Topics

1

General discussion forum / Stereo audio - swaps sides.

« on: 2013-03-06, 11:24:12 »

G'Day,

I wonder if anyone else has experienced the same thing - the streamed RemoteRig stereo audio "swaps sides", left to right, right to left.

I have an Elecraft K3 setup, with a pair of K3/0s remotely connected to a pair of K3/100s in the radio shack via Remoterig devices.  It all works well, with few problems.

The K3/100s have dual receivers and the audio from the receivers comes over the LAN in stereo - four streams in total.

Tonight my stereo headphones are plugged into one of the K3/0, and I am listening to both receivers, each on a different part of the band - the left ear on long path DX into Europe, and the other listening for NCDX beacons on 14.100.

While listening, the audio suddenly swapped sides - left to right, right to left. I did not think much of it, but 15 minutes later it happened again, the audio swapped back.

There is nothing special about the config - no switches, ampifiers or anything between the radios and my ears.  The audio comes out of the SP socket on the radio in the shack, into the RemoteRig, over the LAN, out of the RemoteRig into the SP socket of the K3/0, and out the headphone socket direct to my ears.

Clearly it could be the K3s or the RemoteRig devices.  Yes, the headphones remained ON my head at all times.

Has anyone else experienced such an event with RemoteRig?

Peter VK4IU



 

2

Configuration, RRC 1258 / Correct procedure - remote operation.

« on: 2013-02-25, 01:46:25 »

G'Day,

I have a K3-K3/0 based SO2R operation running two sets of RemoteRig devices.  It all works well, apart from some issues related to COM port allocation to the remote end USB devices see topic "SO2R config - USB COM port confusion".

What is the recommend start-up procedure - with regard to starting stopping, power on/off - for the RemoteRig devices, radios, and control PCs  at the remote end.

Currently, all remains powered, and the POWER button on the K3/0 is used to power on/off the radio K3.

Assuming ones system has been configure for correct operation - and tested as such.

If the complete remote system is powered down ... what is the correct or recommended procedure to consistently restart the system?

Peter VK4IU

3

Configuration, RRC 1258 / SO2R config - USB COM port confusion

« on: 2013-02-25, 01:34:45 »

G'Day,

I am getting very frustrated with the allocation of real PC COM port numbers to the USB serial devices in the RemoteRig boxes.

I know this is a Windows issue, and are looking for advice on how to retain the COM PORT configuration after initial setup of the RemoteRig devices and system.

I have yet to understand the process, but if I have occasion to reboot the my PC, especially after the RemoteRig devices have been disconnected or powered off - Windows 7 seems to have a mind of its own, allocating new port numbers to the 4 devices in the USB connection - eight in my configuration.    Usually only four change, but the change can be to either RemoteRig USB connection.

I have an MicroHam MK2R+, Station Master SO2R configuration, with two Elecraft K3/100s driven remotely by two K3/0s, both RemoteRig sets are running in TWIN mode.  After correct configuration, the system works very well for hour after hour - all on a private local area network.  No "Internet" is involved.

But, if I do other things with the "control" PC, and ultimately reboot for example, Windows 7 may allocate a new set of com ports for one of the RemoteRig devices.  When the "re-config" is finished, I usually finish up with four new com ports, and the original ports are listed as "hidden devices" in Device manager.

I have experience setting up com ports.  So before initial setup, I moved all other devices - Bluetooth serial ports for my Nokia phone, other USB serial ports, to numbers higher than 8, that is  20 through 30.  Before I started with the RemoteRigs - all COM ports below 8 are free and unused - and any hidden devices below 8 uninstalled/deleted.

The PC is an i7 based Dell notebook with NO hardware serial ports.

When the Remote Rig Management software is installed, and the RemoteRig USB connection made, one at a time, the first device is usually allocated ports 5 to 8.  The second device usually gets ports around 8 to 13, which I then reconfigure to ports 1 to 4.   I then usually reboot the PC, turn the radios on/off and verify correct PC operation and configure the software in the control PC - N1MM, Logic, TRX Manager, OmniRig etc etc.

The complete system then functions correctly - the Microham gear follows along with the normal operation of the K3/0-K3, and any software I run on the control PC against the USB based com ports to the control RemoteRig device functions as I expect.  I can power the K3/0 off and on, and it all works as expected.

I understood that each USB device has some sort of identifying number to allow consistency of allocation.

What triggers a need to reallocate the COM ports in the Control PC when I later reboot the Dell notebook?

What procedure is recommended to minimise - perhaps eliminate - this problem?   See also another topic "Correct procedure - remote operation."

Peter VK4IU