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Anyone use Kenwood Sky Command.

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dxhound

Active Member
Nov 17, 2006
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Ok, I have been toying with the idea of installing an HF setup for use in my farm tractors, But I really dont want to spend money on a nice antenna and radio just to have it beat to death. So I have decided I want to use the sky command setup.

My understanding is that it can be run with an HT or 2m 440 compatible mobile as the commander. And for the transponder you can use the ts2000 or a 2m 440 rig hooked to the ts480.

Just wandering if anyone has used either of these or the ts 480 remoted and run by an i phone. Also when using the skycommand, is 2m and 440 available for use through the system?
 

WA8ZYT said:
I have hooked the rx audio on my 480, to my computer and used Skype to listen on iPhone, to a particular frequency.
Click to expand...

How well did it work? Was the audio seemless? Did it lag in poor cell coverage? Also do you have the ability to use your Iphone as a tranciever with any way to control the rig?

I ask all of these because I dont have a smart phone as of yet, But will get one if it would make things simpler. I was reading about remote rig controllers and was wandering If I could youse the face of a ts 480 in the tractor hooked to a remote rig controller and use a smartphone for the internet connection.

Remoterig.com
 
I've done it with skype on my laptop to HRD on various rigs. There is a slight delay but the audio quality was fine. I've never had a Sky command rig, though.
 
you need a static IP address on the homebase computer base for remote control. most people don't have it cos it costs extra.
 
a friend of mine was trying it also but i dissuaded him because of that reason. I had heard of dyndns but no free services to give a static IP. I had thought of routing traffic through a private irc channel but that would be grounds for being banned from nearly all servers as that is how most botnets are controlled so I hear they have been cracked down on.edit: i'll have to look in to it
 
dxhound said:
Ok, I have been toying with the idea of installing an HF setup for use in my farm tractors, But I really dont want to spend money on a nice antenna and radio just to have it beat to death. So I have decided I want to use the sky command setup.

My understanding is that it can be run with an HT or 2m 440 compatible mobile as the commander. And for the transponder you can use the ts2000 or a 2m 440 rig hooked to the ts480.

Just wandering if anyone has used either of these or the ts 480 remoted and run by an i phone. Also when using the skycommand, is 2m and 440 available for use through the system?
Click to expand...

How much DX'ing are you going to do from a tractor anyway? I played around with Skycommand with a Knwd TS-2000 and TM-V7A and it was just not a pleasant experience. More of a gimmick IMO. Plus your constantly transmitting on the TS-2000 for the link.

Kind of ok if you want to sit on the back porch and listen to your favorite 20 meter freq, but I can't see using it in a moving vehicle. It would be nearly impossible to change functions and setting, freq, modes, etc in a moving vehicle.

Why not just pickup an older HF rig that you can beat up and not worry about? Or one with a remote head that can be mounted in the cab?
 
I am in tractors for 14 hours a day sometimes. And since we have diff tractors, combines etc. I would like to have one easy portable setup to take in and out of tractors hence the d72a HT. The idea is that I wont be more then 7 or 8 miles from my tower, So If I set the ts2k up for 10 watts, it will run kool and not be full blast at all times.

What you say about the functionality does make me question the setup though. Is there a problem with chnging freq and modes?

Another thought was to use a smart phone for internet(we have good coverage) hooked to a remoterig controller and have the face plate off a ts480. then I would have full functionality of the radio and need only rely on the internet connection. Which If I had to I could get an external cell antenna and BDA. But like I said, I have 3 to 4 bars anywhere I go with 3/4g connection
 
dxhound said:
I am in tractors for 14 hours a day sometimes. And since we have diff tractors, combines etc. I would like to have one easy portable setup to take in and out of tractors hence the d72a HT. The idea is that I wont be more then 7 or 8 miles from my tower, So If I set the ts2k up for 10 watts, it will run kool and not be full blast at all times.

What you say about the functionality does make me question the setup though. Is there a problem with chnging freq and modes?

Another thought was to use a smart phone for internet(we have good coverage) hooked to a remoterig controller and have the face plate off a ts480. then I would have full functionality of the radio and need only rely on the internet connection. Which If I had to I could get an external cell antenna and BDA. But like I said, I have 3 to 4 bars anywhere I go with 3/4g connection
Click to expand...

I understand what you want to do but I don't think your going to be happy with the results trying to do this 14 hours a day. I don't think Sky Command was made for that type of operating. But like I said for an hour or two or remote operating on the back porch, back yard or other short term light duty it's fine.

You can't just run through the VFO looking for signals like you can on a dedicated HF radio. The control functions are in menus and you have to use the menus and different buttons on the control radio to control the TS-2000. That can be tedious and probably not something you want to do while operating a tractor.

By all means give it a shot, see what you think and post the results.
 
RatsoW8 said:
I understand what you want to do but I don't think your going to be happy with the results trying to do this 14 hours a day. I don't think Sky Command was made for that type of operating. But like I said for an hour or two or remote operating on the back porch, back yard or other short term light duty it's fine.

You can't just run through the VFO looking for signals like you can on a dedicated HF radio. The control functions are in menus and you have to use the menus and different buttons on the control radio to control the TS-2000. That can be tedious and probably not something you want to do while operating a tractor.

By all means give it a shot, see what you think and post the results.
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh I was under the impresion the tuning knob on the commander would control freq and such on the transmitter. I see what your saying now. Well, I have been looking more indepth at the remoterig products and think this might just be the ticket. Im still researching using a smart phone for the connection though
 

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