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[KY5U]

* Any rig that has rig control software running on a local PC.


Step 1 (Rig Audio)

Use your radio interfaced to your home PC with an interface from MFJ or West Mountain Radio and put Skype on that PC.  Set up a Skype account name for it.  Load Skype on your cell or tablet.  Set Skype on your home PC  to auto answer and only take calls from your phone and/or tablet.  Place a call from your cell or tablet to your home PC (the one hooked to your radio) and ensure the home PC answers automatically.  You should be able to hear rig audio and your voice over the cell should modulate the rig. In fact, if you set up your rig's vox, you should be able to operate remotely using vox.  The com port cable to the interface should be disconnected.

Step 2 (Rig Control)

Download "Tightvnc" http://www.tightvnc.com/ and install it on your PC running the rig control software.  Install "VNC Viewer" or "Mocha VNC Lite" on your tablet or cell phone.   Reboot the PC.  Run the software on your PC to control your rig connected to the radio com port. Make sure it works.  Configure your cell phone or tablet to get to your PC on the network (from command prompt run "ipconfig" so you can see what the PC's network address is). Enter that address in the cellphone or tablet VNC software.

Connect to your home PC by running the VNC software on the tablet or cell phone and you should see your computer's desktop like you were sitting in front of it.  Now you can change frequencies, use features and PTT.  I use a timer to turn my amp on and off that I bought from Amazon for $9.

Conclusion

Skype provides the audio link to your rig.  Your PC rig control software runs on the desktop to control the rig.  A VNC connection allows a cellphone or tablet to control the desktop remotely and therefore control the rig control software running on it.  Below is my iPad with a mike and earphones with the Kenwood 2000 control program running on the screen.  It is hooked up VIA the network to my PC at home which is running Skype and TightVNC.   I am using Skype in the background on the iPad and MochaVNC Lite to see my PC desktop at home.

[KC9VFO]

I just did this last night !! Using a TS 590 and an IPAD. Only I am using Teamviewer. Need to tweek some settings yet. But it is pretty nice to sit in the garage, easy chair etc. and scan the bands.

[N3HEE]

Thanks to modern day computer technology there are many easy and inexpensive ways to configure remote control.  I have been playing around with RemoteHams software which is amazing.  What I like best about it is that no third party RDP or streaming audio service is required.  Everything is built into one neat package.  However, no IPAD client as of yet.  Windows and Android for now. 

[AF5CC]

This looks like a great way to do remote control operation.  Will these programs work on windows XP and Android?  This might be enough to get me to replace my flip phone with a smart phone!

73 John AF5CC

[SOFAR]

This looks like a great way to do remote control operation.  Will these programs work on windows XP and Android?  This might be enough to get me to replace my flip phone with a smart phone!

73 John AF5CC

I carried a smartphone for a couple years, after the novelty wore off I went back to a flip phone. Now I've become a 2 phone person, I really like a flip phone for its size, and being able to dial a number in the rain. (Not happening on a touch screen) I picked up a smartphone with a new number for my 'home phone'.

The smart phone has been staying home, I like to shove the flip phone in my pocket, and go.

[AC7CW]

The remotehams software has an Android app that works great. You'd have to install the server software at the rig's computer and I'm not sure if that is a lot of pain or not, never done that end of it.

[KY5U]

If the description was a bit much, try this version.

A.Voice
1. Rig interface hookup just like you would for digital modes like psk31.
2. Add Skype to that computer.
3. Set Skype to auto answer from only one Skype account, the one on your phone, tablet, etc.
4. Use Skype on ANY platform (windows, linux, iOs, Android, tablet, phone) to call the rig  computer you set up in step 3.
5. With the radio on vox, it all should work.  Level setting may be necessary.

B.Rig Control
1. Use any rig control program for our rig like the Yaesu or Kenwood rig programs, HRD, etc. on the rig computer.
2. Install a VNC (Virtual Network Connection) server on the radio computer like Real VNC, or Remote VNC. 
3. Install the client(your laptop, tablet, phone) for the server you choose.  I use RealVNC and Mocha VNC
4. Set the appropriate net addresses
5. Use VNC Client to connect to the server. Control your rig.

NOTE: I run with the "A.Voice" setup above most of the time.  No rig control.  The rig is in vox and my phone and tablet have Skype.  The rig has a 1 minute time out timer so it will never stay keyed. AMP is on a timer for nightime 80m use.  Shuts itself off also. 

I mute my Skype microphone on my iPhone when I am just listening to stop background noise from keying the rig at home.  Nothing like being unmuted when your wife pitches a fit.  "I told you to take out the garbage 2 weeks ago and now the dead rats are beginning to stink.  Get your @$$ up from your haaaam raaaadio and get that done."