Messages

31

General discussion forum / TS-480SAT, hiss in speaker when volume is set to zero

« on: 2011-07-26, 05:12:01 »

Has anyone else noticed the 'white noise' hiss in the TS-480SAT internal speaker when the volume control on the Kenwood is set to zero? I also notice the same hiss when using the SP jack in the control RRC with my headphones. The hiss seems like it goes down and away as you increase the volume control. It's a little too loud for me when using headphones but not so bothersome when using the speaker...

The RRC Setup Manager cable is unplugged; whether it is in or out makes no difference in the hiss noise...

73 John K7FD

32

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots - issues again

« on: 2011-07-24, 17:24:29 »

I have been operating remote this weekend and having fun! Connection is through a wi-fi connection at an RV park along the central Oregon coast. The connection has been 99% rock solid resulting in several QSOs on 40m cw. I think they have decent bandwidth here!

With my xyl N7SG on her iPAD and me on my XP laptop, we had time to fiddle with jitter settings. It may differ from connection to connection, but at this hot spot the best overall results (with little break up) was jitter buffer size at 7 and jitter delay set at 8. Packet size 20. Annette changed the radio RRC settings and I changed the control settings...it was great team work and made flipping back and forth between RRC settings a piece of cake.

One area I continue to have trouble with is the inconsistency connecting the control RRC to wireless networks. Nothing ever seems to work twice the same way, hi. Sometimes bridging the wireless card to the Ethernet card works, sometimes using ICS in XP and sharing the wireless connection works. I have yet to figure out a way of connecting that works the same way every time...

Yesterday bridging connected, this morning only ICS would connect. Same wi-fi. Strange.

Question: what's the best way to identify your station when remote? What do you tell the operator on the other end, too. So far, I've just sent "I'm operating my home station over the Internet from this QTH"...

Lastly, is there any legal FCC issues not physically being at the station; I guess I have control, so all is OK...

73 John K7FD

33

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots - issues again

« on: 2011-07-21, 19:15:01 »

Mitch, I did that. But I also then typed ipconfig /renew ...

Should I not do the /renew?

And after I type ipconfig /release should I restart anything? RRC? Laptop?

Thanks!

John K7FD

34

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots - issues again!

« on: 2011-07-21, 18:43:41 »

I have been able to successfully connect to Starbucks and McDonald's wi-fi hotspots but when I lose the connection or try a different RRC configuration in the control RRC, then I am unable to reconnect to the wi-fi spot. When I first set up and connect the laptop to the wi-fi (Windows 7 wireless connection/bridge to Ethernet) the control RRC connects and the green PWR LED goes from blinking to steady.

But if I change control RRC configuration and the RRC restarts, then I cannot reconnect to the w-fi. The green PWR LED just continues to blink. I'm wondering how I can 'clear' whatever is keeping me from reconnecting so I can connect back up again. Not an expert here, but maybe the wi-fi thinks I am already connected and won't let me reconnect?

I can come back to same wi-fi hotspot later in the day and it will reconnect...but only after time elapses.

On a side note, I am trying to determine the best settings to minimize jitter and drops...not there yet, hi. Sometimes I can get a super connection with solid streaming, other times it is hit and miss with jitter. I'm beginning to think the w-fi connections are going to be 'iffy' at best due to slow speeds, other laptop connections, etc. Sure wish I had a cable modem at both ends wherever I roamed, hi!

73 John K7FD

35

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots - update

« on: 2011-07-18, 07:19:13 »

I discarded the LinkSys wireless bridge idea and finally figured out how to 'share' the wireless connection with the local Ethernet connection in the laptop. The reason I had trouble getting this to kick into gear was failure to restart computer after enabling sharing. Once I shared and restarted, then laptop Ethernet port was 'hot'.

Next I installed Microbit Setup Manager locally on the laptop. With USB cable from the control RRC to the laptop, I ran Setup Manager and ran the GET button for the Net Info tab to see what DHCP address had been assigned. Once armed with this, I brought up the web browser and managed the control RRC from there (when I'm in the shack here with my local wireless network, I need to change my DynDNS name to the 192.168.1.228 address)...

I was very pleased when the Kenwood TS-480SAT front panel powered up going through the shared wireless to Ethernet connection! At this point, I went back into the control RRC set up and changed the 192.168.1.228 back to my DynDNS name...I was ready for yet another trip into town to find a wireless hotspot!

Since it was almost 9pm, McDonald's was about the only thing open in town (we live in a SMALL town). I pulled the RV in and hooked everything up...Kenwood TS-480SAT front panel, control RRC box, and my laptop. The laptop had no trouble connecting to McDonald's 'attwifi' signal. Next I plugged the Ethernet cable from the control RRC box into the laptop Ethernet port, changing the blinking PWR light to solid and steady! "This is looking better", I thought to myself as I reached for the TS-480SAT power button...

BINGO! On comes the front panel and I'm listening to a QSO on 40 meters! This deserves a chocolate milkshake and side of fries...

73 John K7FD

36

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots

« on: 2011-07-18, 03:51:28 »

Thanks for your input, Walt! Sounds like I have a challenge ahead of me trying to get the control RRC to work from a wi-fi hotspot, especially since you've been down that path and decided instead to go with a pc interface to your ham station.

My whole goal is to have the look and feel of being at my station, thus HRD, etc. doesn't float my boat. I'm interested in having the actual TS-480SAT front panel with me wherever I go, something I am hoping the RRC boxes will accomplish. My xyl and I vacation a lot in our RV and it would be nice to park outside a wireless hotspot and connect back to a decent antenna at home vs. the Hustler mobile whip, hi. Many of the RV parks are equipped with wi-fi also, so I'm hoping to find a solution...

73 John K7FD

37

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots

« on: 2011-07-17, 23:24:08 »

OK Mitch...yes, I've tried marking both wireless and local connection with control key and then right clicking. That's the easy part, hi. Only nothing seems to happen when I set up an internal bridge in the laptop, hi!

The wireless bridge I have is a LinkSys WET610N. Maybe I need to get the second Netgear one you listed. I'll check into it!

John K7FD

38

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots

« on: 2011-07-17, 20:31:03 »

Mitch, I see no settings in the wireless bridge web interface page. I guess it's back to using a laptop to get wireless signal and bridge to internal Ethernet port? I have tried to do this in XP and get nowhere.

If I right click on the wireless connection setting in XP, go to Properties, Advance tab, check 'Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet Connection' I don't seem to have any signal at the laptop Ethernet port when I have a wireless connection. I plug the control RRC into the laptop Ethernet port and PWR light just blinks green...never goes on steady.

Do I bridge the wireless connection and local Ethernet connection together? If so, then I get a message that says 'To create a Network Bridge, you must select at least two LAN or High Speed Internet connections that are not being used by Internet Connection Sharing'. Pressing OK does nothing.

I am stymied as to how this is supposed to be set up so you can actually bridge the wireless signal received on the laptop over to the Ethernet port on the laptop...so I can plug in the control RRC...

Any help appreciated!

John K7FD

39

General discussion forum / Re: Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots

« on: 2011-07-17, 18:55:04 »

Mitch, yes I did log into the Starbucks agreement page before disconnecting the wireless bridge Ethernet cable from laptop and moving it to the control (user) RRC...

Just for a test to make sure I had a good connection from Starbucks, I disabled the wireless NIC in the laptop and changed the laptop Ethernet port back to DHCP after I made connection with the wireless bridge. I then connected the cable coming from the wireless bridge into the laptop Ethernet port and had no problem browsing the internet from Starbucks. So I know the signal on the cable from the wireless bridge was a good one...

So I know I have a good connection to Starbucks wi-fi. But for some reason, the control RRC doesn't like it well enough to connect back to the radio RRC in my ham shack...

BTW, I opted for the wireless bridge because I would like to only use the laptop to scan for wi-fi networks, then put it away. I don't want to have a laptop running once I get things connected. Just the Kenwood, the control RRC, and  wireless bridge...at least that's what I am hoping for...

...because these devices all run off 12 VDC making it easy to power everything in the field. My laptop is 19VDC and the internal batteries never last long...hi.

73 John K7FD

40

General discussion forum / Trouble connecting to radio RRC from free wi-fi spots

« on: 2011-07-17, 17:26:29 »

Anyone have the magical settings to connect from open wi-fi back to their radio RRC's? I am using a laptop and LinkSys WET610N wireless bridge to scan for open wi-fi spots, connecting, then moving Ethernet cable to my control RRC and TS-480SAT.

The only success I have had with this lash up, so far, has been connecting to a 'visitor wi-fi' at my workplace. There I scanned with the wireless bridge, found the wi-fi, entered the password, connected, moved Ethernet cable from laptop to control RRC, and the TS-480SAT immediately connected to the radio RRC when I powered up the Kenwood faceplate.

So I am wondering what the difference is between the wireless wi-fi at my workplace and wireless wi-fi hotspots. I have tried the local library, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc....all without successfully connecting to the radio RRC.

One other note, when connected to the workplace wi-fi I can browse to my DynDNS address and bring up the webpage to see radio RRC settings, no problem. However, when I connect a laptop to Starbucks, McDonalds, etc. I can NOT browse to my DynDNS address. Does this mean these wi-fi hotspots are blocking something?

As Mitch says, there needs to be a 'Networking for Dummies' for guys like me, hi! All replies appreciated...

73 John K7FD

41

General discussion / Re: Free Wi-Fi Hotspot connectivity - Problem resolved.

« on: 2011-07-17, 17:02:16 »

I read through this discussion but I don't see where connectivity to free wi-fi hotspots was resolved, hi!

I have the same problem that W6SA experienced: connection to Starbucks wi-fi OK but no connection to radio RRC. In my set up, I use a wireless bridge to do a network scan. After the network scan, I connect to wi-fi then pull wiresless bridge cat 5 cable from laptop and plug it into the control RRC. Press power button on TS-480SAT and nothing happens.

I have gone to various wi-fi hotspots, scanned and connected with wireless bridge, moved ethernet cable to control RRC...but no success connecting to radio RRC.

On the other hand, I have done the exact same set up connecting to our 'visitor wi-fi' at work with no problems at all. But other wi-fi like Starbucks, McDonalds, local library, etc...no luck.

BTW, I am using a LinkSys WET610N wireless bridge to connect a wireless signal to the control RRC...

Anyone actually solve this problem of not connecting from wi-fi spots?

73 John K7FD

42

Configuration of Routers, Firewalls, etc / Netgear router SPI firewall issue solved

« on: 2011-07-16, 19:53:34 »

FYI, I found if the SPI (stateful packet inspection) firewall was enabled (default setting) in my Netgear RangeMax 240 router, I could not connect RRC's remotely.

To remedy, I had to uncheck the SPI firewall setting in the router.

Hope this is helpful to someone else wrestling with their remote connections!

73 John K7FD

43

General discussion forum / Re: How does control RRC know 'how' to contact the radio RRC over the internet

« on: 2011-07-15, 22:03:24 »

Success! I have made a remote connection between control RRC and radio RRC...the TS-480SAT works beautifully! Special thanks to Mitch DJ0QN for his assistance...on this forum and in emails.

The key(s) to getting connected over the internet was changing the SIP port to something other than 5060. I also changed the web and telnet ports to something other than 80 and 23. After the port numbers were changed, it was an easy connection between the control RRC and radio RRC using DynDNS.com...

I had my first remote QSO on 40 meters...from my workplace 12 miles from my radio shack...via my 40m sloper at home! This certainly opens up a lot of new operating scenarios for ham radio!!

Also special thanks to CQ Magazine and this months article on www.remoterig.com by Martti OH2BH...

73 John K7FD

44

General discussion forum / Re: How does control RRC know 'how' to contact the radio RRC over the internet

« on: 2011-07-15, 14:59:35 »

OK on DynDNS, Mitch. I dropped you an email yesterday morning...I'll try another today

45

General discussion forum / Re: How does control RRC know 'how' to contact the radio RRC over the internet

« on: 2011-07-15, 08:06:17 »

Tonight I re-did my DynDNS; it appears my first attempt at setting this up ended up incorrectly by using my ISP's IP instead of the IP of the radio RRC 192.168.1.228 -- I did not realize I had to type in the radio RRC IP and took the default IP address (the ISP) shown in error.

Now when I do an NSLOOKUP on my DynDNS name, I get 192.168.1.228 as a response. I believe this is what the control RRC (SIP contact) is looking for...

In addition, after reading through other posts about ISP port blocking, I changed all the port addressing except for 11000 and 12000 port numbers.

Tomorrow I will attempt another remote session from an available router 12 miles north of my shack...

I've been careful to follow the manual/pdf but hopefully I am beginning to understand what I am reading, hi!

73 John K7FD