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Hilltop Rig Project
Here's a project where we experiment with a remote rig
unit to operate the station over an encryped directional link. This
configuration placed an HF Transceiver on a hilltop behind the QTH. |
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RRC is moved to a small peak about
.5 mile and 900Ft higher than Home
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Jordan Peak with visual line of sight with
experimental 2.4 Ghz link |
Mountain-top antennas
(L-R Nanostation experimental link to neighbor, 2.4Ghz parabola, Nanobridge to
ground
sta)
Part I was to see if we could relay internet to
neighbor-it worked!
Part II was to use the remote rig units to see if
there was better HF reception by placing a remote radio at the
mountaintop and running it over the network
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We used a pair of Ubiquiti "Nanobridges" for the
ethernet link
Heres the control-end
Nanobridge on roof of garage
These units are available surplus for ~$50 |
#1 Plastic tote with router and power supplies on mountain
(L-R config notes on cards, router, homebrew 24V power supply for
the nanobridge and 12V power module, deep cyclemarine
battery)
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Separate tote forIC-706 radio remote rig and power
supply |
Using a nice straight dead pine tree for the top end of the wire antenna
Note pulley at top, white nylon line and insulator
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Here's Dave getting the wire antenna strung to a rope anchor.
Note the solar LED "yard flood" above the air-bridge dish, seen at
night for several miles. helped zero-in the PTP link. |
4" x 30' dead pine tree antenna pole is near vertical after much lifting and pulling
Final config: 40 ft wire antenna to tree at summit, bottom end tied
off with yellow poly rope at left
Icom AT-4 auto-tune coupler bottom center tote is 6 ft away, bottom
right
It was later moved farther due to RF "getting in the shack"
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Comparison test
Two IC-706 radios tuned to the same freq. Left radio (mountain) shows a
stronger signal than the one on the right (900ft lower).
Rather unscientific, but we felt that even with a wire antenna,
signals were averaging 4-6 S Units higher.
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"wire sloper" antenna on mountain appeared to pick up more distant
stations.
(red is the pole and green is the wire)
picture of antenna assistant, Tom
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Hy-Gain AV640 "no radial" vertical on a 10 ft tower section
This was connected to the local IC-706 radio for comparison tests
Note the outline of the mountain through the trees |
Notes from Initial Testing of the
Remote Rig
It Really Works
Have to remember the
actual transmitter and antenna are remote.
There's no T/R relay click
No latency noted.
Some dropouts noted during high network traffic at the home QTH.
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Statistics:
Mountain station 930 ASL
QTH station: 400 ASL2
2.4Ghz link distance: .4 mile
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Back to WB7ELY Projects
Story about "My
Journey to Remote Control"
WB7ELY Home
Audio Cutout Problem MP3 audio
file
02/15/23 |
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