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Author Topic: Cost to rent a remote station?  (Read 1151 times)

KM1H

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Cost to rent a remote station?
« on: November 09, 2021, 01:27:50 PM »

How much do those that rent out their stations charge? Setup, per month, etc?
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N6MST

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2021, 02:35:50 PM »

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KC0W

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2021, 03:19:07 PM »

https://www.remotehamradio.com/#pricing

  Fake ham radio at it's finest. CAT cable DX'ers............Suckers actually pay $1,000 a year to join and $1 per minute to play ham radio.

                                                                     
                                                                               Tom KH0/KC0W     
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K4WH

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2021, 04:01:53 PM »

 Good grief.  $ 999.oo per year for Premium stations, plus .99 cents per min, yes per min, to use.  So  ...... I come home from a long day at work, crummy drive in traffic. Have dinner and want to relax and play a little radio, let's say an hour.  $ 60 dollars to make some contacts.  So maybe I don't get on every day, maybe 20 times a month.  Wow,  $ 1200 dollars a month or $ 14,400 per year.  What If you operate more ?? or maybe do that for 10 years, 144,000 to get on a few times a month.  Great Biz plan.

You know, people have forgotten how to have fun in ham radio ( well some have ).  There are so many ways to get on the air.  Yes maybe not with high power ( 1500 watts ), but still can get on and make contacts.

Using these remote stations, is it still ham radio  ??

At those prices I think I would go back to boating.

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GREYLINE

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2021, 04:51:57 PM »

Since I travel a lot for work, I looked into these as a way to play radio on the road. As mentioned, it's a steep yearly fee + up to .99 per minute for the bigger stations. For the lesser equipped that are running 100w into an OCF antenna you can get those for .30 (?) per minute. You can buy blocks of time if you wanted to use one of the bigger stations for a 24/48 hr contest. It comes out to be close to what you would pay to go the Caribbean on a rent-a-shack deal.

Since listening time = operating time, I just wouldn't enjoy myself knowing I was always on the clock. THAT doesn't sound fun to me. 

Besides RHR there's this one  https://beloud.us/
« Last Edit: November 09, 2021, 04:56:03 PM by GREYLINE »
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W9IQ

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #5 on: November 09, 2021, 05:25:32 PM »

Good grief.  $ 999.oo per year for Premium stations, plus .99 cents per min, yes per min, to use.  So  ...... I come home from a long day at work, crummy drive in traffic. Have dinner and want to relax and play a little radio, let's say an hour.  $ 60 dollars to make some contacts.  So maybe I don't get on every day, maybe 20 times a month.  Wow,  $ 1200 dollars a month or $ 14,400 per year.  What If you operate more ?? or maybe do that for 10 years, 144,000 to get on a few times a month.  Great Biz plan.

Now consider what it would cost to purchase the land, put up, operate and maintain that kind of station. 10 years of your subscription expenses wouldn't begin to pay for it. Don't compare a super station to a peanut whistle.

I just looked at the lease price for a Maserati Levante and it is ridiculous! So that must prove the point that leasing a Kia Rio LX isn't a "great biz plan".

- Glenn W9IQ
« Last Edit: November 09, 2021, 05:37:25 PM by W9IQ »
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

K6BRN

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2021, 05:38:59 PM »


Now consider what it would cost to purchase the land, put up, operate and maintain that kind of station. 10 years of your subscription expenses wouldn't begin to pay for it.

- Glenn W9IQ

Perhaps not.  But once the hobby becomes a business, its possible to depreciate equipment and other capital investments while writing off expenses for utilities and maintenance as well as qualifying for lucrative small business loans and incentives.

The bigger and more expensive the station, the more to write off - especially if it occupies a fair segment of taxable property.

And you still have a hobby station to operate yourself between rentals.

So for those willing to go through the bother, it may be a way to have an expensive hobby help pay for itself to an appreciable degree.

Brian - K6BRN
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W9IQ

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2021, 05:45:56 PM »


Now consider what it would cost to purchase the land, put up, operate and maintain that kind of station. 10 years of your subscription expenses wouldn't begin to pay for it.

- Glenn W9IQ

Perhaps not.  But once the hobby becomes a business, its possible to depreciate equipment and other capital investments while writing off expenses for utilities and maintenance as well as qualifying for lucrative small business loans and incentives.

The bigger and more expensive the station, the more to write off - especially if it occupies a fair segment of taxable property.

And you still have a hobby station to operate yourself between rentals.

So for those willing to go through the bother, it may be a way to have an expensive hobby help pay for itself to an appreciable degree.

Brian - K6BRN

That is a viewpoint from the owner, not renter, perspective. If you want to make a business of it have fun but those that can afford the investment, float the loan or make it a successful business model are not in the main.

The crowd here is bemoaning the rental price of the Maserati that they would never have owned or driven in any case.

- Glenn W9IQ



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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

NO9E

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #8 on: November 09, 2021, 06:43:19 PM »

I believe remotehams makes sense to those for whom time is money. Not for those who would drive 100 miles to get a coax for $5 less. The lower cost option included access to the powerful stations for  a month so that one can sense what one is missing.

I became a member when I had to take a business trip when the 3Y0 expedition was to take place.  Very well thought off. Low noise perhaps unknown to most hams nowadays. Reasonable cost with lower level station, and impressive performance with their top stations. I remember calling Z6 on 80 when it was a new country.  Hours from home with a 60ft high dipole with no success and 1 or 2 calls with their 4 sq.

Their contest costs around $2000. I rented once a contest station and it costs me $2500 (including a ticket for my wife who would go there again any minute). That station was only 70% operational because a powerful storm came just week earlier.  With remotehams one would just change  a station and they would fix it right away.

With excitement partly from operating the contest station I set up my own station. The yearly cost is perhaps $8,000, which includes service of sewer backup and repairing a gravel road that washed out. Also tons of unpaid work including setting traps for rats and mice, and removing trees attacked by insects.   Cconstant maintenance.

Remotehams now switched to Flex radios. Since they operate many Flexes, they gain experience how to deal with the radio. Alone, sometimes I am ready to dump my Flex to a landfill and put it on fire so that it would not make anyone else mad.

Like some of gilded age said, if you are asking how much a yacht costs, you don't have business owning one.
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KM1H

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2021, 06:55:56 PM »


Now consider what it would cost to purchase the land, put up, operate and maintain that kind of station. 10 years of your subscription expenses wouldn't begin to pay for it.

- Glenn W9IQ

Perhaps not.  But once the hobby becomes a business, its possible to depreciate equipment and other capital investments while writing off expenses for utilities and maintenance as well as qualifying for lucrative small business loans and incentives.

The bigger and more expensive the station, the more to write off - especially if it occupies a fair segment of taxable property.

And you still have a hobby station to operate yourself between rentals.

So for those willing to go through the bother, it may be a way to have an expensive hobby help pay for itself to an appreciable degree.

Brian - K6BRN

That is a viewpoint from the owner, not renter, perspective. If you want to make a business of it have fun but those that can afford the investment, float the loan or make it a successful business model are not in the main.

The crowd here is bemoaning the rental price of the Maserati that they would never have owned or driven in any case.

- Glenn W9IQ


Hmm, time to consider this. With 4 towers and stacks 40-6, 4 squares on 80 and 160, and lots of Beverages the biggest investment will be a Flex, Maestro and SS amp.
Is WARC that important?  I have plenty of spare 25G sections plus rotators for another tower.

Towers had more than that on them during my contesting years, 4/4/4/4 stacks 20-10, and 4/4 on 40 which can become 4/4 20-10 and 2/2 on 40, maybe 8/8 on 6 already built and one in the air. Property is 5 acres on top of highest hill in ~ 20 miles all downhill to the ocean over 150 degrees and LOS to ocean over a good part of that. Other directions are unobstructed for many miles plus the hill is sloping nicely in all directions for extremely low angles well proven over 3 decades here.

All the former yagis are apart and on the ground. easy to get back up; Hardline and control cables still in place, some side arms and rotators are still up.

Upgrade the antenna switching and rotator controls.

Dont go overboard, just enough $$ flow to pay the yearly property tax. Add a second station if warranted.

Hire someone(s) to do the physical stuff, at almost 81 I'll sit and watch ;D

I wouldnt touch a Maserati or any exotic import if given to me, choices would be a Hennessy Corvette and F-150, and maybe a cool street rod for daily driver I like the large series 37-41 Buicks. Keep the money in the USA.

Thoughts?

Carl
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K6BRN

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2021, 08:18:38 PM »


That is a viewpoint from the owner, not renter, perspective. If you want to make a business of it have fun but those that can afford the investment, float the loan or make it a successful business model are not in the main.

The crowd here is bemoaning the rental price of the Maserati that they would never have owned or driven in any case.

- Glenn W9IQ

Glenn:

Hmmm... well...  The cost question was answered in the first reply, so after that we're into a simple philosophical discussion.

You actually brought up the owner/investment perspective - I merely pointed out that even if no one rents time on a remote station that it can be beneficial to the hobbyist/owner.

Carl (KM1H) might already have most of the basis of a good remote station and could be "in business" with just a little investment.  He might not WANT a Ferrari - but he might like the idea of renting time in one for profit. I'm looking forward to his reply and certain it will be interesting.

Ignacy (NO9E) has provided a pretty good viewpoint on why financially comfortable hams might like to use remote stations.  Nothing wrong with being comfortable and excercising options.

He may not be "the main" either, but can have an opinion nonethless.  More power to him.

So at this point we have a pretty broad view of the topic, which is great!  And I'm sure we'll get more comments.

Brian - K6BRN
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W9FIB

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #11 on: November 10, 2021, 02:44:03 AM »

Build a great station on someone else's dime? And be able to use it basically cost free? American capitalism at its best!

Not everyone has the time, location, or ability to build a great station. If you can afford the rent, why not? Basically the same decision like buying or renting a place to live. You can do what you can afford to do. Isn't that the American way?

For those who would build more stations like that...be careful. If too many get built then competition for customers could drive the price down and ruin a good business plan in a hurry.
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73, Stan
Travelling the world one signal at a time.

W9IQ

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2021, 03:39:30 AM »

Brian,

Keep in mind that you cannot build these types of remotely controlled stations from cobbled together, tubed gear. Everything needs to support remote control - rigs, amplifiers, antenna tuners, rotors, antenna switches, etc. Even the computers at the shack need to be up to today's standards. The owner also needs to be skilled at TCP/IP networking or hire the expertise.

This all suggests that the equipment cannot be much more than 5 to 7 years old and that the ham must be a modern practitioner. The investment is substantial and must have been recently incurred in order to qualify as a super station such as cited in this thread.

- Glenn W9IQ
« Last Edit: November 10, 2021, 03:47:28 AM by W9IQ »
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

NO9E

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2021, 04:36:47 AM »

Perhaps the mega stations for rent are a unique US concept.

Many hams in EU and beyond chip in to built a club station, perhaps with some local gov't support. Then the station is a shared property with strong social functions. In the US, it seems that most club stations are really individual stations that give access to many hams. So to have access to a better station, the choices are to 1) operate from someone else station or to 1) rent one.

Ignacy NO9E
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W3SLK

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Re: Cost to rent a remote station?
« Reply #14 on: November 10, 2021, 06:17:05 AM »

I had a friend of mine who lives in Shickshinny, PA controlled his AM station, Collins 20V and R390A on 160 via the internet in Wolf Creek, NJ. I don't recall the costs but he was on the air enough that it wouldn't have been taxing. I understand there was some latency in his audio but that was to be expected.
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