How to do Ham Radio When You Retire

1. By Dale Finley
Are YOU a Listener
or a Talker?
Fixed or Mobile?
Analog or Digital?

3. Some Good Links if you are thinking
about a Remote Base Setup
• http://tice.us/wa0tda/ and W0ZSW
• http://www.k6ufo.com/ Lots of links
Look for “Ten Things to Know”, K6UFO PDF file
including Licensing Information
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Sw2aC
6Gcs Handiham Remote Base HF Stations
• RCForb with Android Phone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zZOK34
pj9M

4. Some KEY Questions
Where Will you be living?
– Apartment, Retirement Community, House, RV?
– Restrictions – Medical (pace maker, etc) ?
– Retirement Ham Shack size, rooms, noise, Wife?
– HOA, Antenna Restrictions, Patio ?
– Marginal Internet Connectivity?
– Will you have Phone connectivity?
– Is your radio “modern” ?
– Do you do Voice and/or Digital Data?
– QRM issues, ?
– Is your RIG (HF) Panadapter Capable, CAT Capable,
built in Sound Card, Bluetooth Capable, CAT5
Capable? ?
– FCC Rules. See Mark’s Presentation

5. • PA7LIM.NL Overview (http://www.pa7lim.nl)
• Radioless Operation – Echolink & Peanut (Free)
• BlueDV w/mmdvm DVStick30 (~$129)
• DudeStar, DroidStar, Doozy (Free)
• Win4Icom & Win4Yaesu (not Free)
• Raspberry Pi Solutions – RigPi /HamPi/BuildAPi RX or TX
• DVDongle for older Dstar AMBE Vocoder
• Drats w/Winlink via Radio or DChat
• Linked Systems – DMR/Dstar/Fusion/P25
• Paid Ham Radio Subscriptions
• SDR Listening or “HackOne RF RX/TX
• Social Distancing Possibilities / “Zoom/Zoom Cloud”
• Messaging using FSQ, JS8Call, Linpac
• Voice/Video/Pictures with Zello, etc.
• UHRR (Universal Ham Radio Remote)
• DVSwitch, Allstar - IAXRPT
• RemoteTX.net Subscription with Rpi and PTT
• Remote Base 2m/440/HF – RCFORB Client/Server w/PTT (FREE)

6. Different Solutions for Different
Situations
Consider This
- HOA’s, Appartments, Retirement Living Places
- Mobile, Travel, RV’s, Parks, Vehicles, Hot Spots
- Power, Internet Connectivity, Antenna Location
- Modes: HF, Voice, Data
• Echolink Conferences such as HANDIHAM (494492)
• Dial in via Telephone Portal to Allstar nodes
Social Media Possibilities
• iPhone/Android/PC Zello wPW for Hams
• Discord Texting w/wo Voice/Video
• WhatsApp Texting/Voice/Video
Encrypted but not over RF, Sharing
• Other APPS ?

7. QRP Solutions
• HackRF One (TX & RX)
• Lab 699 Discovery TX-500
• Icom 705
• Xiegu X6100HF
• Rfinder B1
• Yaesu 818

8. More Questions, ie “Back Seat”
Solutions
• GoBox in a back seat
• GoBox on a patio
• GoBox on the tailgate of a truck
• GoBag for QRP radio
• Could you operate remotely to your car in a
parking lot/garage?

9. Fusion C4FM/Wires-X
• Yaesu HRI 200 Software Setup Required
• Or, Just use your Yaesu HT or Mobile radio to
do Wires-X

10. MISC Software Solutions
(Some Open Source)
• HRD, Win4Icom, Win4Yaesu not free
• SDR with SDRplay/uno (Free)
• RCForb (Free)
• Wfview (mainly for Icom Release 1) (Free)
• Flex Solutions ???
• Chineese Radio Solutions ???
• Universal Ham Radio Remote (Requires a Pi)
• MicroBit Remote Rig Solutions

11. Universal Ham Radio Remote_HTML5

12. (Old) Virtual Ionosphere for Hams
• CQ100 by VE3EFC (Connected to QsoNet
Servers using NO RF)
• Cost Free for 90 Days, Then $39 Annual
• Not sure if it is still operational

13. HamSphere Rel 3.0 & 4.0 “Virtual Radio”
“Build” Your Own Virtual Ham Radio Transceiver

14. RemoteTx.Net
• RemoteTX.net $40 for 6 months, $70 per year
• They take Donations for support this project
• Use your own radio, Icom 7100, 7200, 7300,
7610, Yaesu 991a, Elecraft KX2 or KX3, Yaesu
Rotors. TS-590 in the works
• You need a Pi3B/3B+/4B connected to Internet
• Remote Control Client on phone, laptop, tablet
Android, iPhone Compatible. PW protected
• Works with CW, FT8 and digital modes, & Voice
• Operate across the internet remotely to your
home radio. Must be CAT controlable
• Cables and adapters available for PTT
• Seems like good support… Guides, Demos, etc.

15. RemoteTX.Net
https://remotetx.net/video2/

16. RHR (Remote Ham Radio) {Expensive}
• Not FREE. Basic PlanCost 13+ Station $20.00 per
Month TX for $.09/min, RX for $.05
• Connect with a Flex Maestro or from a browser or
older Elecraft K3/0-Mini
• WebDX on iOS or Chrome
• Install Desktop app on PC/Mac
• Uses their Distant DX radios across the world

17. HackOne RF (SDR TX/RX) $339.95

18. Remote Base with RCFORB
from www.remotehams.com (FREE)
• Here’s the Server “talking to a Kenwood D700”
Part 4 Chapter 3

19. https://www.remotehams.com

20. Remote Hams.com
• Requires Sign Up. Free Client and Server
• Free Online Dashboard Map (134 open, 214
TX Capable, 198 Club Based)
• Free Getting Started Guides
• Client and Server runs on a PC
• Optional ORB Control Device $189.00 Single
connect to PC using USB
(out of stock) due to Covid
• Quick Start for Elecraft

21. RCFORB O.R.B. (online remote base)

22. RCFORB Client
• Here’s the PC Client Operating my ASL Shari Simplex Node 28287. Typical
Station Listings
• Client Available for $10 for Android

23. RCFORB Client Connected
• Connected to my D700
• Free. Simple Sign Up at www.remotehams.com
Part 4 Chapter 3

24. RCFORB Server Setup

25. To Be Continued
“Work in Progress”
• Stay Tuned for Future Presentations
• Dale Finley kb5nft@gmail.com
• Call me with questions 214-244-2100
• Q & A
Thank You Cedar Creek Amateur Radio
Club for letting me bore you!