Interest Groups
Remote Operation
Computers and the internet have been enthusiastically embraced by the amateur radio hobby for many different purposes. One of the things made possible by those developments is remote operation of radio stations.
Cities Make Radio Difficult
Increasingly, urbanization has been creating challenges for amateurs who live in cities and towns. Tall buildings absorb and reflect radio signals, compromising clear radio "paths" to other locations around the world. The explosion of information carried by radio signals creates ever more electronic noise and interference with amateur stations. Newer housing developments frequently constrain erection of antennas in the false belief that they reduce property values. Very closely-spaced houses and apartments increase the chance that an amateur's signals may interfere with the neighbours' telephones or other electronic equipment.
Mountains & Other Challenges
Other amateurs are handicapped by their location in low-lying areas shielded by higher terrain, or by their location near sources of interference such as power plants or large industrial facilities.
Amateurs suffering such handicaps cannot get high-quality signals in or out, and cannot as a result enjoy as much success in the hobby.
Move the Station Elsewhere
Along came the internet! An amateur can now build his/her station in another less-compromised location, installing the radio(s) and antenna(s) and other gear there along with a computer and an internet connection.
Then, from a location dozens or thousands of miles away, the amateur plugs a microphone into his/her computer, starts one of the software packages now available for this purpose, and begins operating his/her remote radio station across the internet.
The station performs just as it would if he/she was there operating it. Digital signals are passed back and forth across the internet to tune and control the station, and voices or other operating signals are converted to digital, transferred, and converted back to analog at the other end.
Run World-Beating Stations from Home
Amateurs have built stations on small oceanic islands near the equator. The salt-water ocean helps create the most-perfect of operating conditions, along with less man-made interference and few obstructions, so these amateurs can operate their killer world-wide stations from their homes, offices, hotel roooms, etc. - wherever they happen to be located with an internet connection.
There are many facets to the amateur radio hobby, and this is but one of them. Some of our members succesfully operate remote stations, and are pleased to help others do it too. For more information, come out to one of our meetings (no invitation required) or contact us via our Contact Us page.
