teller County and see it is into the mountains back of
Colorado Springs so unlikely that you have any chance of a straight
shot for a UHF or mw control link.

Here in Alaska a lot of hams live in remote 'bush" country far from
any wireless or wired service. I hear that some are using a
satellite-based link for both telephone and internet. That might be
a solution, but I am not sure the cost to you. Certainly that was
part of your question.

I do not know how to evaluate what the data bandwidth use would be
for remote control of a K3. Probably easiest if running a standard
100w K3 as I suspect there is some monitoring of operating
configuration using the remote control sw (again no expert - so hope
some of them will step in with a reply for Ted). I'd be interested
in hearing any replies so hopefully they will be sent via the Elecraft list.

I currently have no need to run remoted, but some day I could find
myself living where there are restrictions and remote operation could
be a solution. IP-based remote linking of commercial radio is
gaining a lot of favor, so this not limited to ham radio.

73, Ed - KL7UW

To: "[hidden email]" <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Questions re K3 Remote
Message-ID:
<[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Ted, KN1CBR, said:

"My station location is at a weekend home in a remote part of Teller
County, Colorado, about 100 miles from my weekday home in the city
(Denver).? Being able to operate the Teller County station from my
home in Denver (where no antennas are allowed, etc.) would be the
perfect hamming existence, hence the attraction of the K3 Remote.

"However, the outback location is really outback - Internet is cell
telephone link only so far as I know, and the contracts limit the
data usage to 5 GB a month with substantial costs for overuse (there
is but one carrier there with a cell tower that I can hit.) ?"

73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
"Kits made by KL7UW"
Dubus Mag business:
[hidden email]

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w0mu

Re: Questions re K3 Remote

What is the cellular carrier? Verizon has many different plans with data.

Does anyone have any bandwidth data that could be shared. I am curious
just how much or little bandwidth is being used.

W0MU

> Ted, KN1CBR, said:
>
> "My station location is at a weekend home in a remote part of Teller
> County, Colorado, about 100 miles from my weekday home in the city
> (Denver).? Being able to operate the Teller County station from my
> home in Denver (where no antennas are allowed, etc.) would be the
> perfect hamming existence, hence the attraction of the K3 Remote.
>
> "However, the outback location is really outback - Internet is cell
> telephone link only so far as I know, and the contracts limit the data
> usage to 5 GB a month with substantial costs for overuse (there is but
> one carrier there with a cell tower that I can hit.) ?"
>
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> http://www.kl7uw.com
> "Kits made by KL7UW"
> Dubus Mag business:
> [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Mitch Wolfson, DJØQN / K7DX

Re: Questions re K3 Remote

In reply to this post by Edward A. Dauer

Ted,

You will find some answers on the data usage on the RemoteRig Forum, for
example:
<http://www.remoterig.com/forum/index.php?topic=897.msg3611#msg3611>

You can tweak the connection to use less bandwidth, e.g. changing your
CODEC to one requiring less bandwidth, changing serial speeds down to
9600, etc. Your mileage will vary!

Your real problem would be hosting a radio on a 3G or 4G network. These
networks do not provide an external IP number, but give you an internal
number not visible from outside of your network. This problem, called
"double NAT", means that you can not reach the radio RRC at all.

There are two work-arounds, both of which can be complex or expensive:
1) Pay your provider for a true external IP address. If this is offered,
it is usually for a business account and costs much more than a consumer
account (depends upon country and provider)
2) Setup a VPN at the radio site

There are a number of ways to access the Elecraft and other accessories
(rotators, etc.) as well. The P3 can be accessed through some available
software, but I suspect this may be an issue if using 3G/4G networks,
from both a bandwidth and data usage standpoint.

73,
Mitch DJ0QN

On 21.03.2014 14:04, Dauer, Edward wrote:

> A couple of questions for anyone who might know either the answers or where I could find them . . .
>
> My station location is at a weekend home in a remote part of Teller County, Colorado, about 100 miles from my weekday home in the city (Denver). Being able to operate the Teller County station from my home in Denver (where no antennas are allowed, etc.) would be the perfect hamming existence, hence the attraction of the K3 Remote.
>
> However, the outback location is really outback - Internet is cell telephone link only so far as I know, and the contracts limit the data usage to 5 GB a month with substantial costs for overuse (there is but one carrier there with a cell tower that I can hit.)
>
> The station is a K3-KAT500-KPA500 (and a P3).
>
> Two questions:
>
> (1) Any way to estimate the data usage per hour of operation before I invest in the remote? (I operate CW only, with heavy usage during contests.) Would the data transmission rate accommodate rapid CW QSOs in pileups etc?
>
> (2) Would the K3 have to be operated "barefoot," and with only its internal ATU? That is, would info about the KPA-500 and KAT-500 be available somehow, remotely? I would have serious misgivings about trying to operate a 500-watt amp in the line without being able to meter its behavior.
>
> Thanks for whatever guidance might be offered . . .
>
> Ted, KN1CBR
>
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 19, 2014 at 4:37 PM, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft <
> [hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> We have updated the K3Remote page with the K3/0-mini. See:
>> http://www.elecraft.com/K3-Remote/k3_remote.htm
>>
>> We are also adding more K3/0-Mini info to that page and it will be further
>> updated in the next 15-30 minutes.
>>
>> The ordering information is located in the K3Remote and K3/0 section of
>> our order page. See:
>> http://www.elecraft.com/elecraft_prod_list.htm#k3remote
>>
>> 73,
>> Eric
>> elecraft.com
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
> --
> Mitch Wolfson
> DJØQN / K7DX
> Neubiberger Str. 21, 85640 Putzbrunn
> Skype: mitchwo - Home:+49 89 32152700 - Mobile:+49 172 8374436
> Echolink: 3001 - IRLP: 5378