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Reviews For: microHam Station Master Deluxe

Category: Antenna Switching, Phasing, Controllers

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Review Summary For : microHam Station Master Deluxe
Reviews: 3MSRP:
Description:

"Network" controller for controlling large stations using multiple Antenna Switches,
Stacks, Rotators, SteppIR/UltraBeams, Automatic Amplifiers, and other devices
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.microham.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0035
PA5MW Rating: 2017-11-27
From a Guest-OP perspective: GREAT Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As a *Guest-Operator*, visiting a MS/MM station for a contest, one always needs to "settle in" again. Re-learn all available boxes and controls. What to do (and what not !) and in what exact order. How to perform a (quick) band change, switch RUN/S&P strategy, set BPF(because one TRX does not communicate), station owner re-arranged all boxes/ added a new gadget , etc. etc.

Enter the Microham Station Master De Luxe.

I had seen this fancy box with XXXL color display (I prefer blue) at another large MM station and thought this was next to many $$ a bit too much for any mediocre station. Sure I know from personal experience, owning two (other) Microham control boxes, that this company offers perfect service, cable schematics (build your own) and has a forum for solving that unique issue you encounter at your home-setup. But is this Cadillac an "over the top luxury with spinners" or a "true added value" to your station?

In short:
It's dead perfect.
It allows for simple , clear visual, unambiguous operating of just about anything.

Long:
I spent 2 days during this weekend's CQWW-CW leg at a remote MS station and was enlightened by the merits of this Station Master De Luxe.
A few days before the contest it was first hooked up and programmed to take over about 80% of the station's other boxes like Six-pack, Rotor, BPF, Stepp-IR, seamless integration with TRX'es/N1MM+ and interlock, etc. etc. It communicates with all kinds of known Hamradio devices but also offers many relay outputs which one can define and (home made) connect. The extensive sw interface allows for configuring just about anything and custom added texts. So the XXL text 'LOW 40m Dipole" vs "2-el 40m Yagi" in the display is certainly more clear than the small handwritten dirty tape-pieces on the Six-pack. Also the SteppIR, now controlled from a small (optional) numeric kybd on the desk table for its main actions (180deg/bi-dir + 4 main rotor directions), was quicker and easier accessible.

48 hours of operating later and the whole team was still 599+++ happy.

This one is to stay.
PA1T Rating: 2016-11-05
Wonderfull Time Owned: more than 12 months.
When you are running a ham station with several antennas, rotators receiving antennas, amplifiers etc. and your making mistakes by switching the wrong antenna or radio this is the product you need.
It turns your rotator connected to your antenna on the band where you are active. It gives you the antennas on the band where you are active. The other are not shown because you do not need them at that moment. If you go to a other band it displays again the antennas witch you need. You are always turning the rotator from the antenna you are using at this moment.
It switches and controls your stack match, your receiving antennas. It is magic.
The only thing is. It is not cheap. But you have quality in your station. If you have a more complex station and you want to invest in a good reliable switch system this is the way to go.
The support for the SMD is done by Jozef OM7ZZ himself and is very good.
Read the manual on the Microham website and you will discover more.
OE1EMS Rating: 2013-03-26
5 +++ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As part of the optimization plan, ie. access to all controls and rotors from all workstations @E7DX,
we’ve begun the implementation of SMD! (Station Master Deluxe).
Although I’ve been using the same system @OE3K for quite some time now,
I must admit that only today was I confronted with the configuration of the said box.
I’d like to take the opportunity to remark how they chaps at Microham have produced
a fantastic solution which supports anything you can imagine!
In short, SMD gives you full control of a multi-radio setup in a single box. The solution is flexible
and with an unlimited number of ports can control any contest site I’ve seen to date!
The support provided by Jozef (OM7ZZ) and his team isn’t just good, it’s excellent! They merit a big thank you!
In the near future all hardware will be contollable from all 4 workstations @E7DX and the change in setup
of the entire station from say Multi-Single to SOAB will be just a few clicks away.
The solution doesn’t come cheaply. To control all the current hardware in place @E7DX the one-box solution
will cost the same as top of the range contest rig.
That said, I sincerely believe that any complex M/S, M2 or MM setup will soon fall behind the competition
without such a solution.
SMD isn’t however only aimed at the multi-op market. The solution can be implemented in the simplest of stations,
enabling 100% remote control. With the arrival of SMD @E7DX (alongside some associated elements for remote power switching)
the entire station will be 100% remote controllable. With a stable internet connection we could see multiple operators
from multiple sites operating the station in multiple categories!
Although some additional peripherals are required to achieve complete remote control, SMD is the heart of such a system.

73s Braco E77DX/OE1EMS