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Author Topic: SDR +Phone Patch = New Friends in Hawaii  (Read 216 times)

AH6GT

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SDR +Phone Patch = New Friends in Hawaii
« on: April 13, 2022, 06:55:08 PM »

Hawaii has 2 different KiwiSDRs and also a WebSDR in place. The WebSDR can handle 30 or more listeners at once, and has very good audio with very little latency.

I have made several good friends in Europe over the last year, due mostly to my introduction to the free video conferencing software: Jitsi.

Several of them have begun listening into the SDRs here in Hawaii during our 40 meter nets (7088 LSB at 1900 UTC and at 0200 UTC). Yes, in Hawaii, 7088 is a SSB frequency.

Wanting to introduce this group of friends to the local hams in Hawaii, I purchased a used Kenwood phone patch on ebay for under $20.

I run the computer audio from the video conference into the "RX" port on the back of the phone patch, and manually patch my European friends into the mic input on my TS-590 when it is their turn. Because I also have visual contact with the European stations, it is quite easy to do this. I recommend that they mute the SDR audio during their transmission to avoid hearing their own voice coming back with a delay.

The guys here in the islands are enjoying conversing with our guests from 'across the pond'. Our guests start their turn by announcing their callsign using the AH6GT patch.

Zoom or any other video conferencing software would also work, I am sure.
It is so easy to do.

Another way to have fun.
-Kona Bob

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AH6GT

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Re: SDR +Phone Patch = New Friends in Hawaii
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2022, 10:02:17 PM »

So this morning, SM2AYE was successfully introduced to the Aloha Net. Everyone reported nice clear audio and enjoyed talking to Sweden.

This afternoon on our 4:00 Afternoon Net. KH7MU, who is on vacation in Egypt checked in via the patch. Again, really great audio. Great to have our friend check in from the other side of the world!
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K7LZR

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Re: SDR +Phone Patch = New Friends in Hawaii
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2022, 09:54:20 AM »

Bob, that's just plain cool and clever use of an old phone patch. Bravo!
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AH6GT

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Re: SDR +Phone Patch = New Friends in Hawaii
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2022, 01:15:11 PM »

I am so happy I have this worked out. My friend in Sweden was also planning on using a "remotehams.com" station to join our Hawaii 40 meter nets. It turns out to be "illegal" for him to do that because there is no live control operator at the remote station. This caused quite a conversation on the Aloha Net this morning. Finally, the Net Control Operator posted the following link:

https://newhams.info/2018/11/13/CONTROL-OPERATOR/

I, of course have to be live and in my shack to throw the switch on the phone patch!
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