Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Remoterig RRC-1258MkII

Category: Interfaces, Radio to computer, amp, rotor, coax switch, internet

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Remoterig RRC-1258MkII
Reviews: 35MSRP: 449
Description:
End to end complete control of many popular HF trasceivers over the internet without the need for a computer at either the Radio or Remote Control end.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.remoterig.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00354.7
PD0PSB Rating: 2010-09-16
Audio now perfect! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
An update to my previous review: the VOIP audio has been updated with a variable audio HPF down to 82hz.
Great "full" audio now, even for broadcast listening.

Also 2 ADPCM codecs have been implemented for low datarate connections.

Updates to the units were simply done by a firmware update.

Thanks people at Microbit!
HB9EDM Rating: 2010-07-13
Very nice! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Fantastic way to control my remote station!
With the kenwood TS480SAT is a very good combo.
I can use my EXPERT 1K-fa amplifier and my ERC interface to control my rotator.
Audio is very good.
KY6N Rating: 2010-07-04
GREAT Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have, over the past seven years, set up and assisted others in setting up about a dozen remotes; all basically using a remote desk top software ( I use VNC) and Skype.
This requires a computer at the remote end. I have had great success with these systems and after much fiddling with the audio controls I have been able to achieve very good quality transmitted audio. (Getting great sounding transmit audio is the true test) However, having and maintaining a computer at the remote end adds complexity….remote resetting etc.

Recently I found this new product in QST …..from Sweden ….RemoteRig

To date this is by far the best remote system I have ever used.


With the Remote Rig “boxes” “RRC” I now get fantastic transmit audio with no fiddling….. and it is simple. (After you get past the computer networking issues).

The RRC boxes will work with any radio….but they are the best when used with the Kenwood TS 480. This radio is built in two parts; the control head and the larger “radio box”. The radio is mostly used for mobile operation; the control head goes up front and the bulk of the radio goes in the trunk….…but this ability to separate the control head from the radio is the key to great remote operation. Using the RRC boxes…..the control cable (RJ 11, six wire telephone cable) is cut between the control head and the radio box……the internet (with the two RRC boxes) is inserted in series and is now remotable to anywhere in the world. The control head and one RRC box sits on your desk and only requires an internet connection …………and the balance of the radio and the other RRC box sits at the remote location and only needs an internet connection….plus an antenna of course.
You sit at your desk and control the radio with the actual control head…..not from a computer screen….real knobs and dials. Your microphone plugs into the local RRC box.

When you look at Remote Rig web site you will see that the “boxes” also have a serial port connector DB9 at each end. This is available to run a linear (or other serial device e.g. rotor) such as the SPE 1K at the remote end without the need for a computer at the remote end. I had hum problems on my transmitted audio when using the serial port to control my SPE 1K amplifier. I elected to interface the amplifier to a computer at the remote end instead …..hum problem solved. This hum issue is probably solvable. Others are using the same equipment and I assume do not have hum issues…..but I want a computer at the remote end for other reasons ….so I am not presently using the serial port function on the RRC boxes.
Lantronix makes a serial device server which will accomplish the same result and give you multiple serial ports at a remote site with out a computer…this is called a Serial Device Server and only requires an internet connection.

SPE 1K amplifier does work well as a remote amp and has included software to be controlled from a computer and also includes an antenna tuner.

For a quick and very simple remote system this is great.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions ron@ky6n.com
Website: ky6n.com
WN3R Rating: 2010-05-30
In a word: WOW!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After reading the review in May QST, I ordered a pair of Remote Rig Interfaces. The units arrived in a short 7 days. It took me a bit too long to modify the control cable with RJ-45 connectors. (Be careful adding heat to shrink the tubing as the wires inside the cable melt at low temperatures.)

My first contact came within about 30 minutes while in the shack. At the home QTH, I had to forward some ports on the router to make it work. This was simple and fast.

While at the beach, I was able to set up ICS in Windows XP and Windows 7 on two different computers. I tried both computers with a sign-up public Wi-Fi and my 3G Droid. After adding ports 11000, 12000, and 5060 to the ICS setup everything came to life. The slower speed required some adjustment to the audio settings in the Rig Remote. Again it was simple.

On air reports are as expected. All are surprised that it is a remote setup. My antenna is an AH-4 connected to my 80 meter dipole. I twisted the ladder line wires together to connect both to the single AH-4 terminal. The ground is unique since the shack is on the second floor. Seems to work well on 160m-6m.

I have a complex station I'm trying to remote and it's taking a long time to get it complete. I got tired of not being on the air from afar. The Remote Rig was the solution.

At less than $500 with shipping, this is a whole lot cheaper way to go than using dedicated computers at each end. Besides I like twisting knobs to operate a radio a lot better than clicking a mouse.

If you have one of the radios that is supported by the Remote Rig and a need to operate from afar, you can't go wrong with Remote Rig.
W4RSG Rating: 2010-05-02
Internet HF Remote Control Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Seldom do I read an article about a new piece of ham radio equipment and then order it the same day. But that is exactly what I did when I read the QST review of the RemoteRig RRC-1258MkII. When it arrived I looked inside and I was impressed with the design and quality of construction. I made up the interface cables, set the jumpers, downloaded the necessary software from the website and entered the proper software parameters. Then I plugged in my TS-2000 into one, my RC-2000 into the other and both to the internet. It worked as described and better than I expected. And I had conjured up some really high expectations. I now have complete HF control from anywhere there is an internet connection without the need for the instability of running computers at both ends. I could not be any more pleased. Great product.