Let's buy some radios

NCMedic

NCMedic

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So... I have been tasked with looking at new options to replace a Kenwood TS 480 and a TM V7

So if you were to replace both of those with new hardware, what would your choices be? Let's assume that financial constraints aren't an issue.

Fixed use.

Would like to be able to mount the actual radios in a console rack and just have the head unit on the desk.

Also let's assume that coax isn't installed at the new location and antennas will remain on the roof of a 14 story building, will need to run via a fiber converter... Again cost not really a issue.

So.... Let's hear what you got.
 
I'd do like they do at the UN Building in New York, 4U1UN, where they have a remote Elecraft K3 station up near the roof and control it from another identical rig downstairs.

UN Amateur Radio Club’s 4U1UN Makes Major Moves toward Getting Back on the Air

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.
www.arrl.org www.arrl.org

Now that the K4 is shipping regularly, very nice K3 / K3s rigs are abundant, for a fraction of what they sold for originally.

Or, just get the K4 and wait until early 2024 for its remote operation option, which will be better than the K3 by a long ways.

As far as the VHF/UHF, that is a different discussion.
 
On the off chance this isn’t .gov owned.. Wutcha doin with that thar ts480? SAT or HX? I always liked those rigs, hint hint.😜

A couple high end all band/all mode SDR transceivers in the penthouse networked to the office would cover all bases and should be able to be accessed via the internet from off site if needed. I’d have to see what was being offered now though, I haven’t looked at SDRs since Flex was the new hotness. 😳

Money is no issue.. you bout to hold our beer. 😂😂😂

ETA: I betcha a couple FLEX-6700s would be right slick, one dedicated to uhf/vhf and one for hf. :cool:
 
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Amongst my commercial ham and .mil radios, I have a Flex 6400M. It has incredible receive capabilities. I however can't stand the company. I'd certainly never recommend a Flex radio for prep, survival or grid down. It's a good-times radio only and you should have a Big 3 backup then.

I kept my Icom IC756 Pro III and trust it more to be proven reliable when there's no online email tech support - the Icom just works. Unless you have a M model Flex, you can't use the Flex without a computer or their never-available $1300 Maestro computer. Flex is fun in good-times and when they are working.

This is one of my portable radios. It works good and is rugged - no bells or whistles.

2021-01-02 20.39.40.jpg
 
htperry said:
Amongst my commercial ham and .mil radios, I have a Flex 6400M. It has incredible receive capabilities. I however can't stand the company. I'd certainly never recommend a Flex radio for prep, survival or grid down. It's a good-times radio only and you should have a Big 3 backup then.

I kept my Icom IC756 Pro III and trust it more to be proven reliable when there's no online email tech support - the Icom just works. Unless you have a M model Flex, you can't use the Flex without a computer or their never-available $1300 Maestro computer. Flex is fun in good-times and when they are working.

This is one of my portable radios. It works good and is rugged - no bells or whistles.

View attachment 628277
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Nice! Is that an old PRC 77?
 
@mostly22lately The remote operation of the K4 is something that would be appealing. Desk space is at a premium so being able to put the physical radio in a rack in the server room and run it remote via PC or a remote head is certainly appealing

@hp468 It is part of our EOC upgrade and restarting the Auxcomm program. I have plans to turn both those units into field deployable kits. The Flex maybe a option.... Like I said, I wasn't given a budget YET....

Honestly my two biggest concerns are getting the current antennas connected to something to convert them to fiber as there currently isn't coax running to the new location, and finding something I can mount in a rack in the IT room and then run to the work station.
 
NCMedic said:
@mostly22lately The remote operation of the K4 is something that would be appealing. Desk space is at a premium so being able to put the physical radio in a rack in the server room and run it remote via PC or a remote head is certainly appealing

@hp468 It is part of our EOC upgrade and restarting the Auxcomm program. I have plans to turn both those units into field deployable kits. The Flex maybe a option.... Like I said, I wasn't given a budget YET....

Honestly my two biggest concerns are getting the current antennas connected to something to convert them to fiber as there currently isn't coax running to the new location, and finding something I can mount in a rack in the IT room and then run to the work station.
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It doesn’t work that way, fiber is for data not RF transmission. Your transceiver will need to be in the penthouse connected to the antenna with coax or hard line. You would need remote control of that radio from where ever you plan to monitor/operate from be it a elecraft setup like mentioned above or a computer networked to the penthouse using some form of rig control.

The elecraft would cover HF and likely be the simplest solution. I read last night the flex 6700 I mentioned is being discontinued.

What are your VHF/UHF needs?

Motorola CDMs have been used for years in similar configurations but they are not faceplate programmable and require Motorola software to program. I don’t think Moto even makes the CDMs anymore and I’m not sure anything in their current lineup is even capable of wide band FM.

If you want field deployable I would highly suggest separate purpose build go boxes. Your Ts480 and tmv would fit that bill in a rack case and work well.
 
hp468 said:
It doesn’t work that way, fiber is for data not RF transmission. Your transceiver will need to be in the penthouse connected to the antenna with coax or hard line. You would need remote control of that radio from where ever you plan to monitor/operate from be it a elecraft setup like mentioned above or a computer networked to the penthouse using some form of rig control.

The elecraft would cover HF and likely be the simplest solution. I read last night the flex 6700 I mentioned is being discontinued.

What are your VHF/UHF needs?

Motorola CDMs have been used for years in similar configurations but they are not faceplate programmable and require Motorola software to program. I don’t think Moto even makes the CDMs anymore and I’m not sure anything in their current lineup is even capable of wide band FM.

If you want field deployable I would highly suggest separate purpose build go boxes. Your Ts480 and tmv would fit that bill in a rack case and work well.
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Needs are to mirror the current set up of what we have with more modern equipment.

Standard EmComm / Auxcomm operations.


Something like this from my understanding should allow
https://www.tserecon.com/products/rf-over-fiber in theory or

1Mhz to 40 Ghz over Fiber - Optical Zonu Corporation

Optical Zonu’s wide array of products offer a capability to distribute UHF & VHF Radio Frequency (RF) signals over single mode or multimode fiber optic cable for distances far exceeding...
www.opticalzonu.com www.opticalzonu.com


This is definitely outside of my scope but since it was said "hey... Your studying to get your license... Why don't you work on this.." here we are. 😂
 
I’m not familiar with those products. I’d be willing to bet your looking at BIG MONEY for that stuff and will likely still need amplifiers in the penthouse as the fiber is only transmitting data.

I’m even more amazed that a local gov agency would be willing to put that kind of money into auxcomm. Y’all must be trying to burn up covid money.😂

@1911gobang you installed any of this RF to fiber stuff?
 
NCMedic said:
Needs are to mirror the current set up of what we have with more modern equipment.

Standard EmComm / Auxcomm operations.


Something like this from my understanding should allow
https://www.tserecon.com/products/rf-over-fiber in theory or

1Mhz to 40 Ghz over Fiber - Optical Zonu Corporation

Optical Zonu’s wide array of products offer a capability to distribute UHF & VHF Radio Frequency (RF) signals over single mode or multimode fiber optic cable for distances far exceeding...
www.opticalzonu.com www.opticalzonu.com


This is definitely outside of my scope but since it was said "hey... Your studying to get your license... Why don't you work on this.." here we are. 😂
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That sort of gear isn't for transmitting HF radio signals at hundreds or more watts of power.

(I design communications and test systems for a living.)
 
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hp468 said:
I’m even more amazed that a local gov agency would be willing to put that kind of money into auxcomm. Y’all must be trying to burn up covid money.😂
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Me too. Chatham recently built a new EOC and amazingly they built an auxcomm station in the main communication room that sits between the two operations areas (I forget the exact facility planning, but they’re including auxcomm into the official system). They also planned some VHF/UHF and antenna feeds into the building design, though I don’t think they’re yet installed. Serious tax payer money went into that system.
 
noway2 said:
Me too. Chatham recently built a new EOC and amazingly they built an auxcomm station in the main communication room that sits between the two operations areas (I forget the exact facility planning, but they’re including auxcomm into the official system). They also planned some VHF/UHF and antenna feeds into the building design, though I don’t think they’re yet installed. Serious tax payer money went into that system.
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And we can't be out done by Chatham... 😂
 
noway2 said:
Me too. Chatham recently built a new EOC and amazingly they built an auxcomm station in the main communication room that sits between the two operations areas (I forget the exact facility planning, but they’re including auxcomm into the official system). They also planned some VHF/UHF and antenna feeds into the building design, though I don’t think they’re yet installed. Serious tax payer money went into that system.
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A lot of capacity also came by way of in-kind donations from the Orange County radio club (of which I am the co-founder). Two of the four repeaters that were formerly at UNC Hospitals were relocated to Chatham, to establish or improve coverage there. One of these was originally built by me in 1981.

Sadly, two of the Chatham area amateurs involved (a father and son, ironically) have recently passed away. But it's a team effort and the projects go on, with assist from a retired IBM engineer here in Chapel Hill.
 
mostly22lately said:
A lot of capacity also came by way of in-kind donations from the Orange County radio club (of which I am the co-founder). Two of the four repeaters that were formerly at UNC Hospitals were relocated to Chatham, to establish or improve coverage there. One of these was originally built by me in 1981.
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Yes, that is very true. Thank you to you and OCRA.
mostly22lately said:
Sadly, two of the Chatham area amateurs involved (a father and son, ironically) have recently passed away. But it's a team effort and the projects go on, with assist from a retired IBM engineer here in Chapel Hill.
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Sad indeed. The father was instrumental in getting it off the ground, especially after John Stone died (though he was honestly a bit of a jerk that cost us membership). We knew he had cancer that had metastasized for some time, but he went downhill rapidly. The son was a surprise, but I understand he too had been sick for a while. Unfortunately, the organization is turning into one man’s DMR club and people are losing interest, which is part of why you may have noticed the sudden push to get more involvement.
 
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