Having the ability to experiment with operating your equipment in new ways is an aspect of Amateur Radio which sets our hobby apart from radio services such as CBRS, GMRS, FRS, and MURS.
In his Enjoy FT8 From Almost Anywhere article (a free preview from the August 2019 issue of QST Magazine), J. Robert Witmer, W3RW, writes:
Imagine hunting 6-meter DX at a restaurant while eating breakfast, or making an all-time new DX contact while waiting for a flight. I’ve found myself operating remotely in these types of situations, and many others, using nothing more than my smart phone. If you think this type of operating is complicated and expensive, prepare to be surprised!1
W3RW goes on to describe his approach to remote FT8 operation which combines WSJT-X and TeamViewer with his radio, shack computer, and a mobile / portable device.
His article covers installation and configuration of WSJT-X and TeamViewer at your station and of TeamViewer on your mobile / portable device.
W3RW then discusses:
- Single Band Operation
- Multiband Remote Operation
- Other Considerations
W3RW reminds Amateur Radio Operators to enable the “watch-dog timer” in the WSJT-X software on their station computer to prevent run-away operation. And to enable their transceiver’s “watch-dog” feature if it has one.
In closing, W3RW states:
By combining WSJT-X FT8 operation with a remote desktop control program such as TeamViewer , you can add an exciting new dimension to operating. Operating remotely during breaks in the action while participating in other events can be a great way to catch elusive band openings and hopefully work a new one!
If you’re not a fan of FT8, the TeamViewer approach described here can be used to remotely control other station computer applications.1
“Enjoy FT8 From Almost Anywhere”, ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio, retrieved August 24 2019, http://www.arrl.org/files/file/QST/This%20Month%20in%20QST/September2019/Witmer.pdf. ↩︎ ↩︎
