SKYCOMMAND IDEAS AND LESSONS 21 Feb 2007 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WB4APR When I began to experiment with SkyCommand with my TS-2000 at work for remote control from other local D7 and D700 mobiles, there were many things I learned. Maybe this info will be useful to others. GENERIC USE: My objective was to find a way that we could make Sky- Command GENERIC so that one set of settings could be setup in the mobiles and they would not have to re-configure for different Sky- Command systems. And also to make it so that muiltiple mobiles and operators could be sharing in the SkyCommand capabilities and monitoring system operation at the same time. ANY TNC / ANY RADIO: I also discovered that I can command Sky- Command from any radio and any TNC by simple dumb-terminal commands. Also, the response showing the TS-2000 status and frequency is human readable somewhat. So I added a SkyCOmmand capability to APRSdos so that an APRS operator can momemtarily QSY to the local SkyCOmmand frequency and command the remote HF rig and see its freqeuency and settings on his APRS window. Here were my initial questions and answers... 1) Does the VHF link ever time out? (Yes, after 10 minutes) 2) What does #1 ON/OFF command do? (I saw no change.) 3) Can others share my rig? [Yes! All use call of CMDR!] 4) Can we chat on UHF for voice coord? [YES, with different PL] 5) Can all D7/700's see HF freq? [yes!] 6) what is safe TS2000 VHF 100% TX pwr? [5W is only mildly warm] 7) How to remotely band change?* [RX off #2 then new Freq] 8) How to delete character in callsign? [CLEAR key on TS2000] 9) What about PATH? [must be direct] A) Watch out for 3rd harmonic of VHF! [on your choice of UHF] * Byon, KB9LNC figured this one out. So while station A is controlling the radio, anyone with the SKYCOMMAND PL set and keys his UHF, will go out on HF, but all the rest of the group can chat back and forth on the same UHF channel as a coordinationg backchannel without keying the HF rig if they just set a different skycommand PL. Thus, everyone on the local COMMANDERS VHF/UHF net can still do everything with their D7 and D700 mobile without needing ANY kluges. Oh, I also found that if I set the TXD from 500ms down to 150 ms in all the radio's TNC's before bringing up sky command, that the packets are MUCH shorter. Almost half as long. Oh, and do NOT have CTCSS set (such as for APRS voice alert) on the VHF band before you bring up SKYCOMMAD, or you will not hear anything on the VHF SkyCommand link. Apparently SKYCOMAND does not overide your previous setting of CTCSS if left on. Wow, now from my D700 front panel, I can: 1) Do all of APRS (positions, messages, Igates, FINDU, etc) 2) Send and receive Email (via WU2Z engine) 3) Send and receive WinLINK email (APRS-link system) 4) Query the QRZ database (via MSG to SAQRZ) 4) See Frequencies of local VOICE repeaters while traveling 5) See alerts to local nets and hamfest objects 6) See traffic info from APRS-TRAFFIC alerts 7) Remotely OPERATE any public SKYCOMMAND RADIO! I tried to use the APRS UHF channel of 445.925 for the UHF side of skycommand, but found other Voice Users there. So I changed to 441.025. For the VHF frequency, I found a distant Voice Repeater of which I am a member, and which my 5 Watt SkyCOMmand VHF output would not bring up the repeater. Therefore it will not interfere with ANY existing repeater nor with any simplex operations. Every single VHF frequency is overused in our area, so it takes creativity to find a place to put the VHF link. GENERIC: To make my system "public" and generic so that one setting will work with other SkyCOmmand systems, we set the TRANSPORTER call to TRPTR and the COMMANDER callsign of CMDR. This way, any and all mobiles in the area can see/command our local SKYCOMMND systems. We will use PL of 123 to CONTROL the HF rig and PL100 for chatting on the UHF backchannel. This way, all an APRS mobile has to do to see if anything is going on on SKYcommand is simply QSY his 144.39 Voice Alert channel to 445.925 and call out. PL is already set for backchannel voice. And if anyone is listening, they will hear it. Etc... For now, here is our SKYCOMMAND plan in Annaplois Marlyand: http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/USNAremoteHF.html This is a GREAT use for that $2000 radio when you aren't using your TS-2000... All we need now is for someone to make up a nice list of HF memory channels to simplify remote tuning to those frequecies and bands that will be of interest to our local D700 control group. CAUTION! If you are planning on a system like this, do NOT put it anywhere near your shack, since the VHF and UHF links, when up, will cause you operating problems from the same location. We are locating our system about a half mile from our main station to allow mutual operation without QRM. Bob, WB4APR