Remote base station

A remote base station is a common name for an amateur radio auxiliary station that is set up as to be controlled and operated from a remote location. Most remote base stations have similar features to any other Amateur radio station but can be controlled over a direct wired connection, the internet, or by radio.

Description

In many ways remote base stations controlled by radio resemble repeaters but do offer many additional features. Remote base stations are usually run and maintained by individual hobbyists or clubs, but unlike repeaters they are not usually open to any and all amateur radio operators. A remote base station is one type of station where the primary control point is not at the station location.

Usage protocol

When using a radio link, remote control of an auxiliary remote base station consists of sending the primary signal (phone or data) along with some form of control signals, such as DTMF tones, to another station to change is operating parameters; turning it on or off, changing frequencies or transmitting power levels, rotating antenna, etc. These control signals are considered to be one form of primary control of the station, the control of those parameters for which the station licensee and/or any other control operators are primarily responsible.

Frequency sharing

Despite not being open to the general Amateur radio public, radio controlled remote base stations do not own the frequency on which their control signals are sent and they do still have to share the use of any frequency with the rest of the Amateur radio community.

Frequency allocation

In the United States, all Amateur radio remote base station auxiliary operation must occur on frequencies above 222 MHz. This means that the control link must be above 222 MHz. However, a remote base may have a down-link on any frequency. The FCC says that if a radio link is used, the station where the control commands are performed is an auxiliary station [97.213(a)] and an auxiliary station is "an amateur station transmitting communications point-to-point within a system of cooperating amateur stations" [97.3(a)(7)] In Switzerland, remote operation of an amateur radio station via internet is legal and approved by ofcom.

Online remote bases

Recent internet technologies have allowed ham radio operators to set up remote bases on the internet. Many people have set up similar remotes such as echolink or irlp. Now you can fully control radios and transmit on them using multiple software packages.

Telecommand is defined by the FCC as a one-way transmission to initiate, modify or terminate functions of a device at a distance [97.3(a)(43)] . If you are using a radio or wire line link to remotely control a station, this is "telecommand." Control (or telecommand) links may be wire (a telephone, fiber optic line, Internet, etc.) or radio.

Enjoy listening to aircraft, Boats, Ham Radio, Shortwave and rare DX you may never have a chance to hear from your own home without a radio. Test your own signal propagation, are you being heard is DX locations? This is all possible with online remote base technology.

External links

An online remote base community you worth looking at, created by kg6ypi, http://www.remotehams.com/online.html

Another software package is offered by w4mq, http://www.w4mq.com/ and access to stations running these program is possible via web browser.