It's becoming evident that the housing market here is going to force
me into a remote HF site for serious contesting and DXing.

What are the current equivalents for the Kachina 505-style rigs? The
Flexradio 5000C is intriguing but doesn't seem optimized for remote
site use, and the new Ten Tec seems "toy-like". Any other choices?

73 & TIA, RDW

On May 1, 11:49 pm, RDWeaver wrote:
It's becoming evident that the housing market here is going to force
me into a remote HF site for serious contesting and DXing.

What are the current equivalents for the Kachina 505-style rigs? The
Flexradio 5000C is intriguing but doesn't seem optimized for remote
site use, and the new Ten Tec seems "toy-like". Any other choices?

73 & TIA, RDW

well not tried it out but the kenwood 2000 and skycomand might be an
option for you

On May 2, 5:52 pm, an old freind wrote:


the kenwood 2000 and skycomand might be an
option for you


Control via an HT is a major kludge at best, probably pasted on for
marketing reasons

first You'd have to be in simplex range. I'm exploring the idea of
putting the HF station about 40 miles distant at a friends place in
the Cascades.

second Anyone with a compatible HT could hack your control link and
hijack your station.

third Can you imagine operating in the CQWW contest over an HT
without an interface to your contesting software.

But the PICASTAR that someone mentioned in another thread could fill
the bill if it weren't a roll-ur-own (love to do it, but I don't
have //THAT\\ much time available!)

73, RDW

On May 1, 10:49 pm, RDWeaver wrote:
Any other choices?


I would think that just about any of the offerings that are remote
control capable would be about the same. If you can hook up a
computer to it and control the rig it will do.

Folks may argue this rig or that is better but I would propose that
it's getting hard to buy junk, if you are buying new. Most of the
current manufacturers really don't produce junk, at least when you
compare them to other makers rigs in the same price range. (individual
experiences will vary.)

Building a remote station like this is going to be a complex task and
the Rig you choose is but a small part. It can be successfully done,
of course, but this is going to be time consuming and expensive if you
don't already have what you need (or know how to build it.) I look
forward to hearing how this works out for you because I live in a
house blessed with very restrictive CC&Rs, and I'm thinking about this
very thing. Only my remote station would likely be in a totally
different state...

-= bob =-

On May 2, 3:49 am, RDWeaver wrote:
It's becoming evident that the housing market here is going to force
me into a remote HF site for serious contesting and DXing.

What are the current equivalents for the Kachina 505-style rigs? The
Flexradio 5000C is intriguing but doesn't seem optimized for remote
site use, and the new Ten Tec seems "toy-like". Any other choices?

Either the TT Orion or Orion II might make good candidates. N4PY has
software which might turn the trick.

Dave K8MN

On May 2, 7:52 pm, KC4UAI wrote:


I would think that just about any of the offerings that are remote
control capable would be about the same. If you can hook up a
computer to it and control the rig it will do.


If your needs revolve around casual ragchewing you're probably right.
Heck, my old 1970's Heath SS-9000 might work in that sort of
application.

But those "about the same" mass-market radios wouldn't cut it in a
competitive contesting environment, even if someone is at the front to
ride herd on the hardware controls.

73, RDW

On May 2, 6:18 pm, RDWeaver wrote:
But those "about the same" mass-market radios wouldn't cut it in a
competitive contesting environment, even if someone is at the front to
ride herd on the hardware controls.


Well, if you are into contesting and chasing DX and cannot compromise
features, then you are surely going to have to buy the most automated
radio you can find and spend a lot of money in the process..

I'd look at the top of the line radios from all the manufactures..
TenTec, Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood etc, and pick the radio that has the most
features that you can control from a computer and the best automation
software available. You may even need to consider moving to separate
receiver/transmitter boxes to get the best receiver performance
possible. (Which may put you into the commercial equipment world for
receivers and a whole new price class.)

Eventually, the software defined radios (like Flexradio's) may become
viable for this purpose, but at last glance they still had sub-par
performance compared to the same priced radios in the market, although
the automation would be much better. I'd give them a few years more
and I'll bet they are going to be very competitive in price and
performance and take the likes of the Icom 7800 for a ride unless the
major manufacturers step it up.

But that is just the receiver/transmitter equipment of a remote
station... There is a LOT more stuff to consider..... Towers,
antennas, amps, coax switches, tuners, computers, rotors, transmitter
fail safe devices, remote connectivity, security and electrical power
come off the top of my head. The radio may be only a small part of the
total cost here if you are doing a remote located serious contest
station... Big bucks... It might be cheaper to just move..

-= bob =-

On May 3, 5:02 pm, KC4UAI wrote:


But that is just the receiver/transmitter equipment of a remote
station... There is a LOT more stuff to consider..... Towers,
antennas, amps, coax switches, tuners, computers, rotors, transmitter
fail safe devices, remote connectivity, security and electrical power
come off the top of my head. The radio may be only a small part of the
total cost here if you are doing a remote located serious contest
station... Big bucks... It might be cheaper to just move..


Without belaboring the obvious, you're correct.

The "cheaper just to move" isn't an option. I am embarking on a
second career after serving in the military for 27 years, and the
'perfect position' I've landed in civilian life dictates a general
locale for my residence. It is unlikely that I'll find enough real
estate to build a good station in that locale, so a remote base style
of operation is required if I'm to re-enter my first love in radio,
top-ten class contesting and serious DX'ing. I have a good friend on
rural acerage in the Cascades who will 'lease' me a fairly large
climate controlled space in his basement for a station and will
consent to up to four towers to be erected 'in the woods' on the back
of his property.

Budget (non-recurring cost) to build this remote station is $37,500
which includes some PE engineering assistance. Space/antenna-farm
acerage lease cost $1,000/yr, and low-latency broadband dedicated
control link cost TBD.

73, RDW