Virtual Scanning

[LukeB]

After doing some thinking, I am looking into setting up a virtual shack. I would like to have all of my radio's hidden and have them run via computer. I would dedicate a computer to this project with more than 1 sound card so I may listen to all of my radio's at once, but control them via computer. I tried doing some searches and looking around in the photo's section for setups similar to what I'm looking to do but I didnt find anything (perhaps I used the wrong search terms).

Obviously this is very early in the planning stage, actually its an attempt to get the ball rolling. I am wondering what kind of equipment is necessary, if there is a specific type of software that runs numerous scanning programs at once, and starter information to get something started. I have no real idea of what is involved with something like this. Also, I would want this to be something that is expandable should I decide to purchase additional radios.

Has anyone set something like this up? Photo's? I am mainly looking to put the equipment in a closet and run lines out to a computer or whatever is needed. I would like to display all the scanner interfaces on 1 screen. Again, I'm not sure if this is possible but I figured this would be the best place to ask.

 

[smason]

I'm doing exactly what you describe. I never see my radios except occasionally to adjust the squelch.

Here's what I have set up:

Basement bookshelf has GRE PSR-600, PRO-2006 and TenTec RX320 SW receiver.

Basement server has 3 sound cards, 2 serial ports (Pro-2006 and 320 are serial) and a USB connection to the PSR-600

Server is running WIN500 for the GRE, Probe for the 2006 and several different control programs for the 320.

Audio from the 2006 and 320 is streamed using ARC-Easystream server.

I can control/monitor the 600 from my desktop, notebook, cell phone, or my bedside pocket PC, with Win500.

I can monitor/control the other 2 from my desktop, or my notebook. Using ARC easystream client, and RDPing to the server to run the control programs.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[LukeB]

Thanks for the response smason. Would you be able to provide rough estimates for the control equipment (software, server, sound cards, etc.)? I have slightly different radio's but I'll try to make it as uniformed as possible for ease of use. Also, do you have any pictures available to post or email?

I would love to see and hear about any other setups similar to this. OS systems, types of servers, types of sound cards, etc.

This seems to be what I am looking to do.

 

[SCPD]

I'm doing exactly what you describe. I never see my radios except occasionally to adjust the squelch.

Here's what I have set up:

Basement bookshelf has GRE PSR-600, PRO-2006 and TenTec RX320 SW receiver.

Basement server has 3 sound cards, 2 serial ports (Pro-2006 and 320 are serial) and a USB connection to the PSR-600

Server is running WIN500 for the GRE, Probe for the 2006 and several different control programs for the 320.

Audio from the 2006 and 320 is streamed using ARC-Easystream server.

I can control/monitor the 600 from my desktop, notebook, cell phone, or my bedside pocket PC, with Win500.

I can monitor/control the other 2 from my desktop, or my notebook. Using ARC easystream client, and RDPing to the server to run the control programs.

Hope that helps a bit.

Just out of curiousity, what kind of system is the server and what OS are you running?

 

[smason]

Just out of curiousity, what kind of system is the server and what OS are you running?

The server is a home-built Intel Quad core 6600 with 4GB ram, and 3 1TB drives Raid 5.

Host OS is Centos Linux 5.3 and VMWare server. 1 VM is WinXP SP3 running Win500, 320 CTL and the streaming software.

Other VM is Freedos with Probe running. Remote control of Probe is through the VMWare remote console.

The Linux portion is also being a mail server, anti-spam filter, web server, samba server and proxy server and firewall. And probably some other functions I'm forgetting.

I'm using 3 USB sound cards because the Intel motherboard sound wasn't working very well.
The only trouble is on the odd reboot, the order of the cards can change, and then I have to shuffle the names on the streaming software, and tell Win500 which one to use.

 

[smason]

Thanks for the response smason. Would you be able to provide rough estimates for the control equipment (software, server, sound cards, etc.)? I have slightly different radio's but I'll try to make it as uniformed as possible for ease of use. Also, do you have any pictures available to post or email? .

Costs aren't too bad, Server OS is free, VMare Server is free, FreeDOS OS is free, 320 control programs free, so just the cost of Win500 $40.00ish I think, and the streaming software, which I don't think is available any longer.
If it wasn't for the Probe requirement I could probably do it all in one instance of XP.

I'll try to do some photos/screenshots in the next day or 2

 

[LukeB]

Awesome, thanks for the response. I look forward to seeing some pictures.