{"id":14359,"date":"2015-08-22T07:13:14","date_gmt":"2015-08-22T11:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=14359"},"modified":"2015-08-22T07:13:14","modified_gmt":"2015-08-22T11:13:14","slug":"hamfest-find-griffin-technology-powermate-controller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/08\/hamfest-find-griffin-technology-powermate-controller\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamfest find: Griffin Technology PowerMate Controller"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1MmyxkC\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14360 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/GriffinPOwermateUSB.jpg\" alt=\"GriffinPOwermateUSB\" width=\"650\" height=\"285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/GriffinPOwermateUSB.jpg 650w, https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/GriffinPOwermateUSB-300x132.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A few weeks ago, I attended the WCARS hamfest in near Waynesville, North Carolina. I walked out of that hamfest carrying way more goods than I had intended to purchase (more on that in a future post&#8211;!).<\/p>\n<p>One of the best bargains I found was a\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1MmyxkC\" target=\"_blank\">Griffin Technology NA16029 PowerMate USB Multimedia Controller<\/a>. The seller is a friend; he\u00a0was trying (and succeeding) to push off a lot of his gear on me. We were actually in reverse price negotiations at one point&#8211;as he kept discounting prices, I was trying to raise them.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing I&#8217;m an avid SDR guy, he insisted I give this Griffin Powermate controller a go. \u00a0I purchased it for $5 after I believe he had offered it for free (yes, the results of reverse negotiations).<\/p>\n<p>I took the controller home assuming it would be cumbersome to interface with my SDRs&#8211;<em>what\u00a0a poor assumption I had made<\/em>! It was a breeze: simply install the driver, and launch its associated application. The software makes it <em>very<\/em> easy to associate PowerMate controller actions with keystrokes and other PC functions.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-8132015-54232-PM.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14361\" src=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-8132015-54232-PM.jpg\" alt=\"PowerMate 8132015 54232 PM\" width=\"612\" height=\"395\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-8132015-54232-PM.jpg 612w, https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-8132015-54232-PM-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 612px) 100vw, 612px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>There are a surprising amount of functions this simple knob performs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rotate\u00a0clockwise and counter clockwise<\/li>\n<li>Press down and rotate\u00a0clockwise and counter clockwise<\/li>\n<li>Press down once<\/li>\n<li>Press down and hold<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I set up the PowerMate to control my <a href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/10\/a-review-of-the-winradio-wr-g31ddc-excalibur-software-defined-radio-sdr\/\">WinRadio Excalibur<\/a> as follows:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Press and hold launches the WinRadio Excalibur application<\/li>\n<li>Rotating the knob tunes up and down<\/li>\n<li>Pressing down and rotating increases and decreases bandwidth<\/li>\n<li>Pressing once toggles the volume mute<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-Excalibur.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-14364\" src=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-Excalibur.jpg\" alt=\"PowerMate-Excalibur\" width=\"356\" height=\"650\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-Excalibur.jpg 356w, https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/PowerMate-Excalibur-164x300.jpg 164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 356px) 100vw, 356px\" \/><\/a>The PowerMate is a brilliant piece of kit!<\/p>\n<p>It has enhanced my user experience with the Excalibur. Soon, I&#8217;ll set it up to work with my <a href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2014\/12\/a-review-of-the-elad-fdm-s2-software-defined-receiver\/\">Elad FDM-S2<\/a>, and S<a href=\"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/07\/a-review-of-the-sdrplay-rsp-software-defined-receiver\/\">DRplay RSP<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The PowerMate software allows you to set up multiple configurations, so it&#8217;s easy to call up a configuration based on the SDR being used (since mine have unique hotkeys).<\/p>\n<p>The good news is\u00a0a <em>new<\/em>\u00a0PowerMate is only about <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1MmyxkC\" target=\"_blank\">$32 via Amazon.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m quite tempted, in fact, to buy a second unit to use with my laptop and to serve as a spare.<\/p>\n<p>While looking up PowerMate pricing, I noticed <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1E9txys\" target=\"_blank\">more complex multimedia controllers on Amazon<\/a>; I&#8217;m curious if any <em>Post<\/em> readers have experience with other models.<\/p>\n<p>Seems to be a very affordable way to enhance your SDR user experience.<\/p>\n<p>Click here to view the PowerMate on Amazon: <a href=\"http:\/\/amzn.to\/1MmyxkC\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/amzn.to\/1MmyxkC<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few weeks ago, I attended the WCARS hamfest in near Waynesville, North Carolina. I walked out of that hamfest carrying way more goods than I had intended to purchase (more on that in a future post&#8211;!). One of the best bargains I found was a\u00a0Griffin Technology NA16029 PowerMate USB Multimedia Controller. The seller is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[627,3,43,158],"tags":[4061,4062,157,4063,4087],"class_list":["post-14359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-how-to","category-news","category-shortwave-radio","category-software-defined-radio","tag-griffin-technology-powermate","tag-griffin-technology-powermate-sdr","tag-sdr","tag-sdr-griffin-technology-powermate","tag-software-defined-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-3JB","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14442,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/a-very-simple-mod-for-your-powermate-controller\/","url_meta":{"origin":14359,"position":0},"title":"A very simple mod for your PowerMate controller","author":"Thomas","date":"September 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"After publishing the post about my PowerMate USB controller, Mike Ladd replied on Facebook: \"Do what I did a couple of years ago and add a lobster claw rubber band to the [PowerMate] tuning wheel.\" In case you're not familiar, Mike is referring to the thick, wide rubber bands that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;How To&quot;","block_context":{"text":"How To","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/how-to\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"My Powermate USB sporting a white rubber band grip.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/PowermateUSB-LobsterClawRubberBand.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/PowermateUSB-LobsterClawRubberBand.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/PowermateUSB-LobsterClawRubberBand.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14786,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/09\/a-photo-tour-of-the-2015-wcars-hamfest\/","url_meta":{"origin":14359,"position":1},"title":"A photo tour of the 2015 WCARS hamfest","author":"Thomas","date":"September 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A few weeks ago, on July 25th, I made my way to Waynesville, NC, to the WCARS hamfest. This is a much smaller hamfest than, say, the Shelby Hamfest I recently attended. In the past, however, I've found some real gems among the tables of this small hamfest. I took\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Ham Radio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"IMG_20150725_083926547","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150725_083926547-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150725_083926547-1024x576.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/IMG_20150725_083926547-1024x576.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":20248,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/08\/selecting-a-budget-antenna-for-urban-radio-listening\/","url_meta":{"origin":14359,"position":2},"title":"Selecting a budget antenna for urban radio listening","author":"Thomas","date":"August 1, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday, an SWLing Post reader contacted me with questions regarding budget antenna choices for an urban apartment.\u00a0He's about to purchase an SDR, but knows that a decent antenna capable of coping with urban radio interference is a\u00a0critical\u00a0component. I suggested that, since I'm no expert with urban interference, he pose his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AM&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Urban-City-Cityscape","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Urban-City-Cityscape-e1470052384993.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Urban-City-Cityscape-e1470052384993.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Urban-City-Cityscape-e1470052384993.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Urban-City-Cityscape-e1470052384993.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28707,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/sdr-spectrum-to-radio-can-someone-please-make-this-device\/","url_meta":{"origin":14359,"position":3},"title":"SDR Spectrum to Radio: Can someone please make this device?","author":"Thomas","date":"October 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"As I've mentioned in the past, I actively record and index radio spectrum recordings via my various software defined receivers. Indeed, I have at least 50 TB of SDR spectrum recordings at the moment--and that number is growing! I was just chatting with SWLing Post contributor, Mark Fahey, and a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/RF-Switch-Atari.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/RF-Switch-Atari.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/RF-Switch-Atari.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":30491,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/01\/tx-factor-episode-20\/","url_meta":{"origin":14359,"position":4},"title":"TX Factor Episode 20","author":"Thomas","date":"January 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(Source TX Factor) Welcome to our 20th episode! In this revamped show we conclude our look at innovative amateur radio products from Hamfest 2017, and Bob goes back to basics with an overview of setting up an inexpensive SDR dongle. We have two great prizes to give away in our\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Ham Radio&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TX-Factor.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TX-Factor.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TX-Factor.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/TX-Factor.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38711,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/07\/sdr-academy-presentation-videos\/","url_meta":{"origin":14359,"position":5},"title":"SDR Academy presentation videos","author":"Thomas","date":"July 28, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alexander (DL4NO), who writes: Parallel to the Hamradio fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, there are talks and whole conferences. Over the last years, the \u201cSoftware-Definded Radio Academy\u201d (SDRA) was one of them. You find the presentations on Youtube: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PL6D0CPBQoIVpMflpSZFqbkmr2Xt_10D_Z At least most of them are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/spectrum-FT8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/spectrum-FT8.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/spectrum-FT8.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/spectrum-FT8.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14359"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14359\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}