FUTURE OF STATION AUTOMATION FlexRadio; It's here Today (Operate from Anywhere) Phil Theis K3TUF Mid Atlantic VHF Conference October 7, 2017
THE GOAL
OPERATE FROM ANYWHERE THIS IS THE FUTURE Three Ingredients to Success Access to Radio Rotate Your Antennas Turn Things On and Off By Default, this implies Automation
ACCESS TO YOUR RADIO
ACCESS TO YOUR RADIO Many Options Remote Ham Radio (Someone else does it) RemoteQTH (Great software) RemoteHams (Use other s radios) RemoteRig (Hardware solution) Software Defined with above options Software Defined with VNC (Virtual Network Computing) Software Defined Native (FlexRadio) Everything on Ethernet: Radio Server
MY START IN AUTOMATION Remote HF and VHF via FM in 1985 (160m 23cm) Started Presentations in 2008 on Automation Band Changes for Transverters on PowerSDR 4 to 16 Line Decoder 2007 for PowerSDR (UCB) SDR interface via I2C on Flex 5000, 3000 then 1500 Today that board will take either I2C or BCD with 16 Outputs Interface to the Flex radio was either Firewire or USB
NEW BREED OF RADIO (SERVER) Introduced SmartSDR in 2012 Interface is now Ethernet Platform for remote radio control Because the Internet uses Ethernet as it s Transport Now the Radio has the same Transport as the Internet Every other interface for all other radios requires some gateway to Ethernet
FLEXRADIO SYSTEMS, INC. Next dozen slides are on the Flex Radio SmartSDR system These express my reasoning for choosing this platform A Slide Deck from FlexRadio is on your Conference CD This gives you the latest and greatest from the Company
API AUTOMATION In the world of Information Technology The Primary method of getting software systems to talk is Application Programming Interface Now we have a Radio that uses a Common Interface
IMPORTANCE OF AN API SmartSDR Windows client rests on FlexLib which rests on the internet API CAT and DAX also use FlexLib You can do anything done in SmartSDR from the API Unprecedented control over a Radio Server The API is open to Everyone
IMPROVEMENTS IN 2017 (V1.10) Digital Audio exchange now live Mic Native Winkeyer SO2R (Single Op 2 Radio) Support CAT port for each Slice Receiver Improved and Configurable Filters (another slide) USB Integration (using USB Cables) for Hdwr Integration
INTEGRATION EARLY 2017 USB Integrations direct from the radio Supports CAT, BCD and BIT controls Flexible settings allow many integrations based on radio state, frequency, transmit, antennas, etc Allows large number of external devices No computer required Inexpensive, readily available cables Control all station components with ease
USB CABLES
AMAZING FILTER OPTIONS
FROM LOCAL AREA TO WIDE AREA Introduced SmartLink at Dayton (Xenia) 2017 Enables full remote operation from any internet What is the problem Connecting to a Server in your Home? How is this handled: Virtual Private Network Challenges..
SMARTLINK SIGN-ON SCREEN
REMOTE RADIO LOOK
ROTATE YOUR ANTENNA
ROTATE YOUR ANTENNAS
FROM YOUR CELL
TURN YOUR ROTOR But this isn t the end of the story. There is a problem The PSTRotator Program runs on Windows(10) So I will use it for now
ROTOR PROGRAMS ON ARDUINO Plan to merger K3NG rotator software with Web server used to Turn Things On and Off Lets get to the next Section Future State: Rotator and Turn On/Off on same Application
TURN THINGS ON AND OFF
TURN THINGS ON AND OFF THREE CHOICES FOR COMPUTING
TURN THINGS ON AND OFF Beaglebone Black Linux Operating System Numerous GPIO and Analog Inputs Numerous Interface Options Apache Server Easy to get on Internet Extremely powerful Platform Inexpensive: < $50
TURN THINGS ON AND OFF MY CHOICE: BEAGLEBONE BLACK
BACK TO NEW TECHNOLOGY Arduino (Sketches) Simple OS No one hacks Arduino (Y) Can t get around LAN Not enough intelligence to worry BeagleBone (linux) Complex OS Subject to root kit Going to be on the Inet Enough intelligence to be dangerous Match the Equipment to the Requirements
TURN THINGS ON AND OFF Sainsmart 16 Relay Arduino Mega 2560 + Ethernet $14 $6 + $3
IOT IN PRODUCTION
SWITCHING HIGH CURRENT THINGS
SWITCHING HIGH CURRENT THINGS
SWITCHING HIGH CURRENT THINGS
SWITCHING HIGH CURRENT THINGS
FROM CELL PHONE Here is where I will be adding Rotor Control Will be adding Feedback Voltage Readings Output Power indications Other Presentation Improvements for mobile
CURRENT USE Laptop and Cell Phone Can use Logging Maestro and Cell Phone Cell Phone alone (Coming)
SmartSDR for ios DL8MRE - Marcus Feature Rich Looks/Feels like SmartSDR Enhanced features for ipad / iphone Operate from anywhere
END OF AUTOMATION/FUTURE TALK Six Slides of Current Projects I have a Lifetime of Projects in the Queue Both in Radio And Around the House My RF Projects have suffered due to Remote Work
K3TUF PROJECTS
K3TUF PROJECTS
K3TUF PROJECTS
K3TUF PROJECTS
K3TUF PROJECTS
K3TUF PROJECTS
THANK YOU, LETS WORK ON LOTS OF BANDS
THANK YOU K3TUF.COM/PACKRAT/FUTURESTATIONAUTOMATION.PDF