'Remote Green Shack'

Remote Radio:  FT-450D

The following images show my remotely controlled Ham Radio station using the Yaesu FT-450D.

The station is unattended and located on our property in a small

GREEN SHACK in the South Australian Bush as shown below.

                 

 

 

 

                 

 

 

The shack is made of second hand, colorbond fencing iron.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This location is fairly isolated so the remotely controlled station is solar powered. Hence the batteries.

 

 

 

 

The nearest town is about 10 klms away (Internet Base station) so a 'mobile phone' 4G Internet connection is used.

 

 

 

 

The station is unattended and turned on and off remotely by using my mobile phone to send an SMS text message from

the home Qth, 150 klms away to the SMS Relay switch at the Radio End. Otherwise, if the station was always turned on,

the battery would soon become depleted and the station, unusable.

 Ham Radio Deluxe is used at home to remotely control the radio.

 

 

 

 

FT-450D, 'Remoterig' black box, blue SMS relay switch, wifi modem to the right. 30A, 12V relays in front plus solar controller.

 

 

 

 

Mobile phone antennas against the window. One used by the SMS relay switch and the other by the wifi modem.

 

 

 

 

 

GREEN SHED.  FEB. 2009. PRIOR TO REMOTELY CONTROLLED.

 

 

 

 

Antenna at present is the Hustler 6BTV - 6 band HF vertical as shown.

 

 

 

 

A 12 volt, 145 watt mono crystalline solar panel charges the battery. It produces up to 8 amps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The  picture  below  also  highlights  the  capability  nowadays  of  being  able  to  remotely

control  an  Amateur  Radio  station  via  the  Internet  even  if  out  in  the  middle  of  nowhere.

 

 

 

 

 

You may like the idea of remotely controlling a $100 video camera which can also be 'remotely rotated'. If so, click on this picture.

 

 

It will open in a new window.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Property.

 

The following only applies when using a Wireless Internet connection at the Radio End.

When I replaced my wifi router at the radio end with a new one because I had had it for a few years and it had deteriorated and was no longer usable, I ran into a problem which I thought was unsolvable.

Nowadays, most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) use a function called 'CGN' on their wireless Internet connections. This means that the wireless IP address is no longer public and therefore, when, at the control end, trying to find the remote modem at the radio end (using a dynamic website address), this RemoteRig system will not work. This caused a lot of problems whereby I had to cease remote operating for about a year, when as luck would have it, a fellow Ham here in Adelaide, Matt, VK5HZ, who is a network technician, sent me an email to say that he had helped VK3SSB who, not long ago had had the same problem. More information which may also help you to overcome this problem is provided on the 'Remote Control' page below.

 
                 

 

  

Rob, VK5SW's Remotely Controlled Amateur Radio System. This High Definition Video was created 10th January, 2021. Speakers On. Runs 34 minutes.

‘Hi Robert. Thanks for your chat on 20 Meters you peaked 5x7 from the car and I looked at the youtube video of the property and local fauna and flora.

Fantastic and a very lovely song to match. So well done all round. Your information is inspiring to others, how to organize a simple but well equipped remote station

and I am so glad you have posted on line. All the best from the Western Districts and look forward to hearing from you soon. Regards, Steven VK3NSC.’ 12th Feb. 2021.

Rob, VK5SW's Quad Antenna Resurrection. July. 2020.

 18 minutes.

 

My 'QSO Today Presentation.' 8th, 9th August 2020. VK5SW.

 22 minutes.