There are a few benefits, I have some hotspots and they have their place.
-Mainly that hotspots can't directly connect to WIRES-X rooms on Yaesu servers, and I can host one myself very easily.
-Much higher power and range (20W vs 20mW) with a roof antenna.
-Can use analog mode instead of digital so any FM radio can access the room.
-And finally it's fun to experiment.
Awesome, I have been patiently waiting for this release. Can't wait to try it out on the Mac.
My compact Wires-X Node stack, all 12v.
Pictured is a Yaesu FTM-100D (Japan Model), the HRI-200 interface, and a Wyse 3040 Thin Client running Windows 10.
I've found that these Wyse 3040 Thin Clients work nicely as a standalone Windows "appliance" for ham radio purposes. They're cheaper and run cooler than a Raspberry Pi and have more than enough power to run Wires-X or other ham software.
This specific model runs off of 12V/2A DC from the factory and uses the same size Yaesu DC barrel plug for power. It has 2GB RAM and a 16GB SSD, so I installed Windows 10 using the Tiny10 image. I have about 5GB of storage left over.
It works perfect for my use case.
Here's a list of the Mac software I've been using for radio.
I'm a newer Mac user and been looking for good amateur radio software. Here's a list what I've been using, in no particular order.
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ChronyControl - for accurate time keeping.
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QTH by W8WJB - fully featured APRS software.
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SDR-Control for ICOM - pricey, but useful radio control for the 7300 and more, has built in FT8/RTTY/PSK31/CW.
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HAMRS - easy to use multi-platform logging program.
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Serial 2 by DecisiveTactics- as advertised it will connect you Mac to anything.
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AntScope2- works great for connecting your RigExpert Antenna Analyzer.
And finally I can't wait for the new SDRConnect by SDRPlay. It will be a multi-platform software suite for their great SDR's. Currently I'm using CubicSDR which leaves a lot to be desired.